ANOTHER SAHM WAHM UPDATE

So, okay, I'm surviving this double duty I've put myself into (yay to me!) but gosh, some days really do almost push me to my limits.

Like this one particular day last week. It was busy at work (what else is new about that?!) and the reports were piling up (and why does it seem like we're never caught up ever?!). The diligent and dedicated worker in me in all honesty was willing to give all my best effort to help and bring the workload down and I was determined to take on my list big time, HOWEVER, Vonn Kaleb had other plans for us that day. He had been extra clingier (yeah, that's right, because he was being too clingy a level up than his usual) the past days, and on that particular day, all he wanted to do was basically attach himself to me like a joey to his momma kangaroo. That would have been perfectly fine with me IF I didn't have lotsa' work to do (and if I had a pouch like a kangaroo!) So, imagine me  trying to proof reports with a fidgety infant on my lap, who didn't want to be put down on the floor to himself. For a minute or so he would play when not on my lap but then when he'd realize that he didn't have my full attention, he'd whine and would ask me to pick him up or hold his hand wherever he'd go. It was just impossible for me to get any work done!

Well, naptimes are supposed to be my "breaks" from Vonn Kaleb, and I take full advantage of those times, no matter how short or long they may be. By that I meant, I try to get as much work as I can whenever Vonn Kaleb goes for his naps. The problem is, it usually takes so long to put him to sleep, at least half-an-hour to an-hour-and-a-half or even more! Normally, I have the patience to rock him back and forth and tap his bum until he falls into deep slumber. However, on that particular day, I was soooo behind at work already, and guess what, it was taking Vonn Kaleb forever to fall asleep. Time was ticking away and the amount of time I lose at work because I have to care for Vonn Kaleb means the same amount of time I must make up at work after regular hours on top of the extra overtime hours I was being asked for. So after rocking Vonn Kaleb to what felt like the longest time ever, I finally gave up and laid him down on his crib in a very much awake state. I left his room with the door opened, went to my work station, and turned the baby monitor on. He didn't cry immediately after I left. From the monitor, I could hear he was babbling and playing (with his stuffed dog, Woofster) but after several minutes (albeit not long enough for me to finish even just one report), he started fussing and eventually went to a full blown cry. When I checked on him, this was the scenario:

Pardon the quality of the pictures as they were taken using my old iPhone but if you look closely, you'll see my son bawling his eyes out (and he was crying out loud then as in screaming his vocal cords and lungs out!). Then, shift your eyes on the floor and you'll see two pacifiers (there were actually five pacifiers on the floor but only two are seen in the pictures) and a pair of gray pants. Now, the pacifiers on the floor weren't a new thing -- he loves to throw them out his crib -- but the pants?! He was wearing those when I left him to sleep! I guess, in his tantrum fit, he managed to wiggle himself out of his pants, and then he threw them on the floor too. Ayayay!

Sigh...  I really find it hard and extra challenging to do my work and mommy duties especially that I do both of them at the same place and time. So true, you can't serve two masters. My son is not the laid-back easy-going kind of child that can be left to his own for the longest time and not cause a fuss at all. He is in fact the opposite and one who loves being held, being played with, being rocked and cradled, etc. He likes constant attention and reassurance. On the other hand, my job is somewhat demanding and intense too. It's the kind of work wherein I need to really be focused, careful and attentive to details.  It is time sensitive so I need to be driven to meet and beat deadlines. I'm part of a team, so even if I'm working remotely, I need to be always ready to answer to superiors and help the team. I mean, my work is really work. So a lot of times I feel like a modern age woman version of Bernardo Carpio who is trapped between two big rocks trying to prevent them from bumping onto each other. 

I'm not complaining, don't get me wrong. I love my son to bits with all my heart and soul. I love my job too. I'm just venting out my exasperation and exhaustion from this predicament I've personally chosen to put myself into. Vince, as always, has been very supportive of my decision to continue working, but just the same, he has been asking me to quit my job and just "retire" from working. He has been itching to write my resignation letter for me since day 1, hehe!

So anyway, byway, high way, I'm thankful to God that it's the weekend again. I survived another week! Yoohoo!  So grateful that even for just two precious days every week, I get to temporarily hang my proverbial career jersey and just be a full-time mom/and wife, and spend those two precious days with the most important people in my life ☺☻☺

JUST ANOTHER UPDATE

Needless to say, (yet here I am saying it anyway) my blog has been quiet for quite a while (again for the nth time).  Well, a lot of grown-up things have been keeping me preoccupied recently, and with that I meant my job, pregnancy, relocating and all-in-between.  Despite the here and there glitches that Vince and I have been encountering with transition and adjustment, everything has been good by God's grace.

So where do I begin with this yet again another comeback?  Hmmm...

One of my fridge magnets

GEORGIA.  About three weeks or so ago, we bid adieu to Pennsylvania and said hello to Georgia.  It was a tedious move for us.  We had to stay in two different hotels for more than a week while waiting for our household goods and car to be delivered from PA to GA.  Previously, we rented a single bedroom apartment in PA, but since we took upon ourselves to broaden our horizon and embark on a bigger journey which included starting a family, we decided it's best to rent a house rather than an apartment.  There were only two available houses for lease in the area, and we've chosen a very spacious four-bedroom, three-bathroom (Jacuzzi in master bathroom -- sweet!), two-car garage house to be our new abode here in GA.  But of course, a house is totally different than an apartment, hence, we're still in the process of getting ourselves settled in and acquainted with all the what-is and what's-not including security alarm, insurance, furniture, appliances, etc.  It's pretty exciting and interesting since this is our first time to rent a house, and we're sort of getting the "training" we need for when we eventually decide to buy and own a/this house, Lord willing! ;)

WORK.  What a wonderful blessing it is to have a job (much more to be able to do it from home or anywhere powered by Internet for that matter), and so, I have no right whatsoever to complain.  Honestly, there are times when my work makes me sing, "Are you a sweet dream or a beautiful nightmare..."  I do appreciate deep down in my heart the perks of being able to telecommute, but my goodness, I'm telling you, working from home does not provide me immunity from stress brought on by my job.  My husband can definitely attest to that.  Hehe!  BUT, as always, I'm thankful to God that He has blessed me with this job, and it has been a testament of His faithfulness in our lives, especially during this time that we're waiting for our H-1b/H4 visa to be approved, and Vince has not started on his new work yet.  I'm really saddened by the numerous layoffs recently at my work, and that makes me more grateful to be still part of the company.  So, whether my job is being a sweet dream or a beautiful nightmare, "Either way, I don't wanna wake up from..." ☻

PREGNANCY.  I thought the nausea, vomiting and all my first trimester challenges would never come to end, but thank God, I'm over them!  It was a great relief when I finally was able to tolerate the usual foods I ate prior to pregnancy.  Second trimester has its own quirks too like this ache in my left hip down the butt and upper thigh aggravated by movement and shifting positions, and also, uncontrollable growing belly accompanied with occasional cramps.  Right on my 20th week, I started feeling tiny baby movements like small ripples or waves inside my tummy ♥  I also had another ultrasound about a couple of weeks ago, and the second one was much more exciting than the first ultrasound.  Besides the fact that our baby has obviously grown bigger and body parts were more recognizable in the second scan, we found out the gender!  Okay, so this is where I cut this short.  How Vince and I found out the gender of our first baby was an important milestone for us, and so I like to write a separate blog post for that.  If we're friends in Facebook, you most likely know already whether I'm having a girl or boy, but I do hope that you still join me in my next post as I reveal my baby's gender to cyberworld.  I promise to try my best to make the revelation as fun and exciting as it was for us when we first found out, so please stay tuned!

...and yes, I haven't forgotten that I still need to complete my Hawaii vacation series here in my blog ☻

HAPPINESS IS... MEME IS UP :)

Happiness is...

...being able to work a full-time job from home ☻

This is my little "powerhouse" corner at home where I telecommute as a medical transcriptionist.  I work with a laptop and a desktop to increase efficiency by using two monitors.  I have been doing this for a year now, since I moved to the States from Canada.   I'm employed by the same company - only now, I do my job from Pennsylvania and I don't have to be physically present in the main office in Toronto.

For the record, I don't normally put a bottle of hair conditioner (as seen in the picture) on my computer desk.  At the time this was taken, I was rushing to get my work done for the day, as Vince and I had an important flight to catch.  It was about a couple of minutes before my log off time.  I was wrapping up my work and doing some last minute packing at the same time.  Vince, seeing the helter-skelter I was, decided to take a picture to document one of my many "toxic" moments ☻

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My share for:

HOW TO WRITE A CURRICULUM VITAE

Yesterday, Vince and I attended a dinner/seminar hosted by the Hospital Corporation of America (HCA).  While the presentation was intended for physicians, particularly residents and fellows, the facilitators discussed topics such as Curriculum Vitae (CV) writing and interview preparation, which are as well applicable to any job seeker.  So for today's entry, I'm sharing those pointers I learned from the seminar, with a touch of my own quips.  I realize that this kind of information is readily available in the Internet and I wouldn't be surprised if this may sound as old news to you, but who knows what new things someone (like me!) can pick up from an old trick, right?  Plus, if you haven't done your CV in quite a while (like me again!), consider this as a refresher course ;)

HOW TO WRITE A CURRICULUM VITAE

1.  Below is a set of headings you may use as applicable:

Identification

Post Graduate

Education

Experience

Licenses and Certification

Professional Affiliations

2.  Remember to use reverse chronological order (most recent to oldest).

3.  The headings should be clear and should stand out from the other text in your CV.

4.  Use appropriate spacing and font style and size (e.g. Arial/Times New Roman 11/12).  The font style and size determines how easy on the eyes your CV will look when printed/faxed.

5.  Keep the format consistent throughout.

6.  The most important part of your CV is your contact information, so make sure that it is up to date.  Put a contact number/email address where you can be easily and directly reached.  Do not use your mom's, dad's, spouse's, neighbor's, neighbor's wife's, neighbor's wife's cousin's, neighbor's wife's cousin's girflriend's contact infos.  Of course, I'm exaggerating over the last parts there.

7.  One thing you don't want a prospect employer to see in your CV is spelling and typhographical mistakes, which pretty much reflect a "sloppy and careless" attitude.  We know by now that Spell Check is not perfect, so it is always advisable to have another set of human eyes do a final proofread of a hard copy of your CV.

Also worth mentioning is that, once distributed out, we do not have control as to whose hands our CV may end up with.  In this regard, we should exercise caution with what information we put in it.  While I have yet to know someone who puts credit card/bank information in a CV, details like Social Security Number should be excluded.

Keep in mind that our Curriculum Vitae is our passport to a job interview.  We can maximize its power by supplying accurate and precise information.

I hope what I wrote above is helpful.  Thanks for taking time to read.  I plan on writing a follow-up post and share HCA's tips on how to write a great cover letter and how to prepare for an interview, so stay tuned to learn more :)