MPAD - Breakfast

Bacon & Fried Egg White on Honey Wheat bread. YUMMY.

MPAD - Delicious

Um, um, um.

Spring Fever in March

I don't know what the weather is like out by you but it has been gorgeous here in the DC, MD, Va area. the sun has been shining and temps have been in the upper 70s as much as 80 for the last few days. It is March for crying out loud and my toes are out. No, I do not have on sandals or flip flops but I am bumping peep toes. Something about this weather puts me in a really great mood even when things aren't going quite the way I would like for them to. My allergies are off the chart (sneezing, itchy eyes, itchy nose, you name it) and it isn't even Spring yet. What's the weather like where you are? Do you have allergy issues? Do you prefer warm weather or cold weather? Holla at me....PLEASE???!!!??!!!

MPAD - Car

Clean - for now.

MPAD

LOUD!!!!!!

MPAD - Red

My home girl's Red shoes. This picture does not accurately display how hawt they are!

MPAD - Window

The window closest to my cubicle.

MPAD - Something You Wore

I wore this jacket in to work this morning. I have had it for YEARS. One of my deals from Delancy Street in NY.

MPAD - March 6

At 5 p.m. I was doing this...

But I didn't look that happy about it!

MPAD - March 5

SMILE

MPAD

Bedside

MPAD

Catching up to this. March 1 - Up! As in raise your hands up!

March 2 - Fruit

March 3 - Neighborhood

And now I am all caught up.

Spring Cleaning

Do you ever notice that when Spring is approaching you get antsy, ?

anxious....something? I know I do. I want to get stuff done. I am clearing out the clutter everywhere. I want to get my vehicles detailed. I want to start new projects and finish old ones. I have finally gotten all of the songs I wrote typed out clearly on my computer. Now, I need to get them all copyrighted (I already did 2). Next, I will find some tracks to go with them. Hopefully, by the beginning of Summer or sooner I will be in the studio laying them out. Lord, please keep me motivated to get this done. My heart wants to do it but I keep putting it on the side and I have no really good reason for why I do that. I also plan to get rid of a bunch of papers sitting around my house. Some will be shredded some trashed and some filed away. I have slowly been letting go of clothes and shoes that I know I really won't ever wear again. That should help clear up my closet. Now, I just need to make sure not to replace those items because I really don't need another thing. What does Spring fever make you want to do

Good grief!

Well, I managed to recover from the boys over the weekend. They are wonderful but they require more energy than I have to give so no more extended visits for them. I recognize what I can and cannot handle. We hung out with a friend and went to some bounce type facility and the kids had a ball and we enjoyed watching them and chatting it up. But boy was I glad when they were picked up. I needed my life to go back to normal - quiet!

I take my hat off to anyone with small kids. I mean, I get them with the knowledge that it is temporary. But for those of you who have to do this every single day all I can say is....I'm sorry. It takes alot to constantly entertain, feed, bathe, feed, clean up after, feed and pay attention to little kids. With a teenager in the house who can do for herself, I forgot how much work this can be and I am not too happy when I am reminded.

The Boys

I am babysitting my grandkids this weekend while their parents enjoy a 4 day weekend in Deep Creek. I am sure I will need a vacation when it's over. They are 5 and 1 and the 1 year old thinks he is 5, also. They are very busy kids and I am too old for all of that energy! So, we will be dancing, singing, watching movies, eating snacks and whatever else I can think of. All fun stuff! That's what grandmothers do, right?

Happy Belated Valentine's Day and other stuff

Hey All, I am trying not to let too much time pass between posting. Anyhow, I have been pretty busy. My dad passed after a long fight with kidney failure and dialysis. There is a long story behind my relationship or lack thereof with him but we won't get into that (maybe another post). Anyhow, it has been very interesting watching how folk act when people pass. You learn alot about people you can count on and those you cannot. My daughter and I have had yet another one or our teenager issues. You know, where the teenager forgets that she is still a child and you are the parent that not only gave her life but made sure it was abundant. Yeah...well the sheriff (that's me) done laid down some rules in writing to be followed until she leaves for college. Some of which will be extended to her college years, too. That's if she wants me to pay her tuition. I have been applying for jobs left and right. I need a change. I thank God everyday that I have a job but I also pray for something more fulfilling. It's coming.... I celebrated Valentine's day this year. I know that sounds like nothing to report but this may be the first Valentine's Day in years that I was excited about and really looked forward to and it was e.v.e.r.y single thing I thought it would be and more. Thanks Babe! So, my daughter brought home a bunch of papers from school detailing al that is going to happen between now and graduation. Wow, it's alot. I will have to out all of this on my phone calendar to keep up. It's exciting to me, her meh. Teenagers!

Blahhhhh.....

Today has been just one of those days for me. I don't know what it is but I have been feeling just blah all day. Not in the mood to do much of anything. Not really feeling bad but not feeling good either. I definitely feel like something is just not right and I think I am having a day where I feel like I am not where I want to be. I wish I could have a do over. Like a total do over!!!

Blog games...11 more things

1. iPhone, crackberry, or droid? Crackberry but I have my eye on the iPhone. 2. In your Lifetime original movie, who would play you? I would love for it to be Angela Bassett. 3. When deciding what’s for dinner–if you were on death row (jail, not the record company), what would your last meal be? I probably couldn't eat. Who has an appetite when they know they are about to die? 4. Under what circumstances, if any, would you be a guest on the Maury show? Under no circumstances would I be a guest on the Maury show. 5. What’s your favorite movie? Meet Joe Black 6. How did you decide to live where you live right now? It was a decision based on convenience at a time when not so good things were happening in my life. 7. If you were a celebrity, what would you be famous for? My voice - singing. 8. Will you miss the Twinkie? Uh, no. 9. What’s on your nightstand? A lamp. Cordless phone. A cup with a bunch of ink pens. A few papers that need to be put away. A coaster. Okay, too much stuff! 10. How old were you when you got your driver’s license, and how many tries did it take you to pass the road test? I was 15 and 9 months (which was the rule back then). I passed the first time. 11. Are your ears pierced? If they are, did you get them done when you were little, or when you were older? My ears are pierced and have been since I was a baby. I had my second holes done when I was a teenager and have sinced allowed them to close.

11 Things You May Not Know About Me...and probably don't care.

1. I love to sing, it's my true love.

 

2. I love to read.

 

3. I love my two grandsons, they make me happy and tired.

 

4. I am so proud and excited that my daughter was accepted into the college of her choice.

 

5. I am anxious about the college expenses I will incur for the next four years.

 

6. I love to plant flowers.

 

7. I have an addiction to shoes.

 

8. I buy way too many underwear.

 

9. I want a new/better job (but I am thankful for the one I have).

 

10. I am hoping to bring an audience back to my blog.

 

11. I don't think anyone will read this.

Spinning my wheels - going nowhere fast.

Do you ever feel like no matter how much you do and no matter how well you do it, you will never get to where you are trying to go? I wrote in a previous post about getting some projects done that I have put off but this isn't about that. This is about my job. I have been a federal government employee for over 20 years. In that time I have reassigned to different areas to avoid stagnation (is that a word?). This recent group that I reassigned to back in 2007 is shaping up to be my biggest failure in terms of my career. Here at my agency they have what is called a PMAP which is basically a performace review. It is based on several elements which usually do not change from one year to the next. Based on how well you perform each element you receive a numeric score. In the end, you will either be Exceptional, Fully Successful, Minimally Successful or Unacceptable. In this new group, I have never been more than Fully Successful. Please note that while we are told there is no official criteria for being rated Exceptional, there are a chosen few who seem to meet that level of performance on a regular basis (go figure). Anyway, that is not my issue today. My issue today is my score under fully successful. As I mentioned earlier, I reasssigned to this group in 2007. When I received my PMAP review in 2007, my score was 3.0 which is the lowest you can score in the fully successful range. Okay, I am new at the job so I will take that. This is coming from a position where I was exceptional so it is a pill to swallow but moving along. By 2008, I have learned to work independently on the same elements I had in 2007 but one new element has been added to address professional growth. Guess what my Fully Successful score is for 2008? A - 3.8 (a 4.3 is the highest you can get under Fully Scuccessful before they bump you to Exceptional) so I am on my way after just 1 year in this group, right? In 2009 my score drops to 3.0. Whoa!!! That is significant and I am doing the same work at the same level. I monitor this and wait. 2010 my score is 3.3 and I decide at this time to ask what is the requirement to get an exceptional? No criteria. I push back on the criteria and the way I am being scored. So, 2011 comes and I am presented with my review after being told that I am such a great employee and that I can be depended upon to get the work done. Mind you, in addition to my own work I have been assigned to help with other co-worker's work when they are overwhelemed. This is not because I have nothing else to do but because I flow through my work rather quickly - organization and a great team in the region is the key. My 2011 review scored me a 3.0!!! So, I am back to where I was 2 years ago, really? I take this to my superiors and question how they are coming up with this score. They suggest that maybe the elements are different - no. Perhaps it is because of the different reviewers - the PMAP is supposed to be standardized to prevent that from being an issue so - no. Then I am told that it is because I have not developed enough in the professional development element. You mean the area I talked to you about and explained that I cannot take time for that because I am constantly being assigned to help others? I call bull on this!!!! I push back and it is changed to 3.4 - giving more credit in the area I worked more in which caused less work in the professional development area. Why do I feel like I just went through a round with Sirius radio? Have you ever called them to cancel service only to have them offer you a better price for the same service only because you pushed back? Sorta makes you wonder, doesn't it? Well, I am gonna slow the wheels down since it seems pretty clear that my Performance review is very subjective. I guess a new reviewer will make the difference. SIGH....