I am going to make a confession.
Since we moved, well slightly before, I have become completely obsessed with personal finance. I don't want to get rich, well I do but that is not the drive. I find the information out on the web and especially the blog-o-sphere about people saving money, reducing debt and in some cases completely changing the way they think to be interesting. I have become addicted to Budgets are Sexy, Escape Brooklyn, and Dog Ate My Finances. The worst part is that this is a closet addiction. My husband has no idea. He knows that the PF Blogs interest me and that I read them on occasion. He has no clue that I go to bed imagining how I can pay off our debt in 2 years once I get a job, or figuring out what interest we could earn if we could only find an investment that would pay out x% interest.
I am a geek, a nerd, insert any other high school derogatory name here. I know this but it is true. So when my blogs turn in topic I apologize but be fore-warned!
Monday, March 30, 2009
Saturday, March 28, 2009
The Job Search Continues
I am upfront about the fact that my career as a SAHM is not one of choice. I have been interviewing fairly frequently since Christmas but as my anniversary date looms in the near future I am starting to feel desperate.
I was laid off from my last position in April of 2008. It wasn't a surprise but I still struggled with it psychologically. I got over it, I lamented that the area of the country I lived in had no open positions in my field. My husband then found a new job (that he absolutely loves) and we moved. 4 months of job search out the window.
The new part of the country we live in is fantastic. There is industry, there are legitimate suburbs, there is growth! Two months of my job search were pretty futile due to my moving (no local address, time spent planning the move, getting to know the new area...) then came the holidays. Being in HR I know that next to nothing happens in the hiring world between Thanksgiving and New Years, scratch 2 more months off my job search.
So looking back I know I am truly only 3-4 months into my current job search. In these economic times we are told that you should expect to take 6+. So I am still within the norm but that doesn't help. Financially we are fine but I still worry. Now that we are up to a year will my resume get dismissed with out a true review (honestly this all depends on the idiosyncrasies of the hiring manager)? Should I find temp/PT work? What about daycare expenses if I do that, I would actually be going in the hole to work.
I love my career of HR but is it time for me to look for alternative careers? What would I even do?
I was laid off from my last position in April of 2008. It wasn't a surprise but I still struggled with it psychologically. I got over it, I lamented that the area of the country I lived in had no open positions in my field. My husband then found a new job (that he absolutely loves) and we moved. 4 months of job search out the window.
The new part of the country we live in is fantastic. There is industry, there are legitimate suburbs, there is growth! Two months of my job search were pretty futile due to my moving (no local address, time spent planning the move, getting to know the new area...) then came the holidays. Being in HR I know that next to nothing happens in the hiring world between Thanksgiving and New Years, scratch 2 more months off my job search.
So looking back I know I am truly only 3-4 months into my current job search. In these economic times we are told that you should expect to take 6+. So I am still within the norm but that doesn't help. Financially we are fine but I still worry. Now that we are up to a year will my resume get dismissed with out a true review (honestly this all depends on the idiosyncrasies of the hiring manager)? Should I find temp/PT work? What about daycare expenses if I do that, I would actually be going in the hole to work.
I love my career of HR but is it time for me to look for alternative careers? What would I even do?
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Scheduling
I am not sure if this post is meant to vent or inform. For those of you who are not SAHPs do you realize how much scheduling goes into a day? I mean everything needs to be scheduled. Now those of you who have not experienced staying at home with young children may think that this is ridiculous. I mean, there is no boss setting schedules. There are no deadlines or meetings so why would I have anything to schedule right? Wrong.
My biggest pet peeve is having to schedule the insignificant things, such as my daily shower. I am one of those people who have to shower every day and it needs to be in the morning. I need this just to wake up, think of it as my morning coffee. In order for me to take a shower, I need to schedule it for one of two times. One, before my husband leaves for work (not really an option most days) or two for about 10am when my 18month old is taking a morning nap. Those are my only options for my 5 minutes to myself.
The other thing that needs to be scheduled is any errands that need to be done. While this is fairly common I am limited to a 2-3 hour block from 11:30-2:30 (between nap times). This is something that is a bit more flexible as the kids will sleep in the car but still I pay the price if naps don't happen.
I know these things are fairly common but it is still frustrating. Especially when my non SHAM friends whine that I have it so easy that I have the whole day to do whatever I want. URGH!!! I would love for them to just see one day. While it is not as structured as a day in the office, my little bosses still dictate my actions down to the most personal of personal time. I don't remember any of my bosses ever telling me when I could use the bathroom or opening the door when I was in there just to make sure I was still there :) Do you?
My biggest pet peeve is having to schedule the insignificant things, such as my daily shower. I am one of those people who have to shower every day and it needs to be in the morning. I need this just to wake up, think of it as my morning coffee. In order for me to take a shower, I need to schedule it for one of two times. One, before my husband leaves for work (not really an option most days) or two for about 10am when my 18month old is taking a morning nap. Those are my only options for my 5 minutes to myself.
The other thing that needs to be scheduled is any errands that need to be done. While this is fairly common I am limited to a 2-3 hour block from 11:30-2:30 (between nap times). This is something that is a bit more flexible as the kids will sleep in the car but still I pay the price if naps don't happen.
I know these things are fairly common but it is still frustrating. Especially when my non SHAM friends whine that I have it so easy that I have the whole day to do whatever I want. URGH!!! I would love for them to just see one day. While it is not as structured as a day in the office, my little bosses still dictate my actions down to the most personal of personal time. I don't remember any of my bosses ever telling me when I could use the bathroom or opening the door when I was in there just to make sure I was still there :) Do you?
Monday, February 16, 2009
Appologies all around
This blogging stuff is harder than I thought. I suck at keeping up with correspondences so what made me think that I could do this.
Oh well.
I have continued the rounds of interviews lately. I definitely believe in karma now. For every candidate that I ever failed to close the loop with, return calls or send the almighty DING letter I apologize. I believe I have been paying for these crimes for the last year. I HAVE PAID MY DUES!!! I hope now that I have admitted this I will get a job. And not to be to greedy, but I want to find a good job. One that pays well, that I enjoy, and one that I can grow in.
Oh well.
I have continued the rounds of interviews lately. I definitely believe in karma now. For every candidate that I ever failed to close the loop with, return calls or send the almighty DING letter I apologize. I believe I have been paying for these crimes for the last year. I HAVE PAID MY DUES!!! I hope now that I have admitted this I will get a job. And not to be to greedy, but I want to find a good job. One that pays well, that I enjoy, and one that I can grow in.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Kid Food
I am making a confession here. I cannot cook. I am not a complete failure I just struggle making anything that is for a meal. I have no problems baking. I can bang out the brownies, cookies, pies even cakes (although they taste better than they look) I just can not cook.
This being the understood fact makes my husband's busy season all the more intolerable. When my husband is in season he leaves the house 7:30 AM and often doesn't get home until 10:00pm or later. If I eat anymore mac&cheese, hot dogs or chicken nuggets I may scream. Now often I do make the kids their food and then I nuke a frozen meal for myself but that gets old too. Add to all of this my kids don't eat large quantities so when I do attempt to cook (casseroles, tacos, stuff from a box...) I end up with enough leftovers to kill a cow, and oh yeah, I am the only one in the house that eats leftovers... I also worry that I am creating bad habits for the girls. They are getting use to nothing but "kid food", I worry that when it comes time to reintroduce family dinners they won't have anything to do with it and be picky eaters (which they are not, yet).
Does anyone (assuming anyone is out there) have a solution because I am going nuts.
This being the understood fact makes my husband's busy season all the more intolerable. When my husband is in season he leaves the house 7:30 AM and often doesn't get home until 10:00pm or later. If I eat anymore mac&cheese, hot dogs or chicken nuggets I may scream. Now often I do make the kids their food and then I nuke a frozen meal for myself but that gets old too. Add to all of this my kids don't eat large quantities so when I do attempt to cook (casseroles, tacos, stuff from a box...) I end up with enough leftovers to kill a cow, and oh yeah, I am the only one in the house that eats leftovers... I also worry that I am creating bad habits for the girls. They are getting use to nothing but "kid food", I worry that when it comes time to reintroduce family dinners they won't have anything to do with it and be picky eaters (which they are not, yet).
Does anyone (assuming anyone is out there) have a solution because I am going nuts.
Welcome!
For anyone reading this I thank you. This is my first post on my first blog. I am sure I will make mistakes, hopefully some friends and potentially I may upset some people.
I decided to start this blog as an outlet for my frustrations. I have read many blogs, articles and postings about being a SAHM or even a SAHP and a vast majority come across as it being the best thing in the world. I know for some that it is the ultimate job and that nothing can be as important as nurturing and caring for your children, but for others (such as myself) it was not the plan and it is not the thing that makes me jump out of bed in the morning. I want somewhere for individuals to talk about the reality of being a SAHP without all the sugar and pretense hanging over it.
Lets not be mistaken. I love my children, I have 2 girls ages 18mo. and 5 years. I will always love them and I like to spend time with them--I just like having a career and talking with adults as well.
Now this post may or may not be the tone and format for the future, perhaps this needs to go in the profile. I am sure I will figure this out as I go but I ask you to speak up if you have an opinion and band together if you feel my pain. I am sure I am not the only one out here that feels this way.
I decided to start this blog as an outlet for my frustrations. I have read many blogs, articles and postings about being a SAHM or even a SAHP and a vast majority come across as it being the best thing in the world. I know for some that it is the ultimate job and that nothing can be as important as nurturing and caring for your children, but for others (such as myself) it was not the plan and it is not the thing that makes me jump out of bed in the morning. I want somewhere for individuals to talk about the reality of being a SAHP without all the sugar and pretense hanging over it.
Lets not be mistaken. I love my children, I have 2 girls ages 18mo. and 5 years. I will always love them and I like to spend time with them--I just like having a career and talking with adults as well.
Now this post may or may not be the tone and format for the future, perhaps this needs to go in the profile. I am sure I will figure this out as I go but I ask you to speak up if you have an opinion and band together if you feel my pain. I am sure I am not the only one out here that feels this way.
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