Category: Uncategorized

I want you to take a good, close look at what I’m doing here. Read through my content. Review my layout.  Skim the ads and affiliates. Do these fit my “personal brand,” so to speak? Tell me what works. Tell me what doesn’t. Tell me what you like. Tell me what you don’t like. Tell me what you absolutely hate. Tell me what you perceive I’m telling you — who do you think I am based upon what I’ve done here? Give me praise. Give me criticism. Above all else, give me constructive feedback. I have been in the process of redesigning this space I’ve carved out for myself on the Internet. Granted, some of that redesigning has yet to leave the confines of my brain cells, but the ideas are there awaiting that transformation from intangible to tangible. This is your moment to tell me what’s working and what’s not. Have at it!

One of the biggest issues that has been perplexing me and causing a very interesting emotional response is my acceptance of a new job. You’ll notice I list UF MSE in my friends list in the left column. That is the department I currently work for. When I came here back on December 14th, 2007, I had gone through a very trying period of unemployment after a mutual separation from my first post-college-graduation job. Luckily, my boss saw much promise in my résumé and called me in for an interview. Whereas usually having a family would be considered a flaw, it was a common interest — my boss’ middle child is a month younger than my middle child, and his wife was nursing the little one as well. My obligations to my family meant I was likely more responsible than someone with no familial responsibilities, and I’m glad my boss made that assumption about me because it was absolutely accurate.

During my time with the department, I have taken on responsibility for the newsletter, coordinating events, and the daily secretarial tasks. I can see how some people make a career of this, and I almost could see myself doing this sort of thing for a living in order to afford moonlighting as an author. Unfortunately, I was hired during a budget crisis, so benefits were not an option at that time. My plan was to hang around for two years to build my résumé and then hunt for a job with the university that came with benefits and higher pay to afford the benefits. Of course, I also held out hope that the budget would allow for my current position to be given higher pay and benefits, but that wasn’t possible due to many, many circumstances.

I applied for a position with UF’s Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering knowing full well that my boss knows the chairman of that department quite well. He knew I was trying to do what was best for my family, and he put in a good word for me. Not surprisingly, I actually got called in for an interview — and the opportunity to showcase my portfolio. There always seems to be a candidate (or two or three or four) with more experience than me who gets called in. In this case, I don’t know who my competition was, but she did not bring in a portfolio. Guess who got offered the job? After negotiating a starting salary, I accepted the offer.

Obviously, I knew the day would come when I would have to leave this department to pursue my own career advancement. That hasn’t stopped me from feeling like I’m going to be leaving something special behind — like moving out of home and leaving family behind. I’ve grown attached to the people I work with on a daily basis. The familiar faces greet me with smiles and waving hands. I could always tell when a string of students all needed the same time of assistance. I’ve grown into a routine. I’ve made my desk my own personal space. However, it has come time to move onward and upward. Fortunately, my new office will only be in the next building over, so it’s not like I’ll never seen anyone here again.

So here’s to the place that give me the chance to build upon my experience. I’m so very grateful for the opportunities I got while working here, and I’m grateful for the friendships I’ve forged. I look forward to making a smooth transition and becoming just as comfortable with UF ISE.

I want to take this opportunity to apologize for my extreme lack of content these days. Life’s thrown some interest conundrums my way lately, and I’m processing it all. Trying to digest so many changes at once is a very difficult task indeed, and I suppose I really do need my time to sort out my thoughts and feelings — my internal conflict. Know that I should be kicking myself back into a posting habit soon, and I will have some new tales to tell. In the mean time, please pardon my dust.

Excuse me while I get a little more authentic than usually — see there’s my internet persona, there’s my professional persona, and there’s my “IRL” persona. All three are true to who I am, yet all three are not the same. I’m a layered, complicated individual, and — darn it all (you didn’t really think I was going to go completely Dooce on you, did you) — I like it that way. My weekends away from the internet, my recent writer’s block, and a plethora of other things have made me stop to realize that I’m not focusing on myself in the way I had outlined at the beginning of the year. True, there’s only so much self-focusing a wife and mother of three children who works outside of the home can afford, but I feel that more and more of my time has shifted away from becoming the best version of Meredith I can be and gravitated towards “how can I help you today, sir/ ma’am?” Don’t interpret this the wrong way — I do want to help others and contribute to society for the greater good. But how the fudge am I supposed to make that happen when I’m still in a fragmented state of being?

I have several goals that I set for myself at the beginning of the year — I called them “resolutions,” as is so popular that the start of any year. The term “resolution” has come to mean something much more flighty when used in conjunction with the term “new year’s,” however, so I’m currently referring to them as goals because the intent behind them was not even slightly flighty. No, not at all. They were heavy. They were meaningful. Damn it (okay, perhaps a bit more Dooce-like after all), my goals mean something to me. I read all these inspirational posts, and I think, that’s exactly what I want to do with myself! I would also like to be that writer/ blogger who’s inspiring others to aspire to more than just the drudgery of the daily noise. I, too, want to wax poetic on a fairly regular basis, earning my place among the greats who’ve come before me. Why the hell should I settle for the meager bag of chips when I really crave a full course meal full of substance and nutritional value?

I’ve been know to tell people to dream big lately. Honestly, that’s the best way to do it. Why dream about driving a run-down used car when you can dream about driving the fancy, expensive car? Why should it matter if you don’t think you’ll ever, ever, EVER in your life get a shot to even see that fancy, expensive car in person — it shouldn’t. Dream big. Dreams are meant to add spice and motivation to life. And don’t let those little naysayers tell you otherwise.

So, I’ve heard a lot about my readers and friends going on outdoor-type vacations, such as camping or visiting the beach. Luckily, I’ve been asked to write about Summit Camping Gear, an internet company specializing in all sorts of camping gear and items including Coleman Tents. I was snooping around at the advertised tents, and they have great options for picnics, camping, and even hanging out at the beach. A beach tent versus a beach umbrella? I think I might actually opt for the tent, which could shield you from those nasty sandy breezes. They’ve also got 9+ person tents — I can’t imagine cramming over 9 people inside one tent, but apparently it’s possible! I’d imagine it would be nice and roomy for a smaller family looking to spread out while camping.

Aside from tents, they also have backpacks, camping supplies, and even baby carriers. If you’re not familiar with the concept of baby wearing, it is a very convenient, hands-free way to hold your baby while tending to older children or chores. Essentially, the carrier functions as that extra set of arms you wish you had in such events. You could feasibly find all your camping necessities on their website without the worries of shopping around to find all your supplies. If you plan on getting in the water, they even have supplies for pools, kayaking, and boating. Bring your pets — they have pet supplies. Need specific personal care products meant for camping (like a hot water heater to prevent a frosty bathing experience)? They’ve got those. Want to prepare an amazing camp fire meal? Check out their cooking supplies. Want crisp, fresh water without worrying about who’s upstream? They’ve got supplies for that. About the only products I can’t find on their website are food items, but I’d imagine you’d go to your local grocery store first anyway.

Yesterday marked the end of another Lenten season. As you may remember, I gave up all manner of junk food for the duration — and it was excruciatingly difficult. In years past, I’d given up sweets but not chips, and this year it was an all-encompassing vow to avoid all things fatty and unhealthy in that regard. I’m sure I’m a better person for it both physically and spiritually, but my goodness it was a very difficult undertaking. Yesterday, I enjoyed carrot cake, chocolate, jelly beans, soda, and the ability to stop worrying about seeing food that I couldn’t eat. Image if I had to make that a permanent lifestyle change — never being allowed to eat such foods again due to health reasons. There are plenty of people who cannot eat sweets because they do not produce enough insulin to counteract the blood sugar spike. It’s vows like this that make me realize that those “Seven Deadly Sins” really are much more deadly than we all realize. It’s giving up things I enjoy that make me realize there are those less fortunate than me who cannot ever have those things back. Today, I am grateful to be able to resume my dietary habit of moderation. I am grateful that I do not have a health condition that forbids me from eating glutenous, sugary, or salty products. I am grateful that I can exercise moderation to prevent certain acquired health disorders. I am grateful that I am relatively healthy.

I hope that all of you — who celebrate it at least — have a safe and happy Easter. I will be spending mine with my family: my husband, my kids, my maternal grandparents, and one of my aunts. I plan on enjoying some delicious chocolate, candy, cake, and soda in celebration of the end of Lent and of the obvious reasons for Easter (if you don’t know, then you should consult the wise people at Google or Wikipedia to learn more about what Easter’s all about — I don’t think Linus of the Peanuts has a good description of Easter like he did for Christmas, though). If you’d like to know what’s on the menu, here’s a run-down:

• Ham
• Mashed sweet potatoes
• Fresh Salad
• Zucchini and yellow squash
• Carrots
• Biscuits (the kind that come in a refrigerated can)
• Deviled eggs
• Carrot cake (because how cute is that going to be for Easter?! ;))
• Irish soda bread (Brian did so good on his first loaf, I demanded he make more!)

Family, food, and fun — what’s not to love?

Lately I find that I’m observing more of my external surroundings. I have noticed many flowering trees around my apartment complex and the campus that I don’t recall noticing in years past. I’m realizing that perhaps I was keeping my vision at eye-level and below, rather than looking above more often. I had no idea how many beautiful flowering trees I get to enjoy during the spring, and somehow even the lousiest of days brightens when I’m outside looking at everything coming back to life. During the past week, I made it a point to observe all the foliage and flowering, especially when thoughts would begin to surface in my mind. I reminded myself to let my feelings and thoughts rise and fall as quickly as they arouse so I could focus more upon my external surroundings. I have a bad habit of being consumed by thoughts and completely missing some very wonderful sights simply because I’m so wrapped up in my thoughts and the emotions they evoke. It will definitely take a lot more training, but I’m becoming more mindful of myself in my daily commute. I think I like this change quite a bit.

[March 24th] Quality Exchanges: Do you bring your awareness to each exchange you have? How about those that you wish you weren’t having? Think: if you’re interrupted on your way to work by an activist, are you mindful in your exchange? Or do you blow them off?

Because I work at a major university, I am consistently being bombarded with information regarding a plethora of issues: politics, religion, special offers, etc. I have come to take the policy of never making eye contact. The second you make eye contact, you are doomed. They will offer you a flier, and you can either accept it or decline it. I always feel like a heal either way — did they really need to print that out? do they think I’m horrible for not taking the darn thing? Obviously, I’m being mindfully avoidant. However, I have been in those shoes before. For about two weeks, I was once a telemarketer trying to earn a living. To make a long story short, I learned a valuable lesson about the people that always seem to call during dinner. They aren’t doing it on purpose. They are trying to pay bills. They are trying to go to school.  They are trying. They are human beings who don’t necessarily want to be telephone sales pitchers for the rest of their lives. They are human beings with dreams and goals that far surpass anything a career in telemarketing could ever afford them. They are just trying to live their lives, and they don’t mean to offend you. They are being paid by someone else who’s got the agenda to call you, and they are just doing their job so they don’t lose their job. You listen to your boss, too, don’t you? So, when they’re trying to build a repoire with you, remember that you have that same human commonality, and be a little kinder when you ask him or her to take you off the list. When you see that person handing out fliers, you don’t have to feel obligated to take it, but that doesn’t mean you should be rude. A simple “no, thank you” will do. When they are ranting about a charged topic right in your face, smile, wish them a good day, and remember they are still just a human being like you. We are all human, after all.

I’m currently grateful for the lovely option to publish later. Because the weekend is forecasted to be so lovely, I don’t intend to get on the computer really — unless it’s to check the temperature and weather radar. Okay, and I will probably do the daily sudoku and crossword mostly because I value the mental exercise. However, I will let my email age until Monday morning. I will refuse to be tracked via status messages. I won’t get roped into politically-charged articles, and I won’t necessarily check the blogs I read. Everything will still be here bright and early on Monday morning. Do you know what won’t be here bright and early on Monday morning? All that time I have between 5:30pm today and 6:00am Monday morning. My family won’t be here at my desk on Monday morning — they will be at home. My little Pumpkin is now over 4 months old, quickly approaching the 5 month mark. He’s holding steady on his hands and knees and promises to begin crawling very soon. He’s gnawing on anything that comes within grabbing reach because he’s got bumpy little teeth patiently waiting to burst forth through his gums. My Muffin just turned 3 on Wednesday — and I realize I didn’t get to post her birth story (or rather the sanitized version — I have a 6-page private version that’s full of colorful language ala Dooce).

I wish you all a very relaxing, wonderful weekend, and I will return on Monday! Check back after 9am tomorrow and Sunday for some scheduled posts.