The happenings are. . . um. . . happening

By Mir
April 10, 2007

“There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.”
—William Shakespeare

It seems like things have taken a decidedly Fortunately, Unfortunately turn around here this week. I want to complain! I want to celebrate! I want… some Advil, for my aching head.

Being ambivalent is hard work, you know. I think. Maybe not.

* * * * *

I grew up in a household where you only got to stay home sick if you were burning up with fever or vomiting. I’m not that strict, but I’m in the delightful position of having one child who will not complain of feeling ill until he’s on death’s doorstep, and one child who will complain of feeling ill if the wind blows the wrong way. That makes it very difficult for me to know when a child is truly sick enough to stay home from school.

So yesterday, when the nurse called to say that Chickadee was in her office, I may have rolled my eyes a little. But then she told me that Monkey had been in there earlier, had laid in the dark for a good half an hour, and then decided to go back to class after asking if it would be okay to come back if he still felt sick. She went on to tell me that neither child had touched their lunch, and that she really thought I should come take them home.

I brought them home and put them to bed, and they both napped. Sick, right? Very clear. The evening was almost pleasant. But this morning, I couldn’t tell. Monkey was a little warm, but said he felt better. Chickadee was cool, but said her stomach still hurt. Eventually I let them both stay home, because I am a sucker.

By mid-afternoon I couldn’t decide if I was glad they were feeling better or if I wanted to kick myself and then them for missing school. But in light of how sick I was with the flu a couple of weeks ago, I suppose I should be grateful that they’re not sicker. Details.

* * * * *

So, here’s a funny: Remember how when I bought Otto’s wedding ring my credit card thought my card had been stolen? I was glad that they were paying attention and grateful that they’ve got my back and all, but I still chuckled as I assured them that no, all was well.

Wouldn’t it be JUST HILARIOUS if a week later, my card actually WAS stolen?

Yeah, I didn’t really see the humor, either. Especially since the fraud alert person who called this time sounded like she was about 14, first butchering my (very common) last name and then turning the name of my town into something very naughty in Sanskrit, I think. She did not wholly inspire my confidence, is what I’m telling you. But I most certainly did not hop online and buy myself anything at either an awning shop or a ranch, so I guess despite her speech impediments she’s doing an excellent job.

I’m not liable for the charges and they caught it very quickly, so all’s well. Except for the part where I just set up a bunch of my bills to automatically go on the credit card to cut down on the number of checks I need to write every month. And the part where it will take seven to ten business days for them to get me the replacement account number.

And the part where it pisses me off that someone got ahold of my credit card number, when the card itself is still in my purse.

* * * * *

It figures that right after I bitch and moan about the vast hardships of my life as a freelancer (“People are dumb! And they keep TALKING TO ME! Wah!”), a sizable contract more or less fell out of the sky into my lap, and I immediately wanted to make out with myself for being so brilliant. Sure, all I did was, um, BE THERE, but my innate talent and beauty must’ve figured in there somewhere.

There’s only one catch; it’s basically a full-time gig for the next several weeks.

Me: So, I don’t know, I think it’s probably a great opportunity, don’t you?
Otto: That’s going to take you just about right up to the wedding, you know. Are you sure you want to do that?
Me: Well, I think I probably should. The money will be handy.
Otto: Well, yeah, but we’ve got a lot going on here. Are you going to be able to manage that AND your other projects AND selling the house and getting ready for the wedding?
Me: Well, it pays [insert dollar amount here].
Otto: We’ll adapt. You can do this!

(He’s a trooper, that Otto. I am really looking forward to the first time I have a big project and the kids are sick and I can tell him I need to work and he’ll adapt.)

Now. Does anyone want to finish planning our wedding for me? Because I’m sort of busy.

28 Comments

  1. Heather

    Good thing Otto can keep a reasonable perspective ;-)

  2. Beth F.

    I can’t beleive your credit card number was stolen, that is the worst. I hope everything resolves itself very quickly and smoothly and yes I will plan your wedding.

    You are welcome.

  3. Lady M

    I’ll choreograph your first waltz for you. Heh-heh.

    Congrats on the contract!

  4. MomCat

    You can hire someone to plan your wedding, someone to clean your house every day and and accountant to sort out the bills. But wait till you have a contract signed in blood under the full moon from this big project.

  5. tori

    The credit card part happened to me just recently exactly as it happened to you. I bught a new treadmill, they called me, I assured them I did actually buy it. A week later, they called me again, but much to my husbands dismay, I had not purchased a new huge flat screen tv. The card is still in my posession. It made me mad. You know what else makes me mad? That it is snowing AND accumulating right now, so I am going to need to go shovel again. Where is spring?

  6. Kimberly

    Not on a bet or a dare, love. Running screaming from my own wedding was enough for me to say, “never again.”

    I feel for you on the necessity to be a virus detective. Just this morning I round myself saying, “look, if you’re really sick, you can stay home. But if this is going to be one of those things where you just feel a little blah and by lunchtime you are jumping around and making a mess of the livingroom, you need to go to school. Which is it?”

  7. LadyBug Crossing

    Bummer about the credit card…
    Well… because money talks, we can and do adapt. and we do it quite well, don’t we?

  8. carolyn

    I agree with Momcat. Hire someone to do the cleaning, at least, and maybe the final details of the wedding, if you want. Now that’s a plan!

  9. brown eyed girl

    Sorry about the credit card.

    CONGRATS on the contract.

    Anything I can do to help for the wedding..you name it!

  10. cce

    Just when all is bleak someone from on high smiles upon you…stolen credit card SUCKS – great, lucrative contract just wonderful.

    And then there’s the reasonable and supportive Otto…you’re one lucky woman.

  11. Sophie

    Any ideas on how that number was stolen? That is very, veeeeery scary to me. True, the banks can’t hold us accountable for purchases made with a stolen card, or number, but sheeeesh.

  12. Crisanne

    Oh yes! I’d love to plan your wedding!!!

    Sorry about the credit card-that totally sucks. At least the cc company figured it out before things got out of hand.

    I’m not looking forward to the whole “how sick is sick enough to stay home?” debate.

  13. meritt

    Ahhhhh…. covering my ears and singing la la la.

    I just wrote a post about this last night. A receipt with my husbands full name, our discount number to a store and the last four digits are all on the receipt that our foreign exchange student has – it could end up in Chicago, Germany, France… anywhere inbetween and I was asking blog-land if I should be concerned?

  14. Liise

    oooooh people who steal? hate them.

    YAY for a big contract busy thingie!!!!

    What’s left to plan for the wedding? Can’t be much right? *stifles giggles*

  15. ChristieNY

    But did you ever get pretty shoes for the wedding that actually fit? Cause that’s what really matters here Miss Mir… everything else will work itself out! ;)

  16. Cele

    We’ll adapt. I have to remember that one.

  17. Erika, Plain Jane Mom

    Congratulations on the contract! Money is always useful when a wedding is coming up. I’d help you plan yours, but I’m still worn out from planning mine (and I just had my 10 year anniversary…)

  18. Trish

    I was looking at the March/April (it was the one with all the easter ideas) edtion of Parents Magazine and they did an aritcle on surving being a single mother. They had a list of blogs where other single mothers could go to get support and advice and some much needed laughter. Mir yours was on there! Yay for you!!!

  19. Amy-Go

    I would love, love, love to plan your wedding. Too bad I live nowhere near you. And have no daughters to plan for. And am already married. And have renewed my vows. Yep, used up all my wedding planning opportunites. Bummer.

    Sorry about the fraud! And congrats on the job!

  20. Krisco

    Now, that second one IS ironic – but probably in that Alanis Moriesste kind of way. Ever since that song, I’m not sure if things are ironic or just a shame. But in your case it’s not a shame! It’s awesome! So good job, beautiful and wonderful writer who was just there! Hey, you knew where to stand…

  21. Jen

    Congratulations on the contract! Way to go! You can do it all. It’ll be GREAT!

  22. ffbgirl

    My sister planned my whole wedding while I lived in Florida and she lived in Oklahoma (where the wedding was to be held) and got it planned in six weeks! We had 250 guests! It was fabulous!

    So, do you have someone you love and trust to delegate the rest of the wedding planning to? She checked in with me so I knew what was being planned, but she did the heavy lifting… Just a thought.

  23. Susan

    Did you just ask for someone to plan your wedding? Hello, over here! Waving my hand!

    Pick me! Pick me! Pick MEEEE!

  24. Jan

    Me me me!!!

    I love me some wedding planning. I feel gypped because I was the first in my peer group to do it so I didn’t know hooowww. Now I do and (knock wood) I’ll never get another chance.

    Jan

  25. liz

    ooohhh…i love wedding planning! i’ve never done it long distance, but, as otto says, we’ll adapt!
    except i had two freelance projects fall into my lap, in addition to my almost-full-time job and a little boy who’s going to need a birthday party next month.
    congrats on the contract! upgrade your honeymoon!

  26. jess

    Hmmmm…let me guess? Have you shopped at TJ Maxx within the last three years? Their system was compromised recently (or actually, not so recently now). The credit union where I work quickly let all the members who had been compromised know, canceled the cards, and issued them all new ones; however, most credit/debit card companies and banks didn’t even inform their customers. Since a similar situation happened to my husband right before we got married about a year ago, I really am glad that some places are really proactive on this sort of thing. His bank hadn’t informed any of their customers of what had happened through the shoe store where his card information was stolen from, so he had a couple thousand dollars removed from his checking account over a weekend. Nothing showed up until Monday, by which time they’d racked up quite a cache of free money. Apparently, the thieves can just make new cards from your information and a magnetic strip machine thing and use it like a normal debit/credit card (depending on what info was stolen–my husband’s was his debit card info) at ATMS, etc.

    Sorry to go off-track a bit here, but since it’s hit so close to home several times, it’s nice to know people know what’s going on out there when they give out debit/credit card information, even in a store or restaurant. My best tip is to sign up for online banking and keep checking all your accounts every couple days.

    Also, congrats on the contract! You can get everything finished, planned, etc. because you’re you, of course! *winks* Mmm-hm.

  27. Missy

    Thiefs. Nasty. Dirty. Rotten. Credit. Card. Stealers. What terrible timing they had too!

    It makes you want to lock your cards away and never take them out of the house again…actually looking at my card statement each month gives me that feeling. I wish my card company would blink if I spent too much money. They probably sit back and go “She’s at it again! Who pissed her off today and sent her on a shopping frenzy!”

    BTW Congrats on the new contract!

  28. dorothy

    Congratulations!

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