Going Part-Time

Amber on March 29, 2006 8 Comments

Despite my efforts, I have been finding it nearly impossible to keep my life in check. Between working full-time, being a mom, and keeping myself clean and fed, I don’t have time for anything else. And it’s important to have other things, too. My husband, my friends, and community involvement are also important, as are hobbies and down-time.

So, I made the decision to reduce my work schedule from 40 hours a week to 32 hours a week. Today, I got the final approval so as of Saturday I am officially part-time. I will continue to go into the office 3 days a week, and I will work 2 half-days from home. Really, a half-day is about all I can do with a baby, but I think I can do a half-day reasonably well.

Tagged With: Crafting my Life, Work

In Prince George

Jon on March 27, 2006 Leave a Comment

I arrived in Prince George this evening, and I’m here until Thursday doing games 3 & 4 of the first round WHL Playoff series between PG and Vancouver. We’re live on Shaw across Western Canada on Tuesday and Wednesday night, 7:30pm PST start.

We’re staying at the Treasure Cove Casino and Hotel. It’s actually a pretty nice place. Only about a year old with a pub, a waterslide, free breakfast with waffles, high-speed internet in the rooms (hence I’m posting here). It’s much better on the road now with the laptop. I can stay in touch, and be more productive at the event so that when I’m home I have more time to really be home, and not just prepping for the next game.

I really have one of the best jobs in the world, I go to sporting events for a living. But it’s hard at this time of year when the hours get really long, and I have to spend time on the road away from Amber and Hannah. So send us some emails, it’s great to hear from family and friends when you’re on the road.

Tagged With: Sports, Travel

upNext Media

Jon on March 23, 2006 Leave a Comment

Just wanted to let everyone know that I’ve started a new business venture, called upNext Media. Essentially what I do is create graphics and title packages for television shows, as well as consult on putting together broadcasts so the information and entertainment flows smoothly. My first project was the design of all the graphics and intros for the WHL package on Shaw this year. After doing that, I thought it might be a good idea to hang out my shingle and get into that line of work.

The website for the business is www.upnext.ca, I’ll also be changing my email address to jon (at) upnext.ca (don’t want to write it out here, helps avoid spammers).

On the front page of upnext.ca is my business blog that will explore the latest trends in television production and content delivery. If that is something that interests you, I have a subscribe button that will let you add my blog to your Google home page, My Yahoo, RSS reader, what have you and you can get my posts right on your homepage or in your inbox.

Walking

Amber on March 21, 2006 Leave a Comment

Hannah is starting to walk. She will take 4-5 steps at a time now, and will often choose to walk distances 2 feet or less instead of crawling. It’s a slow process, but every day she’s getting better. I’m sure that in no time at all she will be giving up crawling altogether.

We’ve been very busy over the past week, while Jon’s been at work.

Tagged With: Kids

Hockey Widow

Amber on March 17, 2006 2 Comments

It’s that time of year again, I am officially a hockey widow. And not to be too melodramatic, but I really think my situation is worse than average. For example, Jon has been away overnight 6 or 7 times already, and with WHL playoffs starting he’s going to be away even more in the near future. Even when the games are in town, he’s off to the rink at noon, and not home until midnight. It’s in a whole different league compared to having your husband camped out on the couch on game night.

The good news, though, is that in the middle of all of this Jon has been spending more time during the day with Hannah while I’m working. When Jon got home from Kelowna yesterday, Hannah was so glad to see her dad. She was smiling, and talking, and tugging on his pant leg. So, we’re just looking forward to the summer when the weather’s nice, hockey is over, and the terrible twosome can spend their days in the local pool.

Working Mother

Amber on March 11, 2006 Leave a Comment

When I thought about going back to work, I knew that my time would be at a premium. I imagined that I would miss Hannah when I was away from her. I guessed that I might feel differently about balancing work and home now that I’m a mom.

I had no idea. Nothing that anyone could have said would have prepared me. In many ways, this experience has been as monumental as becoming a parent. It’s a a complete shift in the way my days are spent, a total change of focus, and I just don’t look at myself in the same way.

I’m only a couple of weeks in, but I can already say that being a working mother means being torn in two. I enjoy my job, and I want to do well at it. Doing something that involves problem-solving, collaborating with colleagues, and wearing clean clothes helps me to feel more competent, more human. All the same, being at daycare in time to pick Hannah up takes precedence over whatever is going on at the office. When I walk down the hall at work with empty hands I feel like I’m missing something. And then even when I’m at home with Hannah, I’m trying to get work done, or thinking about some project. I suddenly have a lot on my plate, and I worry about whether or not I can do it all.

I imagine that this feeling will subside. As Hannah gets older, she will require less attention, and I will be better able to focus on other things. All the same, I can see that for the next 17 years at least, I will always be divided. I will always be doing my best to be a sufficient mother, a good employee, and a well-rounded person in my own right. I probably won’t always do well at any or all of these tasks, but I think it will be OK. Because, really, less organized women than myself have done it, right?

Tagged With: Parenting

Most Improved Baby

Amber on March 8, 2006 Leave a Comment

Hannah is doing really well at daycare now. One of the caretakers told me that she is their ‘most improved baby.’ Apparently, she barely cries at all, she’s settled into their routine, and she smiles and plays independently. I’m really convinced that she enjoys being with all the adults and children, and that she likes the activities that they do.

In sad news, the Disney Princess ride-on is dying. Hannah has loved it just a little too much. The lights don’t blink anymore, the moving parts don’t move properly, and some of the buttons don’t respond like they used to. This is the danger of being well-loved by a one-year-old.

Tagged With: Kids

A Day in the Park

Amber on March 4, 2006 Leave a Comment

Today the weather was good, so my mom and I took Hannah to the park in her wagon. Hannah loves the swings, so we enjoyed that for a while. She also likes to walk around holding on to your hand, so we spent some time doing that. Unfortunately, in the end, she just wants to eat dirt, so we had to pack it in early. Here are some shots of Hannah in action:

Tagged With: Kids

Back to Work

Amber on March 3, 2006 Leave a Comment

I’ve been at work for three days now. The good parts:

1. I can see a window from my new office.
2. I’m making real money again.
3. Everybody on my new team is glad to have me.

The bad parts:

1. After a year away, it’s hard to sit still in front of a computer for so long.
2. I miss my baby.
3. The commute to Annacis Island.

I’m in a new job, and I’m really looking forward to the new challenges, as well as working on an actual team for the first time in years. I think this will be a great move for me. Also, I have a laptop, and I’m going to be working from home a couple of days a week, which should mitigate the bad stuff considerably.