Merry Christmas

Last night before the girls went to bed, they wrote a note for Santa and left him one of their toys under the tree.  We put out a key to let Santa in the house because we don't have a chimney and we wanted to make sure he'd be able to get in.  And then they went to bed without a fight and slept.

This morning when I woke them to tell them Santa had been here, they jumped out of bed and ran into the living room.  When they looked under the tree they found a letter from Santa and the key he used.  The letter said:

To Alex and Ariana,

Thank you for letting me in.  The key you left was very helpful as well as the toys you left under the tree.  They will make some little boy or girl very happy.  I hope you like the presents.

Love, 
Santa  

P.S. Thanks for the cookies and milk

This then caused them to run over to the table where they saw a plate with crumbs and a half eaten cookie.  The glass of milk was completely gone.

Best Christmas Ever! 

 

 

Breathing Ch. 04

Finally!

After posting and reposting and trying to fix errors..here it is.  The next chapter of Breathing.  I hope you enjoy it.

Breathing Ch. 04 

Please Don't Kill Me

Hi everyone! (squints eyes as she covers her head)

Oh...no one attacked me with day old bread or pelted me with tomatoes.  That's always a good sign.  Of course the day isn't over yet.  As you all know it has been quite some time since I have posted on my blog, but due to some personal issues that could not be avoided.  But we don't want to delve into my unsavory summer.  No! We want to know what is going on with my stories.  And to say that I have been a bit of a procrastinator would be an understatement.  

But...

I have been working on two of the stories that I know are very dear to you.  One of them being chapter 4 of Breathing and the other being Chapter 8 of Beautiful Stranger.  

For a lot you Beautiful Stranger is much more important to Breathing.  And I will spending quite a bit of time this week writing chapter 8, editing, typing more, re-editing..and then finally posting it.  As I go along I will be posting what I'd like to call Mid-week Quickies.  

Each week I will choose a fairy tale and put a spin on it Stalker style.  I've never attempted something like this before, but I have seen on several of the blogs that I follow that giving readers something while they wait for the much anticipated chapter slows down the amount of threats you receive.  And also bodily harm for delaying the next chapter after keeping them in suspense for so long.

This week was supposed to be the debut of Breathing Ch. 4, but I am putting it off one more week so that I can make it longer and also start working on Chapter 5 to lower my wait time.  

My normal posts will resume on Monday with my Manic Monday post and carry on from their.   

For those of you who have stuck by me through all of my writer's block, moving to a different state, family issues, and Muse miscommunication....I just wanted to let you know that you are the reason I continue to write and push myself to make each chapter better than the last.  

Thank you for your support.

-theonlinestalker

The Thursday Vent

I’m back!

I know some of you are probably saying, “You never told me you were leaving!”  And you would be correct – so hello my Stalkees.  I tweeted the main reason for my absence a couple weeks ago on Twitter.  For those of you who don’t follow me on Twitter, my absence was due to the FLU.  I was surprised that you could get the flu so late.  So I Googled it and I found out that flu season is actually from October to May.

Go figure that I would get the flue the LAST month of flu season.  My kids kept trying to talk to me while I was half out of my mind with a fever and body aches.  Why is it that children want to be around you more when you feel like crap?  And of course they didn’t get sick.  They’re like super heroes or something.  Able to shield themselves against the common respiratory infection and Dr. FLU!

So my first weekend was filled with medicine, fever, sweating, and aches.  And being in the military, if you don’t have a fever but have flu like symptoms they just give you some Motrin and send you on your way.  And so that was what happened.  I went to work that Monday with the flu and a slight fever. 

Fun right?

So half way through last week I spent washing and packing clothes for my kids.  Because guess what all my lovely readers, I had to take them to Indiana to see their dad.  By myself.  From Colorado.

I priced plane tickets and found that it would cost me almost a thousand dollars after buying plane tickets there for three people and then back for me.  Plus the cost of a rental car and a hotel.  So instead I opted to fly.

Mapquest says that a trip to Indiana is 15 hours.  Mapquest—you lied to me! 

Driving across the great state of Kansas with a 7 year old and a 5 year old is challenging.  Especially when the 5 year old had to pee ever 50 miles or so.  Not to mention that once we got half way through Kansas to stop at a rest area they issued a tornado watch for the state of Kansas.  Not for a certain town in Kansas.  No!  It said tornado watch for Eastern Kansas!

This is when my daughter points up to the sky and says “Hey mom those clouds look weird.”

See the pictures below to see what she meant.  It was almost as if they were falling from the sky, reaching for us.  It was both amazing to see and scary knowing that one of those falling clouds could easily become a tornado before our very eyes.  And so we got back on the road.

As soon as the car was back on Interstate 70 a flash of lightning lit the quickly darkening sky.  Followed by several more and then the sky opened up and began to pelt rain onto us.  It got so bad that I eventually had to pull over at a rest area to wait it out and pray that we were not near a tornado since the weather was so bad.

Finally we got to their dad’s house and everything was going fine until I had to leave on Memorial Day to come back so I could go to work the next day.  Going through St. Louis was pure torture since the speed limit was 60 miles per hour and cops were pulling people over left and right for speeding.  And so it took me almost an hour to get out of the city.

I was making pretty good time since I didn’t have the kids with me.  I got a few hours from Colorado and had to pull over.  After a few hours of rest I was back on the road and finally in Colorado after going through construction and more 60 mile per hour traffic. 

But…

Once I got to the town I needed that would lead me to home I took the wrong road and ended up driving the wrong direction for 45 minutes.  45 minutes wasted until I realized I should be going west…not east.

And so I turned around and went back to the small town I had just left and began my travel towards the actual city I needed.  I made it by 7:20 and then realized I had to go to work and be there by 9.

So I went home to shower and change and go to work.  Where I had to stay all day.

Needless to say that I crashed as soon as I got home.  And today is the first day I’ve had to write anything at all. 

So thank you all for sticking around with me.  And I’ll try my best to keep you all better informed.

I hope to have a chapter up for you on Saturday.

*fingers crossed*

If not feel free to comment or send me emails.  Motivation is welcome all the time!

Later all!

-TheOnlineStalker

The Thursday Vent

Hi my Stalkees,

This weeks Thursday Vent is a culmination of the week so far.  As you all know, I have been having issues with my daughter's school and of course my apartments ant infestation.  Well this week was no better.  My daughter has been getting bullied and I spent three days talking to principal, assistant principal, and briefly to her teacher.  Tomorrow is parent teacher conference.

I called my mom to ask if she could find out what time the conference would be.  Just in case we had certain times to come.  Do you know what she told her?

"Well, she doesn't have to come."

First of all..What?!?!?

What does she mean I don't have to come.  It's a parent/teacher conference for a reason.  Add on the fact that my daughter has been getting harassed by two of her students...why would I not come?

What parent knowing all of this would say.."You know what.  I don't need to ask the teacher about my child's behavior and get her input."  Or try to get their input.

So first thing tomorrow morning I will be going to my daughter's school.

As far as the ant issue goes.  The Code Enforcement officer came out yesterday and saw all of the items NOT fixed.  He went back to the office and talked to them again.  And will be calling me tomorrow.

But now I have to add broken air conditioner to the list.  My AC hasn't worked in 3 days.  I went to the office today and they told me maybe it's a tripped switch.  And to try looking in the breaker box to figure it out.

I opened the breaker box and then closed it.  I'm not messing up anything for them to tell me I broke it.

And to make things even better, my mom came in to ask for the code enforcement officers number.  Apparently our neighbors are having some of the same issues.  So cross your fingers that we finally get this fixed.  If not I'll be back next week with more to say.

But until then.  Stalk ya later.  *wink*

Bullying - What's Your School's Policy?

Does your child's school have a policy on bullying?  And if so do you know what it is?

I ask these two very important questions because my child is on the receiving end of bullying.  Two weeks ago it was brought to my attention by my daughter that she was being picked on by two little boys in her class.  She is in the first grade and both students are in her classroom.  My daughter is mild mannered in nature and doesn't like to get anyone in trouble, but in turn she felt as if her telling would get her in trouble as well.

The only reason we found out was because after school I told her to change out of her school uniform and she hesitated.  When I asked her why, she said that she had bruises.  I lifted her shirt and sure enough she had scratches and bruises on her back and shoulder.  Once I got her to calm down she told me that there were two boys who had been bothering her at school.  And when she told them she didn't want to play anymore they drug her by the legs across a graveled playground.

So as any concerned parent would do, I went to her school.  As I walked to the front desk to explain the situation, the women at the front desk told me that I would have to talk to the Guidance Counselor.  After being given directions I took my daughter to bring the matter up.  It felt as if I was giving a police report.

She asked the children's names, class room, and about the incident in question.  My daughter told her what she had told me and we were informed that it would be brought up to the principal.

"What's the policy for bullying?" I asked.

To which I got the response, "There is no tolerance for bullying."

I asked what was the policy for teachers when a child mentioned such a thing and was told that the teacher should have mentioned it to the front office.  This was never done.

And then today as I was getting ready for work my mom came home after taking my daughter to school for me.  Her first words were, "You need to go to the school and talk to them.  Alex told one of the boys head butt her."

And so once again I made the trek back to my daughter's school.  This time I spoke to the principal and explained what had been told to me.  And once again I asked, "What's the policy for bullying in the school?"

And once again I was told that they had a no tolerance policy.

Hours passed as the day went by and I decided to pick my daughter up from school.  I normally don't since I'm at work when she gets out, but I of course felt that this was too important for me to have my mom pick her up.

As I walked to my daughter's class, I was asked by the Assistant Principal to talk along with my daughter's teacher.  There they asked my daughter to explain what she had told them.  The headbutting incident may or may not have been an accident.  But the dragging across the playground had happened and there was no denying that.

Apparently what had happened was that my daughter did in fact tell a teacher.  One of the recess ones they have monitoring the playground.  The boy in question was given a consequence which was being put on the wall.  According to the teacher she felt that was adequate punishment and did not inform any of the other teachers or the front office.

When asked how many times she had told the teacher my daughter replied, "3 or more times."

And still no one was told of these incidents.  So again I asked, "What is the policy for bullying?"

And again I was given the generic answer of there was a no tolerance policy for bullying.

In all the time that I have asked, I have not yet been told what that policy is.  They have mentioned talking to the boy and calling his parents now.  So I asked and what about notifying the parents that this is going on.  What is your policy on this.  To which she asked, "So no one from the school notified you?"

The answer to that is no.  This Sunday was Mother's Day and my daughter pretended to be sick so she didn't have to go to school this week.  No child should ever have to be afraid to attend school.  And if anyone knew my daughter they would see how unlike her it is.  She would rather go to school with the flu than miss a day.

And so parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles--I ask what is the policy for bullying at your child's school.

Don't let the ones who proclaim to make this a safe environment for your most precious gift stonewall you on the issue.

I can firmly tell you that my child will not be attending this school next year.  And for any parents who may stumble upon this issue make sure your answers are satisfactory and not just smoke and mirror to satisfy you temporarily.

Stop Bullying now...before it's too late.

-TheOnlineStalker

Manic Monday

Hi my Stalkees,

Today's Monday wasn't as Manic as the ones before.  In fact It was the perfect picture of semi calm.  I started the day off by taking pictures of the work that my apartment complex never fixed.  And on Wednesday I'll be giving the Code Enforcement officer a call.  I gave them more than the allotted time to get in here and fix it all but they sent in a maintenance man who for all I know only had half information or instructions to only fix one problem.

I then went to work where I did nothing.  Literally. 

I'll be getting out of the military in a very short time.  I have completed one term and even reenlisted so I feel it is time for me to get out and stay home with my family.  The girls are getting older and need a stable presence in their life.  It's a decision that didn't come lightly or easily.

However, a lot of the people I work for still treat individuals getting out of the military as if we are the gum on the bottom of their shoe.

"You could just finish the rest of your time."

"What are you going to do when you get out?  Work at McDonald's?"

These are actual questions that have been asked by higher ranked individuals.  First of all "finish the rest of my time?"

It sounds like a prison sentence when put that way.  And when working under individuals who make your life miserable it feels like prison too.

As for the work at McDonald's comment a female at work got from her boss all I could say was "Wow!"

He thinks so little of her that he believes she'll get out the military and what?  Become one of those women who uses the system instead of getting her education and a better job.

The only good thing that came out of today was that my daughter got her new glasses and then we went to the park to play.

But what can you expect on a Manic Monday?

Christians Say Bad Words

This was too awesome for me not to post tonight. 

I normally take my mom to work at night.  So I loaded the kids in the car and off we went.  My mom works at a Wal-mart that isn't that far from us.  a good 10 to 15 minute drive through downtown.  As we're on our way I tell my mom how I talked to my friend about how the lady sideswiped us in her car.  And my mom asks me what did she say.

So I try to whisper as low as I can.  "Stupid Bitch."

But seeing as my daughter has bionic hearing, she says, "Oooo.  That's a bad word mom."

"You weren't supposed to hear that."

And afterwords I start to mess with her about who said a bad word to which she says "You" and I say "You who?"

To say this is fun entertainment for me is an understatement.  But as so many say..It's the little things in life.

After about five minutes of going back and forward with her she says, "Oh my God."

"Oooo...you blasphemed," I tell her.

"No I didn't.  I'm not a Christian."

"What?"

"I didn't say a bad word."

I laugh and take the bait.  "What do bad words have to do with Christians?"

And without missing a beat she says, "Because, Christians say bad words."

I can't make this kind of stuff up. 

So I tell her, "But I'm not a Christian.  I'm Wiccan."

Tell me ladies and gents why my daughter starts to argue with me and tells me I have to be a Christian because I said  bad word earlier.

And my mom doesn't make it any better because she says a curse word right after that to which my daughter says, "Grandma you're really a Christian.  Mom you're sorta a Christian but Grandma is really one."

"You're other Grandma's a Christian," my mom says.

"No she's not.  She doesn't say bad words."

So now my daughter thinks that all Christians say bad words and no matter how much I tried to convince her that they don't--she's just not believing it.

Happy Mother's Day Daddy/ Mommy What's that Word Mean?

Not exactly the titles you were expecting to see today right? 

Last year on Mother's Day my Daughters gave me a ceramic picture that was drawn in class.  This mornings gift was just as special.

At 7:30--a full hour more of sleep than usual I must add--my kids woke me up to say Happy Mother's Day.  And then they told me to close my eyes.

When I was finally told it was okay to open them I couldn't help but smile as I saw two teddy bears holding a heart that said "I Love You Mom"

I smiled the biggest smile ever because they had put all this effort into getting me a gift even after I told them that I didn't really need one.  At seven and five it was important for them to know that they apprecieated me.

And then my youngest daughter looked at me and said, "Can we call Dadddy and tell him Happy Mother's Day?"

With a request like that how could I refuse right?  And so I called their dad which went to voicemail.  This is the exact message that was left:

"Hi.  I want--what did I say?  Oh yeah.  Happy Mother's Day Daddy!  Call us back so we can tell you Happy Mother's Day."

Can't make stuff like this up if I tried lol.

Fast forward 5 hours

My youngest daughter went to church with my mom.  Me and my oldest daughter stayed home due to her being a little under the weather.  So I decided we could watch Glee.

Yes.  I love Glee.

We're on season 1 at the moment and we got to the episode where Kurt wants to sing Defying Gravity from the play Wicked.  But of course Mr. Shue won't let him which causes Kurt's father to go the school and raise some hell.

But what I forgot was in the episode an anonymous man calls Kurt's dad at his shop and says, "Your sons a "f*g"

And we all know that word isn't fig. 

As soon as the words left the television my seven year old turns to me and says, "Mom...what's that word mean?"

So I paused the show and had to explain to her that not all boys like girls and that many people say that word to be mean and hurtful to people who aren't like them.  Which led to me explaining that some boys like boys and some girls like girls.  And want to marry them.

"How do they get married?"

"Um...In some states they can get married just like Mommy and Daddy did."

"That's wrong," she says.

"No no.  It's different.  There's nothing wrong with it.  You can't help who you love.  Just like Mommy and Daddy can't help that they love each other.  Never say something is wrong because you don't understand it."

"Okay.  So boys and boys can get married.  Weird."

She doesn't really understand it, but I stressed that you can't help who you love and it's never wrong.  People just don't always understand it.  And as a daughter of a Black mom and a White dad, she'll have some people who don't understand that, but time changes lots of things.

And so that was my Mother's Day. 

Dad got a shout out and my daughter learned that boys don't always want to marry girls.

All in all a really great day.

Happy Mother's Day everyone from your friendly onlinestalker.

Technical Difficulties

It seems as if my computer rebelled against me today.  Well technically it's my mom's computer but I digress.  It ate my story and so tonight I will be awake to retype it.  Maybe a new version of it will be better than what I actually had written.  But I am determined to get this chapter out this time.  No excuses.  Thanks to anyone who has been so patient with me.  At least I got one of my two chapters out on time.  That's progress I guess. 

Thanks again for your understanding guys.  And you'll have a new story first thing in the morning for mother's day.  If I have to stay up late to do it.  With brief naps in between to refresh myself of course.

*wink*

-TheOnlineStalker

Breathing Ch. 03

Hi my Stalkees,

Here is one of your double feature Saturday Short Stories.  Chapter 3 of Breathing!  I hope you enjoy and Beautiful Stranger will be up later. 

Breathing Ch. 03

Beautiful Stranger Ch. 07

Hi my Stalkees!
Are you excited about tomorrow?  You get not one..but TWO chapters!!!  But in order for you to follow along I think I should post the last chapter of Beautiful Stranger I finished.  So here is chapter 7.  I hope you enjoy it!

Beautiful Stranger Ch. 07

The Thursday Vent

Yesterday the Code Enforcement officer finally came out to look at our ant issue.  He was inside less than 5 minutes before he started commenting and shivering as his skin crawled.  We explained the issue and after checking out the multiple places they were he moved to out bathroom where he discovered our upstairs neighbor's toilet was leaking down on our toilet and bathroom floor. 

Yuck!

He went to the front office to ask them what the exterminator had said about sealing up the hole they left.  Apparently he had told them it was okay to seal it up three days ago.  But they didn't inform us of that.  Nor did they try to seal it.  So the Code Enforcement officer gave them a week to fix everything. 

Which includes:

1) Sealing the holes
2) Caulking the windows so that the ants can't come in through there either
3) Taking up the neighbors toilet to make sure nothing is growing there and fixing our ceiling.

So far they did a horrible job of fixing our hole and they only resealed the neighbors toilet, but they didn't pull up the toilet to see where the leak was actually coming from. 

Now I have to vacuum the dead ants up and see if they actually fixed the problem.  More than likely no since they didn't do everything they were supposed to do.  So now all I have to do is wait and see what happens.

Here are the before..middle..and after pictures.  Tell me...what do you think?

Before - When we discovered there were ants

Middle- The so called fix after we told them they were still coming in the apartment

After - Their method of sealing off the hole

And that ladies and gents is what I have been dealing with for the past month.  Hopefully it's enough and if not I'll be giving my Code Enforcement Officer back out here.

Thanks for reading my vent.  See ya next week.

-TheOnlineStalker

Beautiful Stranger Ch. 06

Hi my lovely Stalkees!

It is getting close to crunch time.  Two more days until the new chapter of Beautiful Stranger is revealed.  And I don't know about you, but I'm excited!  But instead of letting you suffer with what ifs and what will happen, I am gifting you with the 6th chapter of Beautiful Stranger to keep you company.  And to refresh your memories. 

The Thursday Vent will be up later in the day.  I'm sure by then I'll have plenty to vent about. 

Beautiful Stranger Ch. 06

Beautiful Stranger Ch. 05

How is everyone this wonderful Hump Day. Half the week is almost gone which means that you have two chapters from two separate stories coming your way. But to tide you over..as promised, I have added Chapter 5 of Beautiful Stranger for your reading pleasure.

Beautiful Stranger Ch. 05