This past week I had the pleasure of delivering a grueling 90 minute-long training to an audience of one. It really shouldn't have been that bad. But it was. Problem #1: my one and only attendee was not a native English speaker and I could barely understand him over my laptop's speakers. On top of that, factor in a horrible echo from his computer's speaker/microphone. Problem #2: he kept on insisting that I let him follow along with everything I was showing him in the system. This is definitely a problem because when he should have been looking at what I was doing, he was instead staring confusedly at a system error message and trying to tell me about it. Problem #3: the system wasn't loading properly; so I couldn't really show him everything I was supposed to train him on how to do. It was the perfect disaster. I was so glad it was over.
Needless to say, I have a job though. It's not really a job because I'm not a company employee, but they are giving me work for an indefinite period through my small business license Namiko Editing. Basically I train school teachers, administrators, and counselors on how to use an online platform. Lucky for me, it's mostly all old knowledge since I worked in these systems for over 3 years. The one downside is I never know when I'll get paid. I started working on this "project" in mid-August and my paycheck did not come until 4 weeks later. I was seriously starting to stalk the postman.
Tom also has a temporary job. And no he's not a real employee either and it all goes through my small business, but it is full time and he's doing some fun stuff. Most days he is translating children's stories into Latin for the new Elementary Latin course that he is helping to build. Other days he is writing original children's songs about grammar.
In addition to temporary jobs/projects, we also now have church callings. Tom is assistant scoutmaster and I am a Young Women's Laurel advisor. I am really excited to be in a different church auxiliary; and after just the first Sunday, I've decided that being in YWs with a baby is 100 times better than being in Primary with a baby and 50 times better than being in RS with a baby. Not that I have anything against Primary or Relief Society, but it is just a relief to not have to chase after kids with a crying baby in one arm and to not have to worry about Constance ruining the seriousness of a RS lesson with her loud screeching. Constance crawls all over the YW room and can make whatever noise she wants and the girls just giggle and pick her up. Tom is a little less excited about being in Boy Scouts, but at least he does have a shirt ready for him from his dad who spent 17 years in scouts.
Meanwhile, Constance is making friends with all the other little babies at church. She is always eager as ever to reach out and hold their hands. Last week I noticed that she is learning the concept of "giving" instead of just "taking." Instead of just grabbing her toys and playing with them, she started picking up a toy and giving it to another little baby and even holding it to the other baby's mouth so she could chew on it.
Around the house though, she is intent as ever to take things apart and, for example, pull all of the clean laundry out of the laundry basket and throw it on the floor.
