A day for lists...

Things remain uncertain here on the home front. We are in the final day of voting on the new work contract and I voted YES. I voted that way after going to a meeting where one of the reps from the union stood up and read the entire contract to us and explained all of the changes and answered even the most inflammatory of questions with poise and dignity for all involved. No, we would not be seeing any great pay raises, yes, we will be required to start paying for our own health insurance, no, we will likely never get lunch breaks any longer and yes, we (my car and many others) will likely not be getting home on time much at all anymore but it is a contract with new protective language including a "just cause" clause for termination proceedings among many other things. It is a choice I made not out of fear, but honestly believing it will be what is best for my family and the majority of my coworkers. In this economy and with a company whose penultimate goal is MAKE ALL THE MONEY! GIVE NONE TO EMPLOYEES! It is sad but true. We happen to be paramedics but honestly we could be selling buttons. They are NOT in business to care for people, LEAST of all the people who are working for them. They are total corporate evil and they want to bend us over for every last dime just like the rest of the ginormocorps out there doing the same thing to middle class Americans and foreign workers world wide. Make the money, keep the money, work the workers harder, pay the workers less, protect the workers as little as possible. It is F*cking gross and I can't wait to be done working for such a scummy corporation. That said, I love my job. I am NOT ready to be done with that. However, I meant what I said about the party getting out of hand and I will be headed down RN lane here in the not so distant future. Sooooo, that is that. I am told we will know the results of the vote here tonight.

Anyway, lists, lists, lists. I am feeling like the stress is palpable enough where I am resorting to my basest of coping mechanisms. I am making lists of things. It is soothing. So here are the most recent lists.

Things that suck

1. Working in for profit health care

2. Listening to the beginnings of the republican run for the white house

3. Backaches

4. Stressed out husbands

5. Trying to sort out changes in health insurance

6. Having my mom live 3500miles away

7. Not winning the lottery

Things that are AWESOME

1. Fall weather

2. Maternity clothes (I am SOOO much more comfortable in them than in my non preg work pants

3. Feeling the baby move about so much more

4. Seeing the look on my hubb's face when he felt his first "kick"

5. Swimming! Almost cancels out backaches above

6. My Midwives. They are such embodiments of positivity and love. I feel great about them.

7. My work partner. I don't know what I'd do without him.

8. Getting to see my ladies run a 50k this weekend and being able to support them.

9. Cottage Cheese....need I elaborate? I thought not.

10. Last but not least my Husband. He continues to be my compass rose. He is feeling the stress and feeling responsible for protecting his family but he is unfailing in his optimism and love and even on the darkest days that is so often ALL you really need.....aside from cottage cheese.