Week of Money: I finally learn how to play the Politics Game

DAY ONE

??:?? — I wake up, tired and my back is aching. I feel like I am sleeping as much as before, and Little Bun is not waking me up during the night, and yet I am far more fatigued than usual. Maybe it is my aching back that is not letting me sleep well. Little Bun is crawling all over me, snuggling, kissing, I am hugging him, and he is sitting on me, giggling.

6:00 a.m. — Little Bun gets his milk, and I stay in bed, still very tired.

6:23 a.m. — I get up, make tea, and then drink it, play three Mission Rescue Team games with Little Bun, and wash my face. I decide to dress comfortably. I also showcase a necklace I made — pretty, right? 🙂

7:08 a.m. — MELTDOWN. I need to reply to an email (am logged in), and Little Bun just LOSES IT. He doesn’t want me to do work, he wants to throw boxes around and make a huge, loud noisy MESS and he is just.. sobbing and sobbing. I try to hold him but he wants to be carried like a baby. I carry him like a baby with my aching back, hunched like a hunchback all the way to the bedroom where he lies down on the bed, puffy-eyed and sobbing.

7:10 a.m. — I let him sob it out and stay as calm as I can. I explain how either Mommy goes to the office 5 days a week, or stays home 2 days but he has to let Mommy work at her desk and she cannot play all day if she is at home working. He sobs and sobs, and only finally calms down once I tell him that I will do a bit of work, read a book to him, then work again, wash, rinse repeat.

7:25 a.m. — Finally. Calm.

8:22 a.m. — I do the dishes while on a call. Multi-tasking. Also.. love my nails. Madame President indeed. What I find ironic is that we are all about women power and all this in CONSUMER goods and as slogans on t-shirts, but in real life, in politics, we are so far behind in having women actually lead, and run the show. Unless it has to do with the home and kids. Oh that, we have covered as a society. We are totally fine with women being at home, being a full-time parent while the other one works like crazy to conquer the world. /rant

9:03 a.m. — I eat my lunch early. My partner made pasta and added BACON (he knows I love meat). He kept it vegetarian for himself and Little Bun, and is pleased to see me grin at the sight of bacon. I throw a whole rosemary sprig on there because I could eat this herb raw, by the handful. Love rosemary.

9:11 a.m. — My partner heads out to do errands. I was going to head out for lunch but I guess I’ll do it afterwards.

10:00 a.m. — Another call. I set Little Bun up with a tangerine to peel and eat.

11:16 a.m. — Off my call, I make a cup of tea. I gently feel my face, at least my acne bumps and flare-ups are going down. I wonder what triggered it aside from stress. Was it makeup? A new product? That I didn’t blot my face enough? That I ate a ton of candy out of stress? That I used too much dry shampoo instead of just washing my hair? All of the above probably.

12:08 p.m. — I email a list of tasks to the project managers (I have 6 right now), and ask them to prioritize my workload. Time to play this game where I get people to tell me what to do, and then I do it. So they can’t say anything else.

12:11 p.m. — OMG. How is it taking Little Bun TWO HOURS TO EAT A TANGERINE?…. O_o He wants it still and there are 3 segments left. He has been picking off all the pith and putting it in the garbage. I see. One by one. Bit by bit.

12:15 p.m. — My back is really killing me. I go to lie down.

1:53 p.m. — I bid on and LOSE on these boots. I am strangely relieved. The universe is TOTALLY having my back on saving money, and this is refreshing. Thank you Universe. <3

2:15 p.m. — Why the hell do people use acronyms? RY? BX? DN? HD? QP? .. This isn’t text messaging l33tspeak, please write in PROPER WORDS with PROPER spelling in a business environment and setting. I am not wasting my time trying to figure out who the hell or what the hell you are referring to. I’m just going to ignore you.

2:59 p.m. — My partner is home, and I get ready to head out. I have stuff to get done and he took MY CAR the whole day. I am not mad, because I got stuff done but I wasn’t prepared…..  The good news is that I am going against traffic when I am heading out and coming back, so I won’t be stuck in traffic at this time.

3:20 p.m. — I posted this and wonder how many more styling tricks I can come up with:

3:00 p.m. — I head out the minute my partner is home. Little Bun is still napping.

3:29 p.m. — WHAT? THE KITCHENAID MIXER HE WANTS IS ON SALE? I buy it immediately. $662.23

3:53 p.m. — I eat a green tea KitKat in peace in my car. Chilling.

4:03 p.m. — At home, I saunter in through the front door with my prize (hello Kitchenaid ON SALE)… and Little Bun bursts into tears at the counter, gets down, and runs towards me sobbing at the doorway, screaming: Only MOMMY gets to give me milk, NOT DADDY.…. I am completely shocked. What happened?

4:05 p.m. — Through his blubbery tears and sobbing against my chest, my partner says he woke up from his nap and cried for an hour because I wasn’t around and he didn’t see me. I feel TERRIBLE. Just.. TERRIBLE. I hug Little Bun and ask him if he would like Mommy to leave a note next time for him? .. He nods. I am going to try that. I guess he went to sleep knowing I was there and when he got up the wrong parent was around and he freaked because he wasn’t thinking it would be Daddy. If he sees me leave, he is fine. He knows I am gone but he doesn’t like panicking and uncertainty. Got it.

4:45 p.m. — He is calm, he is still crying pretty hard. But in fits and starts. Pink blubbery face.

5:15 p.m. — I try to coax him with some fresh orange juice my partner made, and he takes it but reluctantly (he LOVES this stuff, it’s like crack for kids), but he is still clinging to me and upset.

6:34 p.m. — I play with him, extra play time and extra math… Poor baby.

8:39 p.m. — He clings to my arm at night when it is time to sleep.

Spent: $662.23 – but I only pay half.

DAY TWO

??:?? — I wake up to the sound of Little Bun snuffling and grunting. I close my eyes and half sleep until he throws his body against mine in a forced attempt to cuddle. I get up and pull him on top of me for a big hug and kiss.

6:16 a.m. — I grab his milk, getting out of bed carefully. My back is really in pain. I’m unable to walk properly and sitting makes it worse.

6:20 a.m. — I have to keep my back super straight or risk it feeling achy again.

6:57 a.m. — I get ready for work, wearing my deep green sweater and some bright pink shoes and my new ring from Christina Rose (under $30! Hit her up, she is so great).

7:11 a.m. — I head into work, seat warmers cranked up to ease my back.

7:15 a.m. — I grab a few homemade cookies from a friend and everyone plans on working from home tomorrow because of the 40cm of snow we will get.

7:36 a.m. — I prep my work list for tomorrow at home and tie up loose ends.

7:42 a.m. — I just work.

11:12 a.m. — Lunch! I have my pasta and bacon early and then get a turmeric latte (a new drink I saw and was curious about). I hear turmeric is great for your body, I should drink this and ginger more…

11:40 a.m. — I call about a missing set of tumblers I purchased but still haven’t shown up. WTF.

12:40 p.m. — I get back to work after I pick up a turmeric latte (just to see what the hype is about) $5.46

3:04 p.m. — I get ready to leave early. Everyone is checking when the storm will start and getting ready to bolt.

3:16 p.m. — I print out some Connect the Dot sheets for Little Bun to keep him busy for 2 minutes tomorrow while I work.

4:00 p.m. — OUTTA HERE.

4:33 p.m. — At home, Little Bun is thrilled to see me.

5:12 p.m. — I try and tie up loose ends, I do the dishes, laundry…

6:45 p.m. — My back .. DAMN IT. IT HURTS. I lie down and do math with Little Bun but it is really really aching.

8:17 p.m. — Time for bed. I am not going to sleep well. I know it.

Spent: $5.46

DAY THREE

??:?? — I can’t get comfortable. Each time I turn, my back aches and I wake up.

??:?? — I try to curl up in another more comfortable position. Doesn’t work.

6:21 a.m. — Sleep was not great. Not great at all. I make a green tea matcha latte, and try to hang out with Little Bun but I am unable to play on the floor because my back is in so much pain. I try to play racing cars with him but I can’t be hunched over.

7:00 a.m. — I log in and work.

8:25 a.m. — Why are people so panicky? Calm the EFF DOWN.

10:30 a.m. — He throws himself on his bed and cries: Only MOMMY gives me milk not DADDY! …. he is still reliving his hell from yesterday. I reassure him that I will get him milk today, and he already got it in the morning anyway.

11:17 a.m. — Time for lunch.

11:47 a.m. — Am on a call.

12:34 p.m. — I hustle the Little Animal down for a nap (protesting all the way) and PROMISE HIM that I will be here when he wakes.

1:47 p.m. — He wakes up, and comes running out with a stormy look on his face, probably expecting me to renege on my promise and not be here. He sees me, brightens up and I hug him tight. He squirms away and says he is too hot right now for hugs.

2:30 p.m. — He plays nicely beside me while I work.

5:07 p.m. — I log off for the day. (In between working, I am wrangling Little Bun into the washroom, cleaning up his messes, making teas…. etc.)

6:40 p.m. — I may be addicted. I buy these used Rag & Bone Harrow boots in Asphalt Grey suede (similar grey boots here but at retail they are even on sale, $210 USD) because I LOVE THESE BOOTS SO MUCH. $57 USD <– <3 Poshmark & American friends

I even love how the HEEL is covered in grey suede. I’m a sucker. I know.

7:09 p.m. — A light dinner. I kind of go too happy on the soy and have to choke down this really, salty mess….

7:34 p.m. — Little Bun and I lie down to do equivalent fractions together because my back hurts.

7:58 p.m. — Little Bun goes to make bread with his father, watching the bread hook in the mixer.

8:45 p.m. — Time for bed.

Spent: $57 USD

DAY FOUR

??:?? — I wake up with my back finally feeling a bit better. OMG. Finally. I see the light at the end of the tunnel.

??:?? — Little Bun squirms and squeals, landing his head HARD on my stomach and bladder. Owww…. and he cuddles into my side, snuffling, trying to find a soft spot to wrap his body around.

6:10 a.m. — He gives up and wakes up. His exact first words to me were: Mommy! Today is the day Daddy said I could get rice pudding to eat.… Should change his name to Little Glutton.

7:20 a.m. — I am logged in and working. I am purposefully NOT logging in the minute I wake up because then I just work longer and for what really? I am really limiting myself to 8 hours a day, which is all I am paid for. Doing extra work just makes people take advantage of you. Want more of my time? PAY ME.

9:33 a.m. — I take a break for a tea. Little Bun is being a bit of a clingy monster. He is really not letting me talk quietly and get stuff done.

10:20 a.m. — People are bothering me less, especially since I am not in the office as often (not as easy to turn around and bother me every 5 minutes when you have to call or message me). But the woman I work with is really getting on my nerves. She is really not meant for this job. Lazy, unable to be resourceful… I definitely, 100% could not be a dang manager. I’d rate everyone so low….

10:37 a.m. — As a colleague once mused to me: Your standards are just so damn high.

Me: My standards are set for me as well. Is it my fault I want everything done properly even if it takes more time? Don’t blow smoke up my @%#… Take the time, get it done, do it right, and then come and tell me it’s done. I am not being unrealistic. I am GIVING the time. Just don’t rush it and then make me have to redo the work. That irks me more than you taking twice as long because I can’t trust you.

12:08 p.m. — Lunch! Except I can’t eat it because I am in a middle of a task. I’ll lunch after I am done.

12:26 p.m. — I finish my work, and then take a nice lunch with the family. Then, NAP TIME.

12:37 p.m. — Little Bun bursts into tears that he only wants Mommy to bring him milk all day long, not Daddy and even if Mommy is at the Office, he doesn’t want Daddy to bring him milk. He wants Mommy to bring him milk when she gets home. I nod, and pat his head, and promise we will do that.

2:10 p.m. — Little Bun wakes up from his nap. His first reaction is: Mommy? Do I get my rice pudding now?. … and I shake my head, that is for dinner time, afterwards, Little Bun!!!!

3:43 p.m. — I log off. I worked like a mofo today. Tomorrow will be worse. I flagged a lot of issues and I am certain I will have to answer for them.

4:17 p.m. — I try to organize my eBook library. I have so many books, I should delete ones I NEVER PLAN ON READING ever again. I am most certainly a data hoarder and I feel completely stupid for keeping so many ebooks I don’t ever plan on reading again. Time to clean out the library!

5:50 p.m. — I play with Little Bun a little but my back is killing me.

6:28 p.m. — He gets to eat his rice pudding after refusing dinner (he is saving belly space for the good stuff, and doesn’t want cheese and bread) and is happier than a clam. Then he makes me smell his belly (riffing off that “smell my teeth” thing that we do at night to make him go and brush his teeth) and asks me if it smells good, I kiss his belly and tell him he smells perfect to me.

7:10 p.m. — He plays pretty nicely by himself because I had to yell at him in the afternoon for not letting me work and hit a critical deadline (I don’t have many timed deadlines but when I do, I’m on the hook.)

7:32 p.m. — He plays with his father the rest of the night with this game of balancing boxes and throwing rubber animals into them. Looks like fun.

Spent: $0

DAY FIVE

??:?? — Feels early. Why are we waking up so early.

5:45 a.m. — Grrr. Could have used another half hour. At least. Or two. My back was hurting all night as I slept so I didn’t sleep well.

7:03 a.m. — I head into work early. Have lots to do because we had a lot of issues yesterday (reason why I yelled at Little Bun during my timed task) and I plan on leaving early to run errands. At least I can walk without hunching today. I can walk a little straighter and my back hurts less than before. Decide on something comfy.

7:31 a.m. — I take a quick break to buy some gluten-free waffles (I know, I’m as skeptical as you are that they’ll taste like a waffle but I’m really craving pancakes or waffles lately.) $15.14

7:46 a.m. — OMG WHAT IS THIS BLACK MAGIC? They were SO. GOOD. I know I’ll be back for more, with that fruit compote and creamy maple syrup sauce…. mmmmmmm!!!

8:08 a.m. — Meetings all day with panicked people. People who don’t have a technical or logical brain, and it is difficult for me to spend the time to explain things to them now when I also have to get my stuff done for other teams who are WAITING ON ME. Leave me alone!! Find someone else to explain this to you, please!!! If I had time, I’d spend it patiently doing so, but we are in critical crunch mode here. Bye bye.

12:08 p.m. — Lunch. A colleague brings in Thai curry chicken he made and gives me half because I’m a glutton. I leave my bacon pasta for next week’s meal. Yum yum!

12:28 p.m. — It wasn’t an amazing curry but it hit the spot because I’ve been craving curry lately.

12:56 p.m. — Back to work.

1:30 p.m. — More meetings. More meetings. I’m leaving at three FOR SURE.

3:00 p.m. — Out the door, I go and pick up the items I dropped off and they had second thoughts about selling (no worries), and head home.

4:33 p.m. — WOW. Traffic was horrific.

5:20 p.m. — My partner heads out to run errands.

5:37 p.m. — I have BILLS to pay. BILLS. Sigh. I need to write cheques tomorrow or try and pay this online.

6:25 p.m. — I decide on a cheque and a note of when to mail it.

6:50 p.m. — I finish off my noodles — gasp! — I need to buy more STAT today. I have so many errands to run omg… I make a list for tomorrow but I wonder how I am going to go back and forth between two areas in such a short amount of time. WHY DOES ONE MALL NOT HAVE ALL THE STORES? Ughhhhh…

7:45 p.m. — I get ready for bed. I am already half passed out, playing with Little Bun and his Teddy, making up stories upon request like a Puppet Master.

Spent: $15.14

DAY SIX

??:?? — Really tired. My back still isn’t 100%, so I am getting aches during the night.

??:?? — Little Bun flings himself on top of me for his morning hug and kiss. He gets mad when I kiss him first, because he says: MOMMY. It is a HUG THEN a kiss.

5:30 a.m. — I grab his milk. Early. I am bleary-eyed.

6:25 a.m. — I start two loads of laundry, remind myself to get those pieces drycleaned for consignment, and scan all of my documents.

9:31 a.m. — COMPLETED SCANNING! I even managed to print more address labels. I feel a little more organized and less scatter-brained.

9:43 a.m. — Okay. So scanned stuff down. What’s next? I have to mail off these little photos of Little Bun. Check.

9:50 a.m. — Time for dishes. I do them while watching Elementary (yes, I LOVE this show and I hope they will do a final seventh season…. I hate it when my fave shows end.)

10:45 a.m. — Dishes all done, I try to feed Little Bun but he is refusing to eat the vegetable stew. He tells me: “Daddy is going to come home with food”.. apparently he is saving his belly space for yummier bread and cheese. This kid is too smart….

10:47 a.m. — I try to watch the series “Mom” with Anna Faris and I really don’t like it. I don’t find it funny at all, canned track laughter… cheap jokes. No thanks.

11:04 a.m. — My partner is home. Little Bun is SO HAPPY. He waits patiently for his bread and cheese.

12:02 p.m. — Now he doesn’t want cheese. On anything. Any kind of cheese. Who’s child is this? …!?!?! O_o He best not be developing food pickiness because we are NOT catering to eating whims here.

1:03 p.m. — I head out and run errands. I manage to avoid buying anything the whole day, but am absolutely hung up on this shirt because the offbeat polkadots on the black shirt, how soft it is…. I put it back and the camel wrap coat but can’t stop thinking about it all day.

4:50 p.m. — I go to head home and get caught in a snarl of traffic.

6:10 p.m. — Home. The cellphone was off, he didn’t check his emails.. I mean, seriously. What is the point of a home phone if I can’t reach you? I’m TRULY annoyed. It is one thing to not reach someone but it is stupid to not have the phone on out of being obnoxious. You can just ignore the calls if you don’t want to pick up, but if it’s me, PICK UP. It could be something serious.

7:50 p.m. — After my dinner, I do the dishes, and Little Bun insists on checking my back. He knows it is hurting. He pulls up the back of my shirt, checks my back, says: “oh my goodness!” and then kisses it. Every, time. He is just so sensitive and lovable…

8:20 p.m. — Time for bed. I really want that black shirt. If I am obsessing over it like this, I just buy it. And this other necklace I was obsessing over. I love the odd print, the odd spots, the dots without being too spaced out or weird are also different shapes. It reminds me of a starry night sky. $137.43

Spent: $137.43

DAY SEVEN

??:?? — Aching back. I flip over and Little Bun squeals because I shifted him in my flipping, and I have to pet him back to sleep into the Mommy Nook (my arm wrapped around his head).

5:35 a.m. — Tired. Why is he waking up so damn early?

7:59 a.m. — I resist (HARD) the urge for some more waffles and syrup (omg addicted) and end up only getting a croissant and a chai latte instead. I am taking baby steps to wean myself off eating and drinking so much sugar all the time. Baby steps. $6.35

10:25 a.m. — I finally get to the stores, and pick up a stock of lotion. $114.95

12:15 p.m. — Back home (traffic, all the bridges closed down to ONE LANE. From THREE to one, and a major highway is being re-routed through downtown. OMFG.)

12:28 p.m. — Lunch time. My partner heads out to run errands.

12:56 p.m. — I hustle Little Bun down for his nap, bleating like a goat to make him giggle and go to his Napping Nest willingly.

3:23 p.m. — He wakes up, and insists on checking my back for pain. He lifts up my shirt, checks my back, and kisses it again to make it better. <3 How can you not love a child like this? The highs of parenting are so incredibly high. I have to remember that when it’s low…

3:34 p.m. — That camel wrap coat I was obsessing over? Thankfully my size is sold out online so I am not tempted to buy it. *phew* I was close. But then I thought about how much I would love another coat with more details than a simple wrap, something with interesting sleeves, you know? Like THIS BEAUTY that I have coveted for so long, from Sentaler that is a few thousands. GULP.

3:56 p.m. — We have a light pre-dinner late lunch thing of pasta. Little Bun eats half of my food.

6:56 p.m. — My partner is finally home. I am lying down on the bed, resting my back, and finishing this engrossing book called Stir – My Broken Brain and the Meals that brought me home which is not your typical foodie memoir. Long story short, she had a serious (near death) issue and there are meals that she craved (recipes included!) as well as beautifully told stories.

8:40 p.m. — Shenanigans I cannot even remember until bedtime. I recall doing dishes, maybe some laundry, washing my face.. and then Little Bun nonsense.

Spent: $121.30

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Want more? Read all of my previous Week of Money Diaries.