Resting / Rust

Flexibiliteit troef / Flexibility is the word

Nederlandse versie
Vandaag was ik met Thomas naar de GGD vanwege een standaardonderzoek dat bij kinderen van 10 wordt uitgevoerd. Een goed initatief. Er wordt gekeken naar het
welbevinden van het kind, zowel thuis als op school, naar lengte en gewicht, naar gezondheid en vrije tijdsbesteding. Het onderzoek vond midden op de dag plaats. Ik heb gisteravond laat wat werk verricht waardoor ik mijn vandaag een kortere werkdag kon permitteren. Dat zijn de momenten waarop ik volop geniet van het thuiswerkschap. Ik hoef het niet aan iemand anders uit te besteden, ik hoef geen vrij te nemen, ik ga mijn eigen gang en hoef geen compromissen te sluiten.
Engelse versie
Blogroll Me!
To-day I went to the Municipal Health Services with Thomas because of a standard examination that takes place with 10 year old children. A good initiative. Issues such are the child's wellbeing, both at home and at school, height and weight, health and leisure activities are reviewed. The examination took place in the middle of the day. Yesterday I spent some extra time at my desk, which allowed me to work a little less to-day. Those are moments in which I truly relish being a work-at-home mum. I don't have to ask somebody else to take my son to such an examination, I don't have to take time off, I can do things my way, without having to compromise.

The mom song

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxT5NwQUtVM

Deze youtube video werd me door een collega toegestuurd. Zeer herkenbaar. Hieronder nog de volledige tekst. (is ook te zien als je klikt op 'about this video' rechts van het beeld...)

The Mom" song, sung to the William Tell Overture, by Anita Renfroe.What a mom says in 24 hours, condensed into 2 minutes and 55 seconds! Hilarious and talented! Lyrics for "The Mom Song" is given below. (Thank you BelleFlower15!)"The Mom Song"Get up nowGet up nowGet up out of bedWash your faceBrush your teethComb your sleepyheadHere's your clothes and your shoesHear the words I saidGet up now! Get up and make your bedAre you hot? Are you cold?Are you wearing that?Where's your books and your lunch and your homework at?Grab your coat and gloves and your scarf and hatDon't forget! You gotta feed the catEat your breakfast, the experts tell us it's the most important meal of allTake your vitamins so you will grow up one day to be big and tallPlease remember the orthodontist will be seeing you at 3 todayDon't forget your piano lesson is this afternoon so you must playDon't shovelChew slowlyBut hurryThe bus is hereBe carefulCome back hereDid you wash behind your ears?Play outside, don't play rough, will you just play fair?Be polite, make a friend, don't forget to shareWork it out, wait your turn, never take a dareGet along! Don't make me come down thereClean your room, fold your clothes, put your stuff awayMake your bed, do it now, do we have all day?Were you born in a barn? Would you like some hay?Can you even hear a word I say?Answer the phone! Get off the phone!Don't sit so close, turn it down, no texting at the tableNo more computer time tonight!Your iPod's my iPod if you don't listen upWhere are you going and with whom and what time do you think you're coming home?Saying thank you, please, excuse me makes you welcome everywhere you roamYou'll appreciate my wisdom someday when you're older and you're grownCan't wait till you have a couple little children of your ownYou'll thank me for the counsel I gave you so willinglyBut right now I thank you not to roll your eyes at meClose your mouth when you chew, would appreciateTake a bite maybe two of the stuff you hateUse your fork, do not burp or I'll set you straightEat the food I put upon your plateGet an A, get the door, don't get smart with meGet a grip, get in here, I'll count to threeGet a job, get a life, get a PHDGet a dose of,"I don't care who started it!You're grounded until you're 36"Get your story straight and tell the truth for once, for heaven's sakeAnd if all your friends jumped off a cliff would you jump, too?If I've said it once, I've said at least a thousand times beforeThat you're too old to act this wayIt must be your father's DNALook at me when I am talkingStand up straighter when you walkA place for everything and everything must be in placeStop crying or I'll give you something real to cry aboutOh!Brush your teeth, wash your face, put your PJs onGet in bed, get up here, say a prayer with momDon't forget, I love youAnd tomorrow we will do this all again because a mom's work never endsYou don't need the reason whyBecause, because, because, becauseI said so, I said so, I said so, I said soI'm the mom, the mom, the mom, the mom, the mom!!Ta da!!!

Business as usual

Nederlandse versie

Het leven van een thuiswerkmama biedt volop afwisseling. Je zet je eigen koffie, repareert je eigen computer en probeert nog geld te verdienen ook. Die variatie is mij zeer dierbaar, elke dag is weer anders, elke week heeft nieuwe uitdagingen. Vanmiddag kan ik me richten op mijn 'core business': juridisch vertalen. Er wordt zelden enthousiast gereageerd op het bericht 'ik ben juridisch vertaler'. Wel integendeel. Ik herinner me dat er zelfs iemand uitriep 'wat lijkt dat me saai!'. Nota bene zelf een vertaalster, maar dan van kinderboeken. Toch is mijn werk allesbehalve saai. Er gaan hele werelden schuil achter de dossiers op mijn bureau. Vol spanning en intriges, bloed, zweet en tranen. Ik duik er maar weer in...

Maandag / Monday

Nederlandse versie
Afgelopen weekend had ik het met een stel bevriende collega-moeders over leuke citaten over moederschap die ik zou kunnen gebruiken voor mijn site en blog.
"If mom ain't happy, nobody's happy" zei Marein toen, Dr Phil citerend. Eentje om te onthouden.
Deze week is een beetje raar begonnen. Een tolkklus waar ik om logistiek-moedertechnische redenen erg tegenop zag is afgezegd. Dat geeft rust. Een grote vertaling is uitgesteld. Hierbij kan uitstel tot afstel leiden, want het is niet zeker of er genoeg budget is voor de vertaling. Dat geeft nog meer rust. Probleem is echter dat er zo geen inkomsten worden gegenereerd. Maar niet getreurd, ik heb nog steeds stapels administratie weg te werken, dus daar ga ik me op storten. Geeft hopelijk wat innerlijke rust.
Engelse versie
This weekend I was discussing quotes on motherhood which I could use on my site and blog with a few other mothers / friends of mine. One of them, Marein, quoted Dr Phil: "if mom ain't happy, nobody's happy". I'll have to remember that one.
This week has started in a slightly peculiar way. An interpreting assignment that was causing me a great deal of stress has been cancelled. This is fine, in principle, a lot more relaxed. A large translation assignment has been postponed (and this postponement can amount to a cancellation as they have to check whether there is enough money available for the translation). In theory this means that I have even more opportunities to relax. This is not how it works, though, as it means I am worrying about not generating sufficient income. Anyway, there is still enough admin to be done, so I can get that over and done with and generate some peace and quiet, hopefully.