New Veggies

I have made it a goal while I have this "down time" and have the ability to experiment with all of the strange veggies on our Phase I list.

So far I have tried:

• Rutabaga
• Turnips 
• Chayote

Which are all really good.  This week in the Mulero household we are going to be trying out:

• Rapini (broccoli-rabe)
• Celery Root
• Radishes (but cooked)

I often have dieters asked me what some of these lesser known veggies taste like or what to do with them, well shoot, I have no idea since I have yet to try them!

Turnips are really awesome. For the super bowl, which was really us watching the kitten bowl on lifetime.  Anyhow, we made turnip chili cheese fries - sans the cheese, they were awesome!  Also, made buffalo cauliflower and "fried pickles" with dill pickle slices and a IP food. If you have instagram, please follow me there for all the post of my tries with the new veggies! smulero06  Look me up!

What's history is just that .... history...

I have battled for a little over two weeks to post about this.  I needed to clear myself mentally a bit, before I took to the blog.

On the 26th, I reached my boiling point with my situation at my full time employment.  My last post talking about trust was directly related to this.

I advocate for people to stand up for themselves, be empowered, take charge of a situation, and just over all care for yourself health wise and mental health wise.  Sadly, I was not practicing what I preach. After stepping back and not making it about me or my situation, and I inserted another person.  What would I tell them to do?  Gosh, it only took me 3 seconds to say, "I'm sorry, what do you feel you have done to have to deal with this level of disrespect?"  So, with that epiphany discovered, I knew it was only a matter of time.  I last 2 weeks, I really wanted to last at least a month, so that I could give proper notice (even though it was not deserved) and let them look for someone.  My tactic of staying strong per say, was to fight back with the same attitude I was receiving on a daily basis.  To my surprise, no one liked that.  Interesting when the tables are turned, you have an issue with being treated the way you are treating me ....... hmm, think we might have small problem then? For about 2 weeks from the initial "talk" with said superior, I had talked to no one in the office except one other doctor and one other support staff, everyone else it was office related only and all else was ignored.  I have no need to say good morning to someone I could care less if they have/had a good morning/weekend - whatever.  So, I just didn't talk.  One of the support staff that was involved in the situation kept at it with me, trying to befriend me.  Now,  I have a few issues with this overall.  I had shared a lot with this group of individuals, which none of what I had shared would have led them to believe that I would be congenial with anyone after being crossed.  You my dear are no exception, no matter what I have done with you outside of the office setting or what I have paid your fiance to complete at my house.  Once you cross me, you are in my list of I could really care less for you and what happens to you.  After several misinformed engages, which sounds better than me saying I ignored her ass, I think she went back to the superior, which was a trending issue apparently, and that's when things started to get intense - in their minds.

So, on the 26th, I was confronted almost immediately after getting to the location.  I was told they were sick of my passive aggressive attitude.  Oddly enough, I had not been passive at all, I had actually been pretty aggressive.  I was given the choice to either be like my old self or to leave.  Quite simply put, I chose to leave.  I was left to think about what I wanted to do, even though my answer was immediate, for a total of 1.5 hours.  This was a new tactic I hadn't seen yet, in public with patients and other witnesses, hmmmm changing it up.   I was told the superior could learn to trust me again.  I nearly thought I would pass out at the moment.  I felt my chest get tight, my breathe cut short, and my face became burning hot with pure anger.  "You can learn to trust me again?!?!?!" is all I could state without screaming at the top of my lungs.  That was not the issue.  I had done NOTHING to deserve to have lost any trust from anyone.  I had been crossed by everyone there, they had lost all my trust and all my respect.  Despite my good nature, it would never return.  An attack on someone's integrity is not something that I can take lightly at all.  So I was then left another 30 min duration in this room, which also was not in their favor.  I just needed to get out fast.  If I was corner more, attacked more, I was just unsure of what I would honestly do to defend myself.

I had already started removing my things back in November whenever the first incident of mental/verbal abuse had happened.  I wanted to walk out that day, but my husband talked me into staying.  I had never taken anything back to the office and was never going to as I knew that this was not going to be a long term relationship.  So packing my things only took a matter of minutes, and I was able to put it all in a large envelope.  I threw away my husband's potted plant that had died and I was trying nurse back to life, got my jar of pickles out of the refrigerator, and my lunch.  Giving my keys back to the superiors, I was told they hated it ended this way and they would do anything to help me.  I wanted to scream, you have done nothing to help me thus far, why would you start now.  I was made the promise there would be no ill talk of me.  I knew that would not be followed, so I just agreed and walked out.  I didn't say by to either of the support staff and was completely liberated when I stepped into the elevator to leave.  Over joyed I had actually took charge of my own situation and handled it the way I wanted and would have told someone else to handle it.  I had taken my own life back again.  To keep the mood up and going, I left there, did not sulk, but celebrated.  I went at 10:00AM for a pedicure - I deserve that.  Then after talking to my husband for a while at lunch time, he suggested to go have a massage, that I needed that after all the issues I had dealt with in the previous months. I did and I still to this day to not regret what I did.

Yesterday I did accept a full time job offer.  I feel I have made the right decision, it was actually very hard to do.  I had a wide arrangement of opportunities given to me even before I had made the decision to leave my soured situation.  I had the time to weigh everything out and then move forward with an informed decision.  I am at peace and excited to see where this opportunity takes me!

So I am happy to have this situation in my history and that's where it will stay, never to be revisited.

Trust Talk

I have been comptemplating this post for months, since it would be my first in quite sometime.  I just wanted to make sure that I would be addressing it appropriately.  Now, this is the time.  The time is right to put it into type.

I have been having feelings of people not trusting me.  Its actually pretty unusual for me to have these, this in particular, feeling.  Things have changed, including me.  Its really hard to explain, but I'll try.  When I am active and doing well in weight loss, it seems to also make other things almost crystal clear.  As if I am able to feel things that I have been suppressing.  It is liberating.  I am able to purge both literal and figurative fat from my life.  I have lost 40lbs of actual fat and the amount of figurative is still mounding.  Unfortunately, there is some parts of my life that if you really start to see that maybe, just maybe I need to shed it or make a change.  Today, a conversation that was had, really had a lasting effect on me, which in this particular instance was not good for the other parties involved.  I really feel like the line of trust that I have had with these individuals has been strained for months.  Today, these feelings and thoughts that I have been having, they were validated.  I always try to be forth coming, helpful, gracious, generous, helpful, and most importantly a team player.  All those traits which I think, and a lot of people I know agree, were challenged in todays conversation.  I have always thought this way, if you don't trust me, then I don't need to be in your life.  I still stand by and agree with that thought.

I'm still trying to figure out what to do about these feelings.  Its really all I can think about. 

Things are still moving

I have started this blog entry several times.  Only to find myself at a loss to finish.  Its a mixed bag of emotions.  Just when you think you have it all under control, the bottom falls out.

Well my March deadline for the doctor I work for came and gone.  Things would get better, then it would get worse, then better, and then absolutely the most terrible you could imagine.  There was a two month span that made me do something about it.  I have an issue, I am a fixer.  I try to fix things and pour all of myself into it.  Every single ounce of myself, even sacrifice my personal time and money to try to get things to work.  Things changed, but only for the worst.  I kept coming home and complaining to my husband.  One evening he said to me " I am sick of him being the center of every conversation we have, he isn't worth my time!!  Sara, I always support you in whatever you do, but I cannot in this situation."  Which put my mind into to motion.  One thing I cannot stand is people who complain and do nothing about it.

I tried to talk to him several times, with no change, just more turmoil and stress added to the situation after every time we would talk.  It would mostly start with him approaching me while I was working, with in the range of patients and everyone could hear, to make things even more stressful, it was usually about things that I wouldn't want everyone to hear.

We went to Puerto Rico to visit Luis family.  While there, this decision is all I could really think about.  What was I going to do? How would I do it? How would he act?  I first talk to the doctor that I work part time for (in the same office) and tell him, I think dentristy is not for me any more and that I am going to get out for a while.  Then if I chose to go back to dentistry, I think I will look in Oral Surgery or Periodontics only - my strong points.  He gave me an offer and said to think about it.  The next few days went well with the doctor, so I countered the offer him with working for both.  He said he'd rather not, but understood my loyalty to the family.  The VERY next 3 days were quite possibly some of the most uncomfortable days of my adult life.  I approached the other doctor and asked if the first offer was still available and  if the answer is yes, then I'll take it.  He accepts.  For the next week, I attempt to give my 30 day notice.  He always slips out before patients are all gone and I am unable to do it.  I do not like ambush people but the day before I actually gave my notice, was one of the worst days chairside.  Also that day, that I gave my notice, his actions solidified all my thoughts of why I was actually doing this.  When I took him in the office, he was shocked obviously. Things only got worse from there.  Saying he felt betrayed and he just tried to help all the ways he knew how to.  There is so much more than was said, but the more I think about it, it pisses me off.

Today he came to me at the front desk and sat next to me and started asking questions about a trip the other doctor is taking me on.  The other doctor sent in a request for registration on May 28th.  He said so for all this time we were plotting behind his back for this master plan and blah blah blah.  I quickly get very aggravated because I work for BOTH of them until August 15th.  So I continue to counter him with questions about why it would not be appropriate for the doctor to ask me to go.  His answer is because I never told him about it.  I have a very simple thought behind that.  Why would I tell him in May when the actual trip was still up in the air.  Anyhow it doesn't matter.  Bottom line is I have a new job doing what I have always wanted to do in dentistry since I went to dental assisting school.  It only took about 8 years but hey, who is counting?

And the new fulltime doctor is taking me and the rest of the office to Vegas for a implant conference.  My cousin is getting married at the end of this month, so we are flying into KC and going to spend a few days there and then go down to my hometown for the wedding.  I'll elaborate more on our trip to PR later, my mind is like mush after all this!

Snow day ... Err ... ICE day!

So today is deemed an ICE day.  We have received what I can tell about 1.5 inches of sleet and it comes and goes at varying speeds, but is all adding up.  I am glad that both the doctors I work, called the day last night, instead of what has happened to me in the past where I drive into work and then no else is able to get there and I am left to cancel the entire schedule and then get to travel home.  I have the luxury at this office to bring home an office phone to answer and when the PC feels like it - allows me to remote in to the office network so I can access all the scheduling information.

I was planning on being able to do all of that - although it hasn't worked for me at the moment ... I'll try again.  I am still amazed at the amount of trash calls we get daily.  In the grand scheme of things while you are at the office, you just answer them and its always the same people over and over again.  When its only them calling you - its like wow - that's alot!

Its been a great transition into working two jobs at once.  I like being busy and this keeps me that way for sure.  I like the ability to feel accomplished.

I have spent most of the day today, answering the office phone and calling places I needed to call for a while to get somethings taken care of.  I have actually been able to do a lot!

I have plans to go see my family for my birthday, that is if the weather here and or there is cooperating.  If there is any bad weather we will not be travelling.  Its just not worth it.  We also will be taking the cats with us, since Mango cannot be trusted with Tito alone, for more than one work day.  She is very mean to him, not sure why because she hasn't always been.

Anyhow, just a quick update!

Things to be happy about

While there are things that I am always happy about on a daily basis, sometimes you just have little thoughts about life in general and things you are happy about.

Last night - I was happy that Mango was very playful.  Sometimes I worry that she is depressed because of the move from our house in Louisiana or because of the new kitten.  But last night, she was very excited, running through tunnels and playing with feathery mice and feather toys.  Mango LOVES feathers!

Today, while driving to work, I had this thought of something I was happy for, well most because it helped form the person I am today.  Leading up to this ... its going to sound like I am really full of myself, but I am not.  While driving, I thought ... I am actually happy I didn't look this good in college or HS.  If I would have more people would have liked me and more guys would have been interested.  I don't know that I would be the same person had things been different for me.  In my mind and eyes things may have been easier for me and made me not want to work as hard for things.  So I am grateful that I was more homely in HS and college, and that more people made fun of me and chose not to befriend me.  Make me struggle for things I did get.  It really made me a great person, well that's my opinion anyhow!

I want to start another mason jar for accomplishments for 2015.  We did one in 2013, and I was supposed to make it into a scrapbook project. Well, as some know, I am not that creative or artsy, so yeah - haven't completed it yet .....  I will do that and a shadow box I have been meaning to complete for the guest room.  Oh lord, I am not going to go in all the things I  have waiting to be crafted because I'd run out of characters for this blog period!  I also have a bunch of tshirts of mine and Luis that I would love to have made into a tshirt quilt.  Actually I asked a girl that works in the office we are in - and she has done a few of these  - so I am excited!  She can do that .. so just take that off my list of crafts to be completed! haha! outsourcing is how I do my crafting!

I'll leave you with another great cat and cat dad picture.  Luis called this one " the cat round table"  Mango was up to speak her mind in the photo, because she has the blue toy!

Weekend Round Up

I hope your weekend went well.  Mine was pretty good!

I didn't have to go into the office on Friday, so I was able to complete ALL my weekend duties on Friday. It was awesome!  We even went grocery shopping that evening after Luis got home from work.  I am now convinced the best time to do your grocery shopping is on Friday evening.  The store had everything I wanted and there was barely anyone in there!  It was probably a fluke!

Saturday we went to one of Luis co-workers home for traditional Chinese teas and dinner.  It was really an enjoyable experience.  I met one other co-worker that I had not met before.  One of his co-workers was a little distant acting the last time I met him (the first time) but this time he was very outgoing and bubbly and we had a lot of fun talking.  I feel like his co-workers wives just never get me, and that's fine. We are not close in age at all, and I think that is what really separates us, and more than anything I tend to get along with men better anyhow.  The food was really good, I didn't eat too much other than veggies, since I didn't want to over do it. I had somethings like Lotus, that I have never tried, and to my surprise the way it was prepared was great.  Some of the things were not in my flavor palate, but everyone likes different taste anyhow.

Sunday we just hung out and relaxed.  We have not had that kinda day in a while.  It was actually very  nice.

I worked on veggie and food prep for the week.  Trying to make a menu up weekly.  Its hard.  I do not have recipes for most things I make, its all kinda just come out of my head.  So if and when I get a second job, I'll have to actually write down for Luis how to make somethings, because he will have no idea.

Today we are having BBQ ribs and "coleslaw" it is coleslaw but just a little bit differently made so its with no sugar and no mayo, but still comes out tasting like it. The ribs are from my dad's farm, so they should be awesome.

I will leave you with an adorable picture of Luis and Mango - she is just so darn cute ... and my husband too!