MENA November 2010 Chat

[FaithfulandTrue 6]

Congrats Jeanne & Wael! Cute story about the birthday Christmas trees.

Congrats Batta on dh getting his CDL! I hope he will be home for Christmas.

Last night when I got home from work I saw that more people had put up their Christmas lights in the neighborhood. We also got out of going to Thanksgiving this year at my brothers. Yipee! I didn't want to go because I'm vegetarian now and I knew that there wouldn't be much that I could eat with my diet restrictions unless I brought my own food and that would be awkward. Now if we could just get out of Christmas. I don't know what my Mom was thinking when she invited all these guests. She has to work Christmas and I have to work Christmas Eve and Christmas and all these friends and family are coming. She didn't really think it through.

Work was really challenging yesterday. I was squeezed with all these special requests and technical malfunctions. One reporter attached their package to the wrong slot and expected another reporter to fix it for them but when he attached his package that erased her package and neither of them attached her 10 pm package to the right slot so five minutes to show I'm trying to find her package but I didn't know what project it's in because the rundown didn't have the same name as the project and we had 6 different projects from various reporters about weather, winter and roads. Earlier she thought she lost her edited packages, which is also why it made it difficult for me to find her packages later, because when I did finally find them they were saved strangely with two different edited projects in the same project. I couldn't tell which one was the right version and which one was her 10pm package which she usually titles and none of them were titled or had her look lives attached. I felt bad about everything that happened with her stuff because during the first month working there I messed her packages up. One time I attached her 5:30 to her 10pm and another time I attached he package without look lives. Which might have been the same times. Then I attached her look lives to her package with her pad still on the end so there was dead air and the director had to cut and I hadn't changed the properties on her look lives from 4:3 to 16:9 so her face look squished. It was an embarrassing learning process. Finally the producer told her to edit both her packages herself and attach them to the shows like other reporters are required to do and she'd just got lazy with because she was friends with the editor before me who would help her out. I have enough to worry about than editing reporters packages for them right now.

Then on air for our 10 pm show because of problems with finding her package I had to attach the 5:30 package to the 10pm and the producer had the director cut to another reporters package and then back to the her package when I attached it. But the director had quick fingers and it started her package in the middle of it. So there were all these screw ups on the 10 o'clock show. I guess the producer/anchors mic also failed but I noticed sometimes their mics fail on air. It was a mess but that wasn't the only mess, that was just the on air mess. There was the behind the scenes mess I was trying to mop up that kept me running around and I had to have the director call the engineer for help. It seemed yesterday everything that could go wrong did go wrong. I barely got the content into the 10 pm show and I was freaking out being squeezed like that. And since I'm new and still learning I give myself extra time and work off the clock in my 2 hour break between shows but that wasn't enough time to get everything I needed done. The producer said after the show that when it comes down to it I do not have to take sports feed requests because it's not my job. That I wasn't hired for that and we have sports guys for that. It's just the sports guy was super stressed out because his editing equipment was crashing and he couldn't get what he needed done. I had told him that maybe he had a bug and needed to get it checked. But I'd ended up helping him out doing three requests for him from various stations which cut into my own editing time. Some of it I was doing for the first time so it was a learning experience and I had to call the senior editors for help, then master control or the director and then the engineers because of technical issues. It was a lot yesterday.

sorry Olivia for the situation at work that would make me very frustrated, but I know you can do it.. I have faith in ya

[And_Sam 44]

It's manic Monday for me today!

Everyone is hurrying in to get refills on their prescriptions before the holiday closes the office for OMG 2 days!!! Ok, I feel better now!

Had to get it out of my system. Now too bad I don't get 2 days off! I was really looking forward to some black Friday shopping but I have to report to the hospital at 5:30am. But the shining light around this dark cloud is I will be off at 2!

Congrats Jeanne on Wael's interview date!! Whoo hoo!! I can't wait until Sameh's comes around!

Which speaking of my husband...he started his first day of training for his new job today! I was worried they were going to wait until the end of the month because of holidays, but they all ready have him on the schedule for Friday evening to work!! Yeehaw!! The littlest things makes me happy!

Olivia~ don't let your work frustrate you! I was reading what you were writing about your job and all I can say is HUH??? I'm sure it made sense to you but I don't know all that big city TV talk you were going on about!! I do love hearing about your job though, it sounds so wonderfull!

Charles~ take care of yourself! Rest your back up so you'll be ready to start putting all those gifts together for christmas!! I miss those years of my kids being small!

This year, with my 13 year old, I played safe. He has been wanting a 7-string guitar so I let him pick it out and a case and stand then put it away until Christmas! Talking about having a good bribing tool!!! Heh, if you don't clean up your room, Santa just may take that guitar back!!! Yeah, gotta love it!

Hope everyone has a great day and week! I am so looking forward to hanging out with the family on Thursday!

[FaithfulandTrue 6]

Here is a link to the photos I posted to d a.. kinda wondering if I should post more there considering what I heard about the site.. it's only 5 picutes.. I just get so busy with other things that I sometimes don't even get the film developed.. I do like the old slr cameras will try to upgrade to a digital slr one day

My link

[mandyu1 5]

Good evening MENA, Hi Andrea and Jenell

Hope everyone had a good day, I'm so glad Monday is over, I've had a hellish day

I haven't been posting on here as often as I use to, but I hope things will be back on track soon. I'm planning on returning to Egypt in 2-3 weeks to finish the interview.

A lot has been going on recently...I just returned from a little getaway with the kiddies to Disney, however it actually wore me out and I feel worse now lol. My parents are coming to town on Wednesday and my mother will be cooking Thanksgiving. I'm not a big fan of her cooking but this time all I care about is less work for me lol. I'm looking forward to the long weekend and the black friday deals

Have a great night everyone!!!

[And_Sam 44]

Good evening MENA, Hi Andrea and Jenell

Hope everyone had a good day, I'm so glad Monday is over, I've had a hellish day

I haven't been posting on here as often as I use to, but I hope things will be back on track soon. I'm planning on returning to Egypt in 2-3 weeks to finish the interview.

A lot has been going on recently...I just returned from a little getaway with the kiddies to Disney, however it actually wore me out and I feel worse now lol. My parents are coming to town on Wednesday and my mother will be cooking Thanksgiving. I'm not a big fan of her cooking but this time all I care about is less work for me lol. I'm looking forward to the long weekend and the black friday deals

Have a great night everyone!!!

Hey Mandy!!! I wondered what's new with you!!

How long will you be staying in Egypt this time? I am soooo ready for another trip there. I don't know if its just the act of traveling or because I miss Egypt, because hubby is here!! I know we won't be going over there for awhile. Hubby wants to go when his brother gets married next year.

How in the world did you survive your mother's cooking growing up?? LOL I only say that because I wasn't a big fan of my mom's cooking either and growing up I did alot of "sneaking" food after dinner because I wouldn't eat her food!

After moving out on my own I realized that she puts way too much spices in different dishes and I am a plain salt/pepper kind of girl!

Now I have no problem eating what she makes as long I am there to have her put some on the side for me minus all the spices!

I keep hearing all these good deals that are going to happen Friday morning and I'll be stuck in the hospital! :crying: Kind of makes me want to start shopping at midnight and just go straight to work from there!!! I won't do that though because it would be torture on me to go to work after!!

Jenell~I tried to look at your pictures but of course work has the website blocked so I'll have to wait until I get home to see it!

I hope everyone is having a great day!!!

[mandyu1 5]

Hey Mandy!!! I wondered what's new with you!!

How long will you be staying in Egypt this time? I am soooo ready for another trip there. I don't know if its just the act of traveling or because I miss Egypt, because hubby is here!! I know we won't be going over there for awhile. Hubby wants to go when his brother gets married next year.

How in the world did you survive your mother's cooking growing up?? LOL I only say that because I wasn't a big fan of my mom's cooking either and growing up I did alot of "sneaking" food after dinner because I wouldn't eat her food!

After moving out on my own I realized that she puts way too much spices in different dishes and I am a plain salt/pepper kind of girl!

Now I have no problem eating what she makes as long I am there to have her put some on the side for me minus all the spices!

I keep hearing all these good deals that are going to happen Friday morning and I'll be stuck in the hospital! :crying: Kind of makes me want to start shopping at midnight and just go straight to work from there!!! I won't do that though because it would be torture on me to go to work after!!

Jenell~I tried to look at your pictures but of course work has the website blocked so I'll have to wait until I get home to see it!

I hope everyone is having a great day!!!

Happy Tuesday Andrea, and in a way, its my HuMp DaY!!!!

Its funny you say your mom used too much spice, my mother didnt use any, not even SALT!!! Although after its cooked she puts so much salt on her food I'm surprised she can stand the taste of it.

I'll probably be in Egypt for like 2 weeks, and I'm really ready for it. There is some news I need to share...Mohamed and I are expecting a baby in June. Yep, not your typical souvenir, but it appears thats what I brought back with me from my last trip there lol. As many people know, we are not married yet and of course we would prefer to be married before this happened, but it is what it is. Now I'm trying to figure out how this is going to affect our visa, I think there are pros and cons of the CO knowing I'm pregnant, so the decision is do we tell them or not.... I had a bit of a bumpy road in the beginning, and found out 2 weeks ago that I have 3 blood clots (1 which is serious), but all seems to be going well, thank God.

When I use to work on the friday after Thanksgiving, I would get up at 4-5am and show before going to work, then hit the sales later in the day. My daugther is already getting herself ready to hit the stores with me lol

Hope everyone has a great day!!!

[JeanneVictoria 55]

Good morning! Beautiful crisp day here in Tucson and we are lovin' it!!

Mandy, congratulations! Will it be possible for you to go ahead and marry once in Egypt?

Best of luck sweetie!!

Hey Andrea!

Speaking of cooking. My mom didn't cook much also. My dad was in the military and when she did cook

was when he was away for months at a time. She just didn't care for food. So was

kinda hard for her to cook when she didn't like eating. My dad being Italian was our chief cook! The man was

a master! Such opposites my mom and dad were. When my dad was away her fav quote "do we have to eat"!

I learned my cooking from him. We always included him in Mother's Day and he loved every minute!

Do hope everyone has a great day! Wael is looking forward to Black Friday. Should be interesting!

[FaithfulandTrue 6]

Happy Tuesday MENA!!! Hello ladies and Charles Aw man, sorry Andrea that you want to go to the sales Friday and can't Mandy, don't feel bad about being pregnant I'm not sure what the CO may think or even if you have to tell them.. but please keep tabs on having blood clots are they going to give you blood thinners please please please be careful with that I'll be praying for you girl when is Mohamed's interview? and where in the world is everybody if they are fixing din din for Thanksgiving, I want some

[mandyu1 5]

Happy Tuesday MENA!!! Hello ladies and Charles Aw man, sorry Andrea that you want to go to the sales Friday and can't Mandy, don't feel bad about being pregnant I'm not sure what the CO may think or even if you have to tell them.. but please keep tabs on having blood clots are they going to give you blood thinners please please please be careful with that I'll be praying for you girl when is Mohamed's interview? and where in the world is everybody if they are fixing din din for Thanksgiving, I want some

Thanks Jeanne and Jenell

We can't marry in Egypt because then they would cancel our K1 and we would have to start all over for the spouse visa.

They do have me on blood thinners, however the only medication that is safe to take during pregnancy is by injection only, so for the next 7 months I need to give myself an injection every 12 hours.

[R and F 34]

Happy Tuesday guys.

[Dr. A ♥ O 203]

Good Morning MENA! Today is my Friday so I'm happy. Plus dh has passed the halfway mark in his days left in Baltimore. It's all downhill from there and he's coming home soon! I am glad he is taking advantage of making contacts and hearing from other foreign doctors on how they made it here. He is telling me he is learning a lot and that there are many paths for foreign doctors. From what he's seen he feels confident about practicing medicine here and that the exams will be the hardest part. He's learned the states that take the highest foreign graduates for residency are New York, Texas, Michigan and Illinois. The lowest is Rhode Island, North Dakota, and Kentucky. Still no word on his Sister's scholarship being extended for her PhD degree plan but they are expecting the news by the end of this month and beginning of next month. If they get to stay we've discussed him going back for an externship which is a step up from an observership. He learned that an observership is ok and is seen as better than nothing but that an externship is preferred.

On Thursday he's invited along with his family to his first Thanksgiving. I'm sad to be missing it with him but glad he gets to experience it. There has been so much holiday stuff going on locally that I've wanted to take him to but he's not here and that's kind of hard on me too. By the time he gets back the decorations should be up and maybe there will still be some holiday stuff happening. I've been invited to two Christmas parties already and just realized he won't be here for those either. Bummer.

Jenell beautiful pictures! I love the fall leaves. Andrea it might be the browser you're using. My Google Chrome has been glitching all over the place lately so I switched back to Firefox and I could access Jenell's pictures.

Mandy I don't know if you ever received my reply about the pros and cons for the visa regarding the pregnancy. Since the cat's out of the bag now Congrats on the baby news! I'm scared for your blood clots though with the baby. Take good care of yourself. I'm worried about you traveling in your current condition. Do you know what day the interview is?

Hi Jeanne!

Happy early Thanksgiving and Black Friday Shopping everyone!

[FaithfulandTrue 6]

Good Morning MENA! Today is my Friday so I'm happy. Plus dh has passed the halfway mark in his days left in Baltimore. It's all downhill from there and he's coming home soon! I am glad he is taking advantage of making contacts and hearing from other foreign doctors on how they made it here. He is telling me he is learning a lot and that there are many paths for foreign doctors. From what he's seen he feels confident about practicing medicine here and that the exams will be the hardest part. He's learned the states that take the highest foreign graduates for residency are New York, Texas, Michigan and Illinois. The lowest is Rhode Island, North Dakota, and Kentucky. Still no word on his Sister's scholarship being extended for her PhD degree plan but they are expecting the news by the end of this month and beginning of next month. If they get to stay we've discussed him going back for an externship which is a step up from an observership. He learned that an observership is ok and is seen as better than nothing but that an externship is preferred.

On Thursday he's invited along with his family to his first Thanksgiving. I'm sad to be missing it with him but glad he gets to experience it. There has been so much holiday stuff going on locally that I've wanted to take him to but he's not here and that's kind of hard on me too. By the time he gets back the decorations should be up and maybe there will still be some holiday stuff happening. I've been invited to two Christmas parties already and just realized he won't be here for those either. Bummer.

Jenell beautiful pictures! I love the fall leaves. Andrea it might be the browser you're using. My Google Chrome has been glitching all over the place lately so I switched back to Firefox and I could access Jenell's pictures.

Mandy I don't know if you ever received my reply about the pros and cons for the visa regarding the pregnancy. Since the cat's out of the bag now Congrats on the baby news! I'm scared for your blood clots though with the baby. Take good care of yourself. I'm worried about you traveling in your current condition. Do you know what day the interview is?

Hi Jeanne!

Happy early Thanksgiving and Black Friday Shopping everyone!

Hey Jeanne, Olivia, and R and F I didn't see you come in Mandy, an oversight on my part, please forgive me, not intentional.. the blood clots and whether to tell the CO was on my mind.. Congratulations on your pregnancy .. again please forgive me not intentional ..btw, when are you due... thanks Olivia and Andrea I haven't posted anything since 2008 I really gotta take more pictures .. this is my favorite time of year for that.. the fall leaves I uploaded in 2007 before I went to see goazy.. they were taken in 2006 I REALLY want to do music and photography but I have to work to pay the bills I mean I LIKE my job, but not what I really WANT to do but thank God for this job.. it will be 20 years in February... I will get my 20 year pin and certificate aw man I just thought about it.. I will be 42 in January.. my retirement age without reductions if they don't raise it is 67.. 20 more years I will be 62... still thank God for THIS job

Edited November 23, 2010 by FaithfulandTrue

[And_Sam 44]

Wow Mandy! Congratulations! Heh heh I always called my son my little "souvenir" from spring break in Florida one year....

I don't know if it would matter to the CO about your pregnancy or not, but since you have developed blood clots, that may warrant an expidited visa? No? Maybe? Who is to say!

Did you ever have blood clots before or is this something just from the pregnancy??? I'd definitely be worried about that!! NOT GOOD!

Hey Jeanne, Jenell, Olivia, Charles, RandF!

I don't know if its the web browser or not at work, I'm pretty sure it's not. They have our systems "filtered" and a warning pops up when a site comes on that displays something we can't view. Oh well, I'll look at the photos at home.

That's funny Jeanne, that Wael is excited about black Friday! Sameh loves to shop but he only wants to get what he wants and he finally decided he wants his car worked on for christmas! Well that took the fun out of getting him something!! I'm sure he'll find something "special" under the tree though!

Olivia~there is no way for you to join your husband for Thanksgiving in Baltimore? That has to be hard being away from him!!!

I wouldn't like that at all!

I found out that my SIL won't be joining us for Thanksgiving. I don't know if you all remember or not, I lost my brother a year ago last October to leukemia. We still hang out with my SIL, she is family. Well she started dating acouple of months ago and she is planning having Thanksgiving with her friend and his family. I kind of have mixed feelings of course...On one hand I am happy she is living her life but on the other I feel sad too. I just can't imagine how she is feeling!!! Regardless of what happens I am so happy for her and will be supportive! What a weird feeling though. I have never experienced it before and I can honestly say I don't think I like it.

[mandyu1 5]

Thanks Andrea and Olivia, and no worries Jenell btw I'm due June 26.

Olivia - I did get your reply, thanks!! Sorry to hear your spending the first Thanksgiving away from your husband But glad to hear he is getting a lot of support there. I can vouch for sure that Michigan does hire a lot of foreign doctors. The Detroit area has the 2nd largest arab population in the country, and i see first hand many foreign doctors.

I developed a blood clot early in pregnancy with my youngest and had to go through the same thing. They say the biggest risk of blood clots in pregnancy is that you can develope one in the placenta, however since they found it so early and I'm already being treated the chances of that happening are low. In addition to seeing my OB/GYN I also see a maternal/fetal specialist regularly that will monitor me and the baby. As for traveling, I talked with the doctor about that and she said usually they don't like pregnant women to travel so far for so long because they are more susceptible to blood clots, however since I'm already being treated I should be fine.

That would be great if they would give me an expedited visa!!! However, like Olivia told me, premarital sex in that area is frowned upon, so idk if they will use that against us. Or maybe they will make us wait for the birth to get a paternity test, but I can also get something from my dr stating the approx date of conception was, and it will agree with the dates that I was in Egypt. Also, even if they took the baby into consideration I would still meet the income requirements, so thats not an issue.

[FaithfulandTrue 6]

Olivia~there is no way for you to join your husband for Thanksgiving in Baltimore? That has to be hard being away from him!!!

I wouldn't like that at all!

I found out that my SIL won't be joining us for Thanksgiving. I don't know if you all remember or not, I lost my brother a year ago last October to leukemia. We still hang out with my SIL, she is family. Well she started dating acouple of months ago and she is planning having Thanksgiving with her friend and his family. I kind of have mixed feelings of course...On one hand I am happy she is living her life but on the other I feel sad too. I just can't imagine how she is feeling!!! Regardless of what happens I am so happy for her and will be supportive! What a weird feeling though. I have never experienced it before and I can honestly say I don't think I like it.

Aw Olivia, I'm sorry for you being away from your hubby for Thanksgiving I'm like Andrea, that's got to be hard..look forward to him coming home soon though Andrea, I'm sorry about your brother.. I didn't know about that I can understand the mixed emotions.. that's a tough one