Know your JUDDD BUDDD...

[mayleesa]

I'm Melissa, 33y/o...
I'm an OR nurse, mom to a gorgeous great dane and fabulous english bull dog....
I LOVE to travel, scrap book and sew....

[Curvesgal]

I am 55 and will be married 25 years in October. I was an administrative assistant for McDonnell Douglas till the early 90's then a chiropractic assistant. I'm currently unemployed, selling toys and games on Amazon and helping out at Curves. My DH works for Fox Entertainment in NYC. No children but I do have 3 cats. I love to garden and can't wait to grow my veggies, especially my Jersey tomatoes

- Kathy -

[ellgee]

I am 48 years old and have a daughter 21 who graduated from college in December and a son who is 19 who is finishing up his first college year. My husband and I are complicated - we were married 7 years, divorced for 6 and now have been remarried for 9 years this June! We laugh that we've made it longer than the first go round!

I am a former labor and delivery nurse and now work for 4 OB-GYNs as the financial manager of the practice. I do a bit of nursing, handle all the financials, code surgeries, handle payroll and 401k, etc. I miss nursing but you'd have to threaten me with physical force before I'd return to a hospital. LOL!

I worked for the IRS for 10 years before going to nursing school doing secretarial/administrative/legal aid work.

I enjoy knitting, reading and men who aren't afraid to cry. (Anyone like Airplane?)

[circusgirl]

I'm jumping in because I'm starting JUDDD!

I'm a retired dancer/circus performer. I traveled for years performing which is how I met my husband. I retired when I started having kiddos, but continued to teach circus arts in an inner city school. I have 3 kiddos, all born naturally-2 at home, which was an incredible experience. I also have 2 crazy couch potato dogs and volunteer very part time with a greyhound rescue group. I just love the houndies!

I went to medical school after my middle child was born. After graduation I realized I was missing something and got the call. I went back to school and was ordained a few years later. I currently work in a clinic with other doctors and an OT running a practice which is exactly what I envisioned.

My husband is my best friend and someone who will be sharing this journey with me. We both have celiac disease (as do our kids) and he has additional health complications which I hope will continue to improve. We're just finishing up HCG and moving to JUDDD.

I don't have time for many hobbies at this point, but still take a few classes when I can! I'm thrilled to be joining the JUDDDers!

[Faithful_1]

Am enjoying reading thru this thread. I dont like seeing some people say they are "nothing" tho...we all have important jobs in our life!!

I'm Ruth and I'm 51. I'm married with 2 beautiful daughters....I worked as a dental assistant before I had my girls...then was a stay at home mom until they started school, and then got a part time job in their school cafeteria. Well, 15 years later I'm still there and it's turned into many more hours than when I started and much more responsibility. I tell you being a "lunch lady" and working around food all day can be quite challenging, especially on a down day!!

Oh and I cant forget to tell you about my daschund babies!! I have 3 of them and in my spare time I visit hospitals and nursing homes with them because they are all trained visiting therapy dogs!!

[ouizoid]

I love reading all about you beautiful, talented people.

I am Ouis (pronounced wheez) and I am a neuropsychologis, age 57. I specialize in the neurobiology of trauma and neglect, and I consult for therapists who work with these populations. I travel and lecture quite a bit, which is why I am often missing from these boards, and additionally, why JUDDD the way it is written, is difficult for me to do. I have been married for 31 years to a divorce lawyer, so we are an interesting couple, and I often speak to his professional groups as well.

We have two awesome kids, 30 and 27, and if I can make a pitch for my daughter, her cookbook, The Brokeass Gourmet Cookbook, is being released on Amazon next week, and she is starting a national book tour in May, so look for Gabi in a city near you!

my hobbies are research and working out and cooking, lol, and I love to make lowcarb concoctions (my daughter comes by her talents naturally

I love the JUDDD BUDDD's. Y'all are awesome!

[NoWeigh]

Wow, it's fun to get to know you all a little better!

I’ve been married to the same wonderful guy for over 30 years. We live on forest acreage in the Pacific Northwest with two very spoiled and precious dogs. We have one daughter, 28, who has been a prosecuting attorney for nearly three years already.

Most of my career was spent as a desktop publisher and illustrator. My small business served high-tech companies with illustration and book compositing services for many years until it became the norm for those companies to send their work to India.

Before we got married I worked in marine engineering. I was an oiler on U.S. research ships, and then at the ferries. While at the ferries, during a labor dispute, I met my husband who was a union official at that time.

Now I love spending time with hubby, our two dogs, and enjoy making quilts.

[mainemom]

So fun reading about you all!

I'm a former military spouse who spent many years moving around the country; am originally from Idaho but am now settled down in southern Maine.

I'm a mom of two - 14yo son and 12 yo daughter - I didn't start the "mom" part of my career 'til I was 37. For many years, I was an editor and marketing/PR manager in the tourism business, then was fortunate to be able to stay home with my kids for 8 years. I then decided to explore the medical field, took some courses, and now work part-time in a community hospital, non-clinical, as a surgical scheduler. I still like to write and market -as a hobby - so create an email newsletter for my local library every other month, and sometimes do press releases for small local businesses.

All four of us love to travel, and do so as often as we can - and can afford to. Our house may be a bit shabby, but we've created wonderful memories together! I also love to read and have to admit watch too much TV! I love The Voice, American Idol and comedies like 30 Rock, Saturday Night Live and Parks & Rec, as well as most medical dramas. And last but not least, I enjoy getting and giving support on LCF.

[MintQ8]

Just the greatest thread!!!

I'm cross with those who say 'nothing' too!! MUM!!!!!!!!!

I'm Kissa's daughter - and I hate being on the other side of the world from her - but I do (for the most part) love living in Australia!

I'm 43 and have been married to my wonderful DH for 22 years this coming September. No kids - we like to travel too much!!

I've had the priviledge of living all over the world too!!
Kuwait, US, Hong Kong, Oman, Cyprus, Australia, UK!

I too have been a Jill of all Trades and sometimes feel like that still. About 15 years ago, I fell into vocational education - which has now morphed in Corporate Training.

This year, I am doing my best to start my own corporate training company, called Accentuate Training - in the process of building websites, looking for customers and trying to drill down to my niche (my problem being in the Middle East, I had to teach everything!)

Have just completed a 10 points type thing to go into an E-book and am putting the finishing touches to an information paper on building your brand - both of which I will use on my website to try and build my list!

DH is also starting his own business. After 35 years as an Aeronautical Engineer, he has successfully qualified as Pool Fence Safety Inspector and is working on that. So, I am also setting up his website, working on his marketing etc!

Living on the Gold Coast in Australia - life's not too shabby!

[MintQ8]

Originally Posted by mainemom

So fun reading about you all!

I'm a former military spouse who spent many years moving around the country; am originally from Idaho but am now settled down in southern Maine.

I'm a mom of two - 14yo son and 12 yo daughter - I didn't start the "mom" part of my career 'til I was 37. For many years, I was an editor and marketing/PR manager in the tourism business, then was fortunate to be able to stay home with my kids for 8 years. I then decided to explore the medical field, took some courses, and now work part-time in a community hospital, non-clinical, as a surgical scheduler. I still like to write and market -as a hobby - so create an email newsletter for my local library every other month, and sometimes do press releases for small local businesses.
All four of us love to travel, and do so as often as we can - and can afford to. Our house may be a bit shabby, but we've created wonderful memories together! I also love to read and have to admit watch too much TV! I love The Voice, American Idol and comedies like 30 Rock, Saturday Night Live and Parks & Rec, as well as most medical dramas. And last but not least, I enjoy getting and giving support on LCF.

Very interested in the highlighted section!!! Any tips on writing a bio??? I hate writing myself 'up'!

Don't get me on the subject of reality TV - DH is shocked I can watch it! But I love it!!

[mykidsteacher]

Just so you don't get too upset with me, my "nothing" was tongue in cheek and a bit of a lash out at the "just a mom" thinking that sometimes is prevalent in society.

As far as I'm concerned, the day I left my fast track, promotion every 6 months with raises to go with them, corporate job to stay home with my babies, was the best promotion I could have ever received. I wouldn't trade the days I had at home for all the dinners out, cable not watched, and iphones not played on in the world. We gave up a lot to make that happen for the past almost 19 years, and I'm so glad we did!

[lovinlowcarb]

I am 55 years old, mom to 2 boys ages 19 and 14, I live in Talladega, Ala. I have been unemployed for almost 2 years after having worked for AT&T for 25 years as a directory clerk, I was laid off when AT&T decided to close the Yellow Page office in Birmingham, Ala. Life has been pretty boring since I was laid off, Talladega is a small town and all the businesses here are going out of business, so the job future looks pretty bleak for both me and my 19 year old son. Starting JUDDD tomorrow and hoping to lose a lot of weight that I have gained since being laid off.

[arkie1]

Such a talented group of women we have here! I'm afraid I'll seem boring after reading all of this...

I'm 69 (until September) years old, but told that I don't look my age, and I don't think I feel my age after talking to others. I've been widowed for 22 years (and still miss my hubby every day!). We had 3 beautiful children together...a DD who is 45 now, (and a "drug dealer") LOL..she works in customer service for a company that sends out drugs to pharmacies and doctors all over the United States. I worked for the same company at one time. We have a DS, who is 44 this year, and is a Police Sgt. in a NJ town, and a DS who will be 32 this year, and works for the city we both live in.

I have had many jobs...secretary to an attorney, worked for a newspaper in the complaint dept, had my insurance and real estate licenses', worked in a major grocery store, and have done customer service in a couple of different fields. Now, I'm retired!
And loving it! I also have 4 beautiful grandchildren....DGS, 23; DGS 19; DGS 16 & DGD 14
I love doing crafts, try to vary them to keep from getting bored, make rings, bracelets, & necklaces, crochet, and live in a retirement community, so stay busy doing things here.

Love this site, and all my JUDDD-BUDDD's!

Carole

[sorenkkg]

This is so cool!

I'll be 40 in November-- hence my renewed vigor with getting this weight off once and for all.

I have a general BA degree (humanistic studies, best secret at McGill) and a graduate diploma in Healthcare Management... but I took a class in grad school about "the learning organization" and that got me started on the Training route.

I got a job at a software company back in, um, 1997? entry level in Implementation and Training. I learned all I could, and moved on to another company where I was the ONLY trainer... for FIVE years! I was always on the road (25% travel my @$$)... I started LC in 2003, lost 60lbs in 1.5yrs, and DH and I got married on the beach in 2004.

We moved from Montreal to Toronto in 2005, and I've been with a wonderful company ever since. I'm on my 3rd job within the company, always within Education Services. I was a trainer, shoing customers how to use our software to run their businesses... then I moved to the Curriculum Dev team and I put together some courses, as well as figured out the whole "virtual delivery" model to bring our group courses online... now I'm doing Internal and Partner Enablement (um, training ) and my best work friend is my boss!

I keep thinking that someone is going to figure out how much I love my job, and ruin it for me so, let's not tell anyone, k?

Soren (though I usually sign everything S).

[Justwaiting]

Originally Posted by adillenal

I hire assistant SLP's but a lot of other schools do not since it takes time out of the SLP's day to supervise. . Our latest one came from Florida since she could not find a job there. Hope you find a job when you finish.

I'm in Illinois, Chicago area. I'm going to COD which is the only school in the state that offers SLPA program. I'm under the impression most of the jobs are through Early Intervention.

[oropendola]

I'm 58 and semi-retired. I've lived in Georgia, Germany, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Virginia, Alabama, Pennsylvania, Florida and California. I've worked as an optician, secretary at a university, and executive assistant at a computer company in Silicon Valley. I was laid off (dot com bust) and started my own business making personalized baby blankets. I sold it all lock, stock and barrel when my DH got sick and the doctors said he had to live in a more relaxed place. We moved, made friends and volunteer for the Coast Guard Auxiliary. I'm almost as busy now as before taking care of DH, doing vessel safety checks, training with the CG weekly as boat crew and testing the fuel for helicopters, all of which I love. I thought I'd have more free time when I retired. Silly me! Once a Type A, always a Type A.

I love to go crabbing, fishing, cook and eat, though lately I haven't been cooking much. I'm happy to have found all of you JUDDD BUDDDs.

[Hazelsmrf]

I'm 34... 35 in two weeks! I've been married to my husband Ethan for 13 years now. We married pretty young! We met on the internet back when only the geeks were online It was a very hard long distance relationship, two broke youngsters stuck with 600$ monthly phone bills, phone getting shut off etc etc, fun times! There were no unlimited calling plans for Canada/US back then! Anyways, it obviously worked out fine for us in the end We have two wonderful kids, Sarah is 5 and Samuel is 2 years old. We lived in Montreal but after the birth of our first kid we moved to the suburbs to get a house/backyard/pool blah blah blah! I love it here but getting pretty sick of the political climate so... we'll see for the future!

What else... Ethan is a video game writer at Ubisoft here in Montreal and I'm crazy proud of him. He rocks. I worked for years in the airline industry doing tech support/support desk for airport networking etc. I gave that up after the birth of my 2nd child, because it was a 24 hour a day rotating shift work and after 10 years of it, my body was saying enough! So now I stay home with the kids. It's been good and bad... on the bad, I am not patient, and some days end with me nearly in tears of frustration. I think working would be easier sometimes! But I'm glad I'm here with them when they're so young. Being home allowed me to spend more time on hobbies and I've turned one into a nearly full time income, I still clip art and patterns online (graphic design) and have been doing pretty well for myself! It's something I never would have tried if I was still working full time, and now I'm confident that by the time my son is in Kindergarten I'll be in a really nice place with that career.

Other than that, in my spare time I like to buy tons of art supplies that I end up never using... seriously, I must have a ton of distress inks and color washes and acrylic paints and markers and blah blah blah... I'm addicted to the stuff! I also read fantasy (as in sci-fi fantasy, not Fabio fantasy), and love playing MMORPGs with my husband. I'm currently on a break but eagerly awaiting The Next Big Thing. I'm also trying to teach myself to draw with a pencil... I can do fine on the computer but with a pencil I'm really not very good!

[sunday]

So many amazing JUDDDer's and other LCF friends here! I truly have enjoyed each and every one of you!

Have two occupations with one being somewhat unique, I have been at the State University in the Dept of Archaeology for the last 10 years as their Departmental Accountant paying bills and payroll for all of the archaeologists.
Also, I am in charge of and live in a fraternity as the House Director with 160 young men all between 18 to 21. All I can say is my life is not dull in the least and will be writing a book someday soon. ahem, anonymously, of course!

[Muffabuff]

Hi I'm Vanessa. Right out of high school I went to a special school to learn make up for television and movies. I worked on tv soap operas after I graduated as a make up artist. The movie business was too cut throat for my taste so I left and spent 3 years in college and studied health science. Fast forward, I met and married my DH all in 18 weeks and we have been happily married for 25 years. I have 22 year old twins, a son Skyler Dov and a daughter Jordan Blue. I teach aromatherapy at an online college I also wrote the course. I also do freelance branding and tag lines. My DH is a college professor and teaches business.
I make a lot of my own facial and beauty products and lots of herbal tinctures for family and friends. I love animals. I esp loved reading about all of my Juddd Buddds.

[Muffabuff]

Oh I forgot, I stayed home and raised my twins. Best career move ever!

[NancyLeeIL]

Woah...how interesting you all are

My name is Nancy and I'm 57. I don't really know what happened to my life in retrospect.

I come from Long Island, NY from a big Irish/Italian family. I went to school for social work and did switch to nursing and got 3 years of my BSN, ran out of $ and took a job that transplanted me to the Chicago, IL area where I've remained for 30 years. The plan was to work at it for 1 year, make the $ I needed to finish college and move back "home". Met my children's father, married and the rest is history.

I did home day care, worked at JCP in the catalog department then cleaned people's houses. You know how they say the plumber has clogged drains...

My first hubby was abusive, took me 11 years to walk away. Never was going to marry again, and poof...God had other plans. I've been married to my hubby for 16 years.

We never had children together (I was "fixed" after #2), but my children were in 1st and 3rd grade when we married and their bio dad doesn't have much to do with them so my hubby has essentially raised them. Stepparents always amaze me. How they step in to love another family, and the problems they inherit. And ours were severe. Including stints in jail and psych hospitals, etc.

Both of our kids are bipolar and that pretty much keeps us on our toes and is probably our greatest challenge as parents. DS is living on his own and does have a supportive loving gilfriend so we'll see. He's 25. Our DD lives with us and 2 years ago gave birth to a beautiful baby boy. My hubby and I are essentially raising him...working with docs to try to stabilize mama. In February, DD announced she was pregnant again (baby due in October)...and that's where we are right now.

Hubby has his own business in "multimedia" (he's the guy that duplicates CD/DVD's, takes your little reels of film and transfers them to DVD, etc)..but service businesses have really taken a hit in the recession and he had to close the storefront and move it home to our basement two months ago.

I had a severe reaction to a medication (like stop breathing severe)... right before Christmas and I thought i was going to die...and then was really sick after for two months..and realized that health isn't something to put off for another day. I've been fat ALL my life (i.e. since 1st grade, never shopped in a normal store)..and been on so many diets, I'll figured I'll just die fat. But the past two months or so, I've realized that even if I'm 57 my life isn't over. God's not finished with me yet and am re-learning how to eat and cook (that's the hardest part!)...but a wealth of great ideas here on this board.

Personality? LOL...my kids say I'm the weirdest person they know...because I come across as wholesome-down-home-folksy person...and then read serial killer books. I do love CSI type shows...unraveling the mystery. I am "known" for my new york italian humor and I laugh loud. My kids/hubby say I'm waaayy to cheerful and happy. I'm really an introvert though. I love woman friends. I love God. I am blessed.

You people do really inspire me and I've learned so much.

Hugs,
Nancy

[PixieKGirl]

Originally Posted by ellgee

My husband and I are complicated - we were married 7 years, divorced for 6 and now have been remarried for 9 years this June! We laugh that we've made it longer than the first go round!

WOW - I thought I was the only person on the planet who re-married her ex. Married for 5 years; divorced for 5 years and now remarried for 9 years!! 2nd go round has been MUCH better (I'm the one who needed to grow up and I think I'm almost there )

[ellgee]

Originally Posted by PixieKGirl

WOW - I thought I was the only person on the planet who re-married her ex. Married for 5 years; divorced for 5 years and now remarried for 9 years!! 2nd go round has been MUCH better (I'm the one who needed to grow up and I think I'm almost there )

No way! I LOVE meeting other couples who have remarried because you can ALWAYS find the ones who say it didn't work for them. People love telling horror stories.

Our marriage is leaps and bounds better. He needed to grow up and I'm sure I did too. I will tell anyone who listens that people are capable of great change!

I told my husband that for our 10 year anniversary next year we are doing something special - Vegas or a cruise.

And how long do you tell people you have been married? LOL!

[KeirasMom]

Originally Posted by ellgee

No way! I LOVE meeting other couples who have remarried because you can ALWAYS find the ones who say it didn't work for them. People love telling horror stories.

Our marriage is leaps and bounds better. He needed to grow up and I'm sure I did too. I will tell anyone who listens that people are capable of great change!

I told my husband that for our 10 year anniversary next year we are doing something special - Vegas or a cruise.

And how long do you tell people you have been married? LOL!

DH and I will be renewing our vows in Vegas next year for our 10 year anniversary. Should we make it a JUDDD meet and greet?

Linda (Beeb) is re-engaged to her ex. Apparently it happens more often than we think.

[zipp2play]

Such an intersting group of people!

I am a 41 year married Mom. I have been married for 15 years and have a son 13 and a daughter 10. I got my BS in Accounting and have been working as such since then. I have been working my current job as CFO for a conglomerate of small business' for 14+ years. I can't imagine being anywhere else. As for out of work, I love to read and workout and run my kids here there and everywhere!

[circusgirl]

Originally Posted by NancyLeeIL

Both of our kids are bipolar and that pretty much keeps us on our toes and is probably our greatest challenge as parents.

Nancy,
I have two kids on the autism spectrum and yeah....I'm pretty much eternally on my toes and they are most definitely our greatest challenges. I can certainly relate!

[PixieKGirl]

Originally Posted by KeirasMom

DH and I will be renewing our vows in Vegas next year for our 10 year anniversary. Should we make it a JUDDD meet and greet?

Linda (Beeb) is re-engaged to her ex. Apparently it happens more often than we think.

Next May will be 10 years! I remarried in Vegas so we are in for a meet & greet!!

[Horsetrainer110]

What a bunch of smart ladies we have on here! I'm noticing that a lot of people are well educated and traveled. Very nice.

I'm Renee, and I am married with one daughter who is 25. I'm 47. Light years ago I worked in marketing at USA TODAY. I quit that and started training horses about 16 years ago. Still doing the horses. I train, board and sell. I have 2 dogs and 2 cats, and there are about 30 horses out here (only 3 belong to me, the rest are customer's horses). We have a pretty big farm and horse facility. Not like the spreads out in Texas etc....but big enough to keep us busy! My daughter was the stallion trainer for an operation that breeds Gypsy Vanners, but she had a baby and stays home with her now.

[PixieKGirl]

Originally Posted by ellgee

No way! I LOVE meeting other couples who have remarried because you can ALWAYS find the ones who say it didn't work for them. People love telling horror stories.

Our marriage is leaps and bounds better. He needed to grow up and I'm sure I did too. I will tell anyone who listens that people are capable of great change!

I told my husband that for our 10 year anniversary next year we are doing something special - Vegas or a cruise.

And how long do you tell people you have been married? LOL!

We can't even decide what the "anniversary" should be - original was 9-5 and the 2nd was 5-5. It'll be 10 years next May. I just tell people a long time.

[tiva]

What interesting lives you all have! I'm a scientist working on endocrine disruptors and water quality. I'm a professor at a large midwestern university and I'll be in Sweden next year as the King's Professor, studying climate change, toxics, and water. My husband is a machinist and farmer. We don't have kids--instead, we rescue pit bulls. And we have hens and lots of bees. I'm an avid kayaker, skier, and cyclist (it's hard for me to sit still inside). I travel a lot for work (just back from Munich, going down to Notre Dame for a talk this afternoon and then off to China for a week of talks).