i got this new godawful ugly pair of galoshes the other day. i need something to go from my car to my work since i don't want to get my tennis shoes dirty. have you seen what's available? check this out: circles, leaves, flowers, stripes, red or green, blue or olive, european chasseur, wellies with spots, bean boots.
i always have to be so careful since i have a wide foot. those of us with wide feet are at a distinct disadvantage in the world because manufacturers insist on making ladies shoes narrow. from slippers to sandals to heels, narrow is the word. and on a wide foot a narrow shoe is pain from hell.
at any rate, i bought the circles boot. it doesn't come in half sizes and since i'm normally about a 7 1/4, getting an 8 might have worked. i got a 7 which is pretty snug on my foot. but surely it can't be too bad since i'm only going from the car to the building and back.
on the other hand, the bean boot comes in wide and is generously sized. maybe i'll send the circles back.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
up we go
i finally bought some curtains. yes, of course, i got (top-down, bottom-up) blinds for all the windows right after we moved in, but something else was needed. so i've worried over the issue for the longest time and finally made purchases. the ones we just got for the guest bedroom will be replaced after the winter, but that's okay. the others are either up or in the process of going up and i think we'll like them. if not, no biggee -- we'll take them back down and do something else.
one thing i've found out over the years is that if you haven't been given any instruction or advice about something, such that all your decisions have to be made out in the cold, you are simply learning as you go and there WILL be errors and miscalculations. so when you spend money on something that doesn't work out, asi es la vida. regroup and move on, as in, spend more money.
one of the curtains i got reminds me of some nebulous time-period when i was between 3 and 7. it's this diaphanous white dreamy thing which almost makes me cry for some reason. i love it.
one thing i've found out over the years is that if you haven't been given any instruction or advice about something, such that all your decisions have to be made out in the cold, you are simply learning as you go and there WILL be errors and miscalculations. so when you spend money on something that doesn't work out, asi es la vida. regroup and move on, as in, spend more money.
one of the curtains i got reminds me of some nebulous time-period when i was between 3 and 7. it's this diaphanous white dreamy thing which almost makes me cry for some reason. i love it.
many things
we've been busy lately doing several things, one of which is building a pergola on/over our deck. you can go to http://www.gardenstructure.com/p/Pergola_Plan_with_Optional_Screens.html to see what the plans look like, although since our space isn't that big, the plans are just an idea of what the finished product will look like. but it will be nice. the fellow doing the work is young, experienced, and very good, so we're going to be happy. and he's going to finish off the front porch post the same way he's doing the pergola posts, so things will tie in nicely. when it's all done, i'll include a picture.
after that's finished we are going to do some landscaping around that quadrant of the yard to see if we can work up some kind of privacy in this tiny space we have. i'm excited about all of it.
my girlfriend got their house sold and immediately found a nice one on camano island, with views! they are going to love their new place and i'm so happy for them!
my new computer is excellent and i've decided i'm going to have to buy a new computer every two years, just like some people buy a new car regularly. this thing is fast and the monitor is wide and the graphics are great. not too crazy about office 2007, but what can you do. and vista sorta sucks, but meh.
life goes on.
after that's finished we are going to do some landscaping around that quadrant of the yard to see if we can work up some kind of privacy in this tiny space we have. i'm excited about all of it.
my girlfriend got their house sold and immediately found a nice one on camano island, with views! they are going to love their new place and i'm so happy for them!
my new computer is excellent and i've decided i'm going to have to buy a new computer every two years, just like some people buy a new car regularly. this thing is fast and the monitor is wide and the graphics are great. not too crazy about office 2007, but what can you do. and vista sorta sucks, but meh.
life goes on.
do you know who i am?
do you like star wars? do you like british accents? did i tell you about this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muaAZE0M3LU ? it's pretty darned hilarious -- i got it from my youngest bro. check it out and enjoy!
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
accomplishment
when i got my new computer, we decided to give the husband's to this little gal at his work and to put my old one at his desk. we had to get an adapter so he'd be able to do the wireless thing.
it's been a bit of a confusing affair since we don't know anything about computers. i e-mailed our computer guru that we had the part and he e-mailed me a link to use. so i went online and pretty soon he had control of my computer.
we chatted online a tiny bit, then he printed out a page with some numbers on it for me. i asked what i should do next. there was a brief pause and then he said 'answer the phone'.
then the phone rang. it cracked me up. so an hour+ later (including some frantic searching for a cat5 cable cord -- which we did have believe it or not) everything was working and a-okay.
i love my computer guy.
it's been a bit of a confusing affair since we don't know anything about computers. i e-mailed our computer guru that we had the part and he e-mailed me a link to use. so i went online and pretty soon he had control of my computer.
we chatted online a tiny bit, then he printed out a page with some numbers on it for me. i asked what i should do next. there was a brief pause and then he said 'answer the phone'.
then the phone rang. it cracked me up. so an hour+ later (including some frantic searching for a cat5 cable cord -- which we did have believe it or not) everything was working and a-okay.
i love my computer guy.
Saturday, November 08, 2008
be in the know
there's more and more talk, and probably just as much confusion, about what documents you need if you're going from and to the united states. this is a neat look at what's out there for your needs.
the enhanced driver's license is offered by washington state and new york -- vermont, arizona, and michigan will be following soon.
there's been a lot of talk about the dangers of an enhanced driver's license (scientific american had an article a couple of months ago), but since it's already been thought of, it's going to happen so why not go ahead and use the technology. at this point it's still innocuous and might make your life easier. you can't use it to fly in and out of the country, but if you drive across the border, it's cheaper than the passport.
but then, if you're driving across the border, you will want to get a NEXUS card for travel to and from canada or a SENTRI card for mexico. with one of those cards you get access to a special lane (only for those cardholders) which moves more quickly.
so many things to know. some people call me at work and ask what they need to cross the border. they must either be very lazy or computer illiterate. just get yourself online and surf cbp.gov to find out what you need to know about documents, crossing with food, pets, medicine, and other info.
the state department also has a ton of information for you to arm yourself with, including warnings, alerts, and information about embassies.
just remember this: if an officer asks you to step aside and proceeds to ask questions, cooperate with him/her and be pleasant. don't ask why he wants to know things, don't give her a ration of shit. no matter how outrageous things get, stay calm and if it gets really bad you can say you'd like to talk with a supervisor.
the officers aren't allowed to and don't have to explain everything they do, and their job is to keep control of bad guys. there have been times when someone either looked like a known bad guy, or their name was the same. just stay cool and it will eventually get sorted out. getting mad is just going to make you look guilty and the whole thing will take longer.
remember: these guys really are policemen/women. be dignified, gracious, and polite.
the enhanced driver's license is offered by washington state and new york -- vermont, arizona, and michigan will be following soon.
there's been a lot of talk about the dangers of an enhanced driver's license (scientific american had an article a couple of months ago), but since it's already been thought of, it's going to happen so why not go ahead and use the technology. at this point it's still innocuous and might make your life easier. you can't use it to fly in and out of the country, but if you drive across the border, it's cheaper than the passport.
but then, if you're driving across the border, you will want to get a NEXUS card for travel to and from canada or a SENTRI card for mexico. with one of those cards you get access to a special lane (only for those cardholders) which moves more quickly.
so many things to know. some people call me at work and ask what they need to cross the border. they must either be very lazy or computer illiterate. just get yourself online and surf cbp.gov to find out what you need to know about documents, crossing with food, pets, medicine, and other info.
the state department also has a ton of information for you to arm yourself with, including warnings, alerts, and information about embassies.
just remember this: if an officer asks you to step aside and proceeds to ask questions, cooperate with him/her and be pleasant. don't ask why he wants to know things, don't give her a ration of shit. no matter how outrageous things get, stay calm and if it gets really bad you can say you'd like to talk with a supervisor.
the officers aren't allowed to and don't have to explain everything they do, and their job is to keep control of bad guys. there have been times when someone either looked like a known bad guy, or their name was the same. just stay cool and it will eventually get sorted out. getting mad is just going to make you look guilty and the whole thing will take longer.
remember: these guys really are policemen/women. be dignified, gracious, and polite.
Friday, November 07, 2008
little things
are you interested enough in science that you'd like to see pretty astral pictures once-a-day? then, go here: http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ -- there are some beautiful, intriguing, amazing pictures on their web site.
ingterrested in books? go to http://www.librarything.com/ and spend some time looking around. might find something you could get caught up in.
ever thought you might like to take a 4-5 day windjammer cruise? go to http://www.sailmainecoast.com/ and eat your heart out. it sooooooo totally looks like fun. one of these days, maybe ......
want to find a good job with the government? you'll need to go to http://jobsearch.usajobs.opm.gov/ and look through their listings. in fact, it's the only way you can get on in our department.
okay -- that's all the tips for now. i need to read.
ingterrested in books? go to http://www.librarything.com/ and spend some time looking around. might find something you could get caught up in.
ever thought you might like to take a 4-5 day windjammer cruise? go to http://www.sailmainecoast.com/ and eat your heart out. it sooooooo totally looks like fun. one of these days, maybe ......
want to find a good job with the government? you'll need to go to http://jobsearch.usajobs.opm.gov/ and look through their listings. in fact, it's the only way you can get on in our department.
okay -- that's all the tips for now. i need to read.
Thursday, November 06, 2008
the white house
interestingly enough i have only heard one comment in the last two days about the election. i don't think i've ever worked anywhere where there was less said about such an amazing happening.
i'm certainly not a politics person, so it's really okay with me not to talk about it. but still ....
can you imagine what our grandparents would have said? well, i mean, i'm 61 so my grandparents were living in the early 1900s. your grandparents may be my age. regardless, it would have been totally unimaginable for a black guy to have been elected president of the u.s. -- it just couldn't have happened.
but there was a big fuss about kennedy back in the 60s ("the pope's going to rule the country!") and this seems to be the same kind of thing. maybe in another 40 years we'll elect a woman.
hopefully it won't take that long. knock on wood it's not palin.
i'm certainly not a politics person, so it's really okay with me not to talk about it. but still ....
can you imagine what our grandparents would have said? well, i mean, i'm 61 so my grandparents were living in the early 1900s. your grandparents may be my age. regardless, it would have been totally unimaginable for a black guy to have been elected president of the u.s. -- it just couldn't have happened.
but there was a big fuss about kennedy back in the 60s ("the pope's going to rule the country!") and this seems to be the same kind of thing. maybe in another 40 years we'll elect a woman.
hopefully it won't take that long. knock on wood it's not palin.
little ones
remember me talking about the triplets that are related to the big boss? they are almost 6 months old now and are just darling.
go to http://hobokentriplets.blogspot.com/ to see how cute they are and how much they've grown. they have been on a soap opera and there's a quick video clip which has one of them on it.
it will be fun to watch them grow, from afar.
go to http://hobokentriplets.blogspot.com/ to see how cute they are and how much they've grown. they have been on a soap opera and there's a quick video clip which has one of them on it.
it will be fun to watch them grow, from afar.
Tuesday, November 04, 2008
politics
well, what do you think about that?! the daughter-in-law just called to shout that obama had won! and at her house they were dancing and having a party!
it's about time we got out from under the republican thumb. all thumbs. now if those devious republicans can keep busy with other issues and let obama get on with straightening around this country, that will be good.
but usually republicans can't keep from mucking around. and muck-raking. they are just so bad about that.
but for now things are looking up. the polls were bursting with voters and turn-outs were high if not record-breaking. that has to tell power brokers that americans are just sick-and-tired of what's been happening.
i really don't know what i would have done if mccain had won. and palin as possible president? that's just too ghoulish to even think about.
onward, obama, onward!
it's about time we got out from under the republican thumb. all thumbs. now if those devious republicans can keep busy with other issues and let obama get on with straightening around this country, that will be good.
but usually republicans can't keep from mucking around. and muck-raking. they are just so bad about that.
but for now things are looking up. the polls were bursting with voters and turn-outs were high if not record-breaking. that has to tell power brokers that americans are just sick-and-tired of what's been happening.
i really don't know what i would have done if mccain had won. and palin as possible president? that's just too ghoulish to even think about.
onward, obama, onward!
my new toy
i got a new computer recently and i'm pretty happy with it. the biggest problem i can see is trying to work with ms office 2007. wow, does it suck! but i suppose i should go ahead with it (it's a trial version for another week or two) since inertia is not a good thing.
if i thought they were going to discard office 2007 in favor of 2005 or whatever the version before was, i'd install the earlier version. but, i'm sure they'll just keep plowing ahead, so i suppose i should plow, too.
but, gees -- i hate this ribbon concept and lack of the normal toolbars. it takes more steps to get what i want than it did before when i had my toolbars completely customized. what kind of convoluted progress is that?
the other problem with this system is that my internet connection is funky. sometimes it spools right up. other times it sits there, trying. it gets pretty frustrating when i have a dual-core processor and have to wait and wait and wait for the connection to connect.
maybe the problem is comcast. too bad there's no competition internet-connectionwise. i'd leave comcast in the dust!
so says the little guy.
if i thought they were going to discard office 2007 in favor of 2005 or whatever the version before was, i'd install the earlier version. but, i'm sure they'll just keep plowing ahead, so i suppose i should plow, too.
but, gees -- i hate this ribbon concept and lack of the normal toolbars. it takes more steps to get what i want than it did before when i had my toolbars completely customized. what kind of convoluted progress is that?
the other problem with this system is that my internet connection is funky. sometimes it spools right up. other times it sits there, trying. it gets pretty frustrating when i have a dual-core processor and have to wait and wait and wait for the connection to connect.
maybe the problem is comcast. too bad there's no competition internet-connectionwise. i'd leave comcast in the dust!
so says the little guy.
too funny
stuffonmycat is always so excellent. if you're having a bad day, for sure you need to spend some time going through their pictures and captions.
but especially go to this page and read about the deaf/blind dog and her seeing-eye cat. i can't imagine being that dog, but wow, what a great companion the cat is -- how did that happen?!
but especially go to this page and read about the deaf/blind dog and her seeing-eye cat. i can't imagine being that dog, but wow, what a great companion the cat is -- how did that happen?!
Sunday, November 02, 2008
The 11th Planet, chapter 4
He landed on soft, almost moist sand. What the ...? His momentary fear gave way to awe as he looked at his surroundings. The section of rock which had given way, had pivoted back into its original position on the low ceiling. The sand he knelt on was the floor of a small alcove which branched off at a ninety-degree angle from a wide tunnel. The wall opposite the alcove was studded with egg-shaped protuberances.
The surroundings were lighted, although he couldn’t see how that was so, since there was only the narrow two-inch high opening to let in light. Regardless of that fact, the whole area was well-lit, as if there were a window right overhead. The area was also dry, clean, and colorful. The alcove was a golden sandstone color, the tunnel was pale blue in both directions, and the wall with the protuberances was a glistening wine color.
The entire effect was man-made looking rather than natural. But how could that be? He stood up and glanced out the opening -- it reminded him of bunkers he’d read about on far-away Old Earth. After a bit he shook his head and decided to go partway down the tunnel to see what he would find.
He took the left tunnel and strode about ten steps before coming upon another alcove / opening / protruding wall set-up. He looked everything over, then stepped up to the narrow, external opening. At first he wasn’t sure what he was seeing -- far, far away he could just barely make out a pile of rocks with another skimmer sitting in front of it. Was someone else out exploring? His tracking/detection equipment should have alerted him. And oddly enough the skimmer was orange with an electric blue stripe, just like his. That was an eerie coincidence.
He walked the ten feet back to the original alcove and looked outside. This time he couldn’t see it. Oh sure, his skimmer was sitting right outside where he’d left it, but even though there was another rock pile far away, there was no second skimmer. He walked back down the ten feet to the second alcove and looked out again. Yep -- there it was. What the hell?
Just then an utterly mad idea began to form. No. No, it couldn’t be. He had only taken about ten steps from one alcove to the other, much fewer than if he went outside and walked to where the unidentified skimmer sat. It couldn’t be his skimmer -- it was just too far away. And ten steps in place of a couple of thousand didn’t make sense.
He went back once again to the original location, took his nocs and observed his skimmer close-up -- a nick where he’d dented it last year, a stain where some elic bushes had rubbed against the side. Then he walked to the second location and used his nocs to observe the mystery skimmer.
Damn! They were one and the same. The thought made him break out in a sweat. What kind of technology could move a man great distances with few steps? He didn’t know whether to be frightened or excited, but he was definitely going to keep this news to himself.
Suddenly he heard a sound. He froze ... listened ... then heard it again -- a pinging sound. He waited about thirty seconds, then heard it again a few more times. Quickly he walked back to ‘home base’ as he decided to think of the original alcove, and looked out the narrow ‘window.’
There was a dark cloud on the horizon which hadn’t been there just a few minutes ago. The ping sounded again and he noticed a small pebble bounce off the rock pile. Oh my god -- a dust storm? The hair on the back of his neck stood up as he thought about that possibility. He heard yet another ping and realized if he brought the skimmer in as close to the pile as he could, he just might be able to salvage it.
After hesitating briefly, wondering how he was going to get out of his base camp, he simply reached up to the opening and gently grasped it. It smoothly pivoted downward, creating a rough staircase which he ascended. He brought the skimmer as close as he could into the center of the crescent shape, then grabbed his backpack and duffle before going back down the ramp into the safety of the alcove. Dust storm, stone storm -- they were both to be avoided.
Tiny pebbles and small rocks started pinging with greater frequency, and finally one of them bounced through the opening. Moments later Mark watched in awe as a window-shade type of super-fine filament slowly but steadily drew down to completely cover the opening. He could see vaguely through it, but there were no more rocks zinging through. The same filament slowly spread out to cover his skimmer.
Within minutes the pinging began to rain non-stop and soon approached the loudness of a thundering falls. Oh my god, he thought as he slowly sank to the floor. If I’d been caught out in that .... He left the thought unfinished. When the noise began to get on his nerves, he walked into the tunnel and discovered, much to his delight, that the sound was almost completely blocked.
What is this place he wondered as he leaned against the rock and slid to sit cross-legged on the floor. Are there mysterious beings living in here somewhere? Am I in danger? He sat in thought, going through numerous possibilities and running scenarios until he finally realized he was tired and was never going to just figure it out. He stood up and went back to base to grab a blanket. It still sounded furious outside, and he mentally thanked the universe for showing him a safe place to wait out the storm.
He walked back down the tunnel, laid down with his head on his duffle, wrapped up in his blanket, and fell asleep.
The surroundings were lighted, although he couldn’t see how that was so, since there was only the narrow two-inch high opening to let in light. Regardless of that fact, the whole area was well-lit, as if there were a window right overhead. The area was also dry, clean, and colorful. The alcove was a golden sandstone color, the tunnel was pale blue in both directions, and the wall with the protuberances was a glistening wine color.
The entire effect was man-made looking rather than natural. But how could that be? He stood up and glanced out the opening -- it reminded him of bunkers he’d read about on far-away Old Earth. After a bit he shook his head and decided to go partway down the tunnel to see what he would find.
He took the left tunnel and strode about ten steps before coming upon another alcove / opening / protruding wall set-up. He looked everything over, then stepped up to the narrow, external opening. At first he wasn’t sure what he was seeing -- far, far away he could just barely make out a pile of rocks with another skimmer sitting in front of it. Was someone else out exploring? His tracking/detection equipment should have alerted him. And oddly enough the skimmer was orange with an electric blue stripe, just like his. That was an eerie coincidence.
He walked the ten feet back to the original alcove and looked outside. This time he couldn’t see it. Oh sure, his skimmer was sitting right outside where he’d left it, but even though there was another rock pile far away, there was no second skimmer. He walked back down the ten feet to the second alcove and looked out again. Yep -- there it was. What the hell?
Just then an utterly mad idea began to form. No. No, it couldn’t be. He had only taken about ten steps from one alcove to the other, much fewer than if he went outside and walked to where the unidentified skimmer sat. It couldn’t be his skimmer -- it was just too far away. And ten steps in place of a couple of thousand didn’t make sense.
He went back once again to the original location, took his nocs and observed his skimmer close-up -- a nick where he’d dented it last year, a stain where some elic bushes had rubbed against the side. Then he walked to the second location and used his nocs to observe the mystery skimmer.
Damn! They were one and the same. The thought made him break out in a sweat. What kind of technology could move a man great distances with few steps? He didn’t know whether to be frightened or excited, but he was definitely going to keep this news to himself.
Suddenly he heard a sound. He froze ... listened ... then heard it again -- a pinging sound. He waited about thirty seconds, then heard it again a few more times. Quickly he walked back to ‘home base’ as he decided to think of the original alcove, and looked out the narrow ‘window.’
There was a dark cloud on the horizon which hadn’t been there just a few minutes ago. The ping sounded again and he noticed a small pebble bounce off the rock pile. Oh my god -- a dust storm? The hair on the back of his neck stood up as he thought about that possibility. He heard yet another ping and realized if he brought the skimmer in as close to the pile as he could, he just might be able to salvage it.
After hesitating briefly, wondering how he was going to get out of his base camp, he simply reached up to the opening and gently grasped it. It smoothly pivoted downward, creating a rough staircase which he ascended. He brought the skimmer as close as he could into the center of the crescent shape, then grabbed his backpack and duffle before going back down the ramp into the safety of the alcove. Dust storm, stone storm -- they were both to be avoided.
Tiny pebbles and small rocks started pinging with greater frequency, and finally one of them bounced through the opening. Moments later Mark watched in awe as a window-shade type of super-fine filament slowly but steadily drew down to completely cover the opening. He could see vaguely through it, but there were no more rocks zinging through. The same filament slowly spread out to cover his skimmer.
Within minutes the pinging began to rain non-stop and soon approached the loudness of a thundering falls. Oh my god, he thought as he slowly sank to the floor. If I’d been caught out in that .... He left the thought unfinished. When the noise began to get on his nerves, he walked into the tunnel and discovered, much to his delight, that the sound was almost completely blocked.
What is this place he wondered as he leaned against the rock and slid to sit cross-legged on the floor. Are there mysterious beings living in here somewhere? Am I in danger? He sat in thought, going through numerous possibilities and running scenarios until he finally realized he was tired and was never going to just figure it out. He stood up and went back to base to grab a blanket. It still sounded furious outside, and he mentally thanked the universe for showing him a safe place to wait out the storm.
He walked back down the tunnel, laid down with his head on his duffle, wrapped up in his blanket, and fell asleep.
don't take them for granted
we received a report from our commissioner this week. i know there are people out there who think Customs and Border Protection is a joke, and they do endless carping about long lines at the border, being wrongfully searched, and so on. just so you have an idea, here are the latest statistics:
we apprehended over 1 million people at our ports of entry and between them;
we seized just less than 3 million pounds of narcotics;
we apprehended more than 200 people with serious criminal records including for murder, rape and child molestation;
we continued to safeguard commercial trade through enhanced enforcement actions, which grew to more than 19,000 seizures valued at $351 million;
we accomplished all this despite increasingly difficult and dangerous conditions as 1,413 incidents of border violence were recorded.
rather than diss our officers, we should give them unconditional support.
i, of course, do .... every work day!
we apprehended over 1 million people at our ports of entry and between them;
we seized just less than 3 million pounds of narcotics;
we apprehended more than 200 people with serious criminal records including for murder, rape and child molestation;
we continued to safeguard commercial trade through enhanced enforcement actions, which grew to more than 19,000 seizures valued at $351 million;
we accomplished all this despite increasingly difficult and dangerous conditions as 1,413 incidents of border violence were recorded.
rather than diss our officers, we should give them unconditional support.
i, of course, do .... every work day!
Saturday, November 01, 2008
leave me alone
my co-worker's death made me start thinking.
the government makes such a huge deal about seat belts. before it was mandatory, i ALWAYS fastened my seat belt. it was simply a good idea. then they made it mandatory, and the seat belts had to be just so, and had to be tight, and had to be retractable, and so on ad nauseum.
i don't like having my seat belt tight across my chest, so i have to trap it with a large binder clip. and sometimes you get it part-way out and then it locks and you have to mess with it before it's in place. and if you don't wear it, an alarm goes off until you put it on. good grief! what a frickin' hassle!!!
my real point is: so, excuse me, but why is it so important to have us wear seat belts so we won't get thrown out of the window, but it's okay for people to ride motorcycles when it's a damn given they are going to be thrown somewhere in ANY accident. wearing seat belts wouldn't help them, of course. but if it's okay for people to ride motorcycles, i think it should be okay to not have to wear my seat belt. which means, in reality, that i would wear my seat belt but would want car manufacturers to get rid of the alarm, and go back to seat belts that don't constrict.
i mean, gees. little irritations that people don't have control over can really get under your skin.
the government makes such a huge deal about seat belts. before it was mandatory, i ALWAYS fastened my seat belt. it was simply a good idea. then they made it mandatory, and the seat belts had to be just so, and had to be tight, and had to be retractable, and so on ad nauseum.
i don't like having my seat belt tight across my chest, so i have to trap it with a large binder clip. and sometimes you get it part-way out and then it locks and you have to mess with it before it's in place. and if you don't wear it, an alarm goes off until you put it on. good grief! what a frickin' hassle!!!
my real point is: so, excuse me, but why is it so important to have us wear seat belts so we won't get thrown out of the window, but it's okay for people to ride motorcycles when it's a damn given they are going to be thrown somewhere in ANY accident. wearing seat belts wouldn't help them, of course. but if it's okay for people to ride motorcycles, i think it should be okay to not have to wear my seat belt. which means, in reality, that i would wear my seat belt but would want car manufacturers to get rid of the alarm, and go back to seat belts that don't constrict.
i mean, gees. little irritations that people don't have control over can really get under your skin.
he was there ....
and then he wasn't.
one of our officers was killed on his way to work last week. he was riding a big motorcycle, but i don't know any details. it's always a shock to lose someone you know, even if you don't know them very well.
Kerry Gallager was a really nice guy. i had only talked to him a couple of times (there are more than 300 people who work there), but he was pleasant and helpful and had a quick smile. he was only 45 and in great shape, so it seemed like Death should have been calling on someone else.
so sad.
one of our officers was killed on his way to work last week. he was riding a big motorcycle, but i don't know any details. it's always a shock to lose someone you know, even if you don't know them very well.
Kerry Gallager was a really nice guy. i had only talked to him a couple of times (there are more than 300 people who work there), but he was pleasant and helpful and had a quick smile. he was only 45 and in great shape, so it seemed like Death should have been calling on someone else.
so sad.
no problem!
there's so much catching-up-on to do so i guess i'll jump right in.
i gave blood today. it's something that i think adults should do if they can -- my dad did it for years. i wasn't supposed to after i had cancer, but that was 16 years ago and it's okay for me to do it now. i tried it several years ago, when the community put out a call, but i almost passed out when they started taking it and hated the experience.
so i decided to try again at the beginning of the summer. i went and was doing just fine until the end, when they were taking everything off, and my body decided to slip away. 'body, wait -- it's all over' i said, but it kept on closing up shop. so i told them and they had me move my feet and they slapped an ice pack under my neck and lowered the lounger i was in. i finally got some pink in my face again and they let me leave.
i mean, really. how disgusting that i can't even do something that simple. but i finally figured out that i should give blood on a full stomach. no one has ever said that. so much of my blood draws have been 12-hour fast or however long, that i just assumed i shouldn't eat anything first. but no -- i ate eggs and cheese for breakfast, jumped in the shower, got clean, got dressed, and showed up. it was fine! no queasies, no stars, no pale face.
so that's the secret. eat well before you give. and i had made sure i drank a lot of water the last few days so the needle stick didn't even hurt. i wonder why they don't give out that advice as a matter of course?! last time when i said i might get light-headed, the nurse said if i did it was the nurse's fault. this time the guy said it was psychological. but ha! to them both. for me it's biological.
eat hearty!!!
i gave blood today. it's something that i think adults should do if they can -- my dad did it for years. i wasn't supposed to after i had cancer, but that was 16 years ago and it's okay for me to do it now. i tried it several years ago, when the community put out a call, but i almost passed out when they started taking it and hated the experience.
so i decided to try again at the beginning of the summer. i went and was doing just fine until the end, when they were taking everything off, and my body decided to slip away. 'body, wait -- it's all over' i said, but it kept on closing up shop. so i told them and they had me move my feet and they slapped an ice pack under my neck and lowered the lounger i was in. i finally got some pink in my face again and they let me leave.
i mean, really. how disgusting that i can't even do something that simple. but i finally figured out that i should give blood on a full stomach. no one has ever said that. so much of my blood draws have been 12-hour fast or however long, that i just assumed i shouldn't eat anything first. but no -- i ate eggs and cheese for breakfast, jumped in the shower, got clean, got dressed, and showed up. it was fine! no queasies, no stars, no pale face.
so that's the secret. eat well before you give. and i had made sure i drank a lot of water the last few days so the needle stick didn't even hurt. i wonder why they don't give out that advice as a matter of course?! last time when i said i might get light-headed, the nurse said if i did it was the nurse's fault. this time the guy said it was psychological. but ha! to them both. for me it's biological.
eat hearty!!!
Sunday, October 12, 2008
well, just hell
don't you hate it when you make a mistake? and your boss catches it? after you've sent the report?
the big boss had me do a consolidation of six reports into two last week. it was in excel, which is my least favorite program in the universe, and i needed to put everything together, then sort it, which isn't a task i've done very often.
i laboriously did it, fighting to make everything the same so it would sort correctly. i mean, what were these people doing? some of the information was in caps, some of it was missing descriptions, some of it was in inverse order -- those slackers! and it all needed to be the same so it would sort correctly and i had to take the time to redo everything. but, finally i had it all finished.
i read the initial e-mail one more time to make sure i didn't miss anything, and figured out there was another 'type' which needed to be sorted. it hadn't been apparent on first read, so i quickly ran down a different report to get the appropriate data, which took awhile.
FINALLY. i had everything finished, i had checked and rechecked to make sure no one was left out, and i sent the report on its way.
the next day the big boss came in saying something wasn't right with the report. i looked at her with shock and trepidation -- how could that be? i looked at her computer and she showed me what she was talking about.
that damn excel program! each of the six files had tabs at the bottom of the worksheet and i hadn't even noticed them! so each of the files opened in either one or the other tab and that accounted for the discrepancies. dammit! dammit! how had i missed that?
she asked if i had checked to make sure i hadn't left anyone out, and i said i had double- and triple-checked and if it turned out i had missed someone i was going to tender my resignation right then.
so she had me call the gal in the central office to see if the gal needed me to redo the report with any other data. as i talked with her it turned out she not only didn't need the report redone with more data, it was pretty obvious she could have gotten along without having the report done in the first place. kinda irritating, since it took me a lot of time over a couple of days with putting off other of my work to get this frivolous report done.
regardless, i really hated missing those tabs. especially since the big boss saw it. damned excel. damned, damned excel. mutter, mutter, mumble, mumble, mumble...
the big boss had me do a consolidation of six reports into two last week. it was in excel, which is my least favorite program in the universe, and i needed to put everything together, then sort it, which isn't a task i've done very often.
i laboriously did it, fighting to make everything the same so it would sort correctly. i mean, what were these people doing? some of the information was in caps, some of it was missing descriptions, some of it was in inverse order -- those slackers! and it all needed to be the same so it would sort correctly and i had to take the time to redo everything. but, finally i had it all finished.
i read the initial e-mail one more time to make sure i didn't miss anything, and figured out there was another 'type' which needed to be sorted. it hadn't been apparent on first read, so i quickly ran down a different report to get the appropriate data, which took awhile.
FINALLY. i had everything finished, i had checked and rechecked to make sure no one was left out, and i sent the report on its way.
the next day the big boss came in saying something wasn't right with the report. i looked at her with shock and trepidation -- how could that be? i looked at her computer and she showed me what she was talking about.
that damn excel program! each of the six files had tabs at the bottom of the worksheet and i hadn't even noticed them! so each of the files opened in either one or the other tab and that accounted for the discrepancies. dammit! dammit! how had i missed that?
she asked if i had checked to make sure i hadn't left anyone out, and i said i had double- and triple-checked and if it turned out i had missed someone i was going to tender my resignation right then.
so she had me call the gal in the central office to see if the gal needed me to redo the report with any other data. as i talked with her it turned out she not only didn't need the report redone with more data, it was pretty obvious she could have gotten along without having the report done in the first place. kinda irritating, since it took me a lot of time over a couple of days with putting off other of my work to get this frivolous report done.
regardless, i really hated missing those tabs. especially since the big boss saw it. damned excel. damned, damned excel. mutter, mutter, mumble, mumble, mumble...
Saturday, October 11, 2008
vingnette ~ The 11th Planet, chapter 3
He tossed his backpack and duffel in the skimmer and headed out of town. Might as well do some exploring, he thought.
It was only three years ago that settlers had come to this planet. The terrain was flat, rocky, dusty, and fairly inhospitable. After quite a bit of searching, the first settlers founded a community in the only logical place -- right over a vast chamber of water which only stretched about five miles across, but was deeper than they could estimate.
With a little bit of construction here, hydroseeding there, and adjusting to the local peculiarities, a base of about 1500 people had materialized and settled in -- give or take 20 or 30 in any given week, the difference being travelers and visitors. The planet was positioned as a good stopping point and had finally been added to most of the runs in this solar system.
In spite of the fact that almost all of the planet was very unfriendly, Mark’s curiosity had gotten the better of him and he had loaded up with enough supplies to stay away from the town for at least four days. He had sophisticated travel gear in his backpack, so there was no worry about getting lost or not making it back to town, and as he glided on out he started a rudimentary cataloging and mapping system to help him make sense of the sameness.
The skimmer smoothed along as he checked the area ... rocks here, rocks there, rocks, rocks, rocks. But the sun was warm, the temperature a steady 48 degrees, and the isolation soothing to his soul.
Damn that mess at headquarters! But unless a miracle occurred and he found out who had sabotaged him, it wouldn’t do any good to replay the horrors he’d faced. What was done was done and he was light-years away from all that malignance. He forcibly reminded himself there was no way they could trace his location, wormholes being undependable that way, and he dragged his attention back to the rocks.
Taking a deep breath, he studied what was ahead. There actually is variety in the landscape, he realized after several hours. What looked like simply a pile of rocks at first, eventually became recognizable as a crescent-shaped pile or an amorphous-shaped pile, a lateral pile, a steep pile or a pyramidal pile. There was never variation on the rest of it though -- no vegetation or life-forms, and never any water. There was no soil either, the gritty surface varying from small pebbles to large stones, without any uniformity or shape to the overall design.
But finally, after he’d been exploring and observing for about eight hours, it occurred to him that there actually was order to the placement of the crescent-shaped rock piles. He had kept to an easterly path all day and eventually noticed the crescent rock piles, or cressies as he had begun thinking of them, showed up at a regular rate. Sometimes they were off to the left of the skimmer and sometimes off to the right, but they were definitely more prevalent than any of the other formations.
He decided to check out one such formation about the same time he realized it was time to eat some supper. He swung over to the rocks, circled them slowly so as to make sure there were no surprises around, although he couldn’t imagine what would pass for a surprise in this desolation, then stopped the skimmer just outside the crescent area.
He ate and mulled over the possibilities that the placement of these rocks did not seem to be random. Yet if they weren’t random, that meant purpose, and purpose meant intelligence, and he’d never yet heard of an intelligent rock.
Grinning, he remembered that his grandfather invariably had to remind him that the universe was much more complex and diverse than we could ever imagine. Mark, everything you can see is just the beginning. There are things out there you can’t see, sounds you can’t hear, and wonders you can’t imagine. As long as you stay open to possibilities, you just may realize those things are there when they appear in front of your nose.
Thinking about his grandfather made him sad, then mad, as his thoughts segued to Hilson and the mess he’d ended up in. Sighing, he jerked his thoughts back to the rocks and finished his meal.
When he cleaned up and put everything away, he left the skimmer and walked to the center of the crescent. They were actually pretty rocks up close. From three feet away he could see blue and green in the fissures of the rocks, and occasionally a deep purple.
He chuckled. I haven’t enjoyed looking at rocks since I was a kid, he mused, and shook his head at himself. Gingerly dropping to his knees, he was reaching out to touch the rock when he realized there was a lateral opening in the center of the crescent. He hadn’t noticed it before, which seemed astonishing because now that he could see it, it was obvious. It was about two inches high and ran across the center of the formation for about two feet.
He moved his hand toward the opening and felt cool air. That’s a surprise ... I wonder what’s down there? Then he moved his hand above the cool air and touched the rock. It was warm and almost soft and, oddly enough, made him feel ... happy. Whoa, that’s weird, but as he withdrew his hand, the area where he was kneeling collapsed inward, throwing him down on the inside of the rock.
It was only three years ago that settlers had come to this planet. The terrain was flat, rocky, dusty, and fairly inhospitable. After quite a bit of searching, the first settlers founded a community in the only logical place -- right over a vast chamber of water which only stretched about five miles across, but was deeper than they could estimate.
With a little bit of construction here, hydroseeding there, and adjusting to the local peculiarities, a base of about 1500 people had materialized and settled in -- give or take 20 or 30 in any given week, the difference being travelers and visitors. The planet was positioned as a good stopping point and had finally been added to most of the runs in this solar system.
In spite of the fact that almost all of the planet was very unfriendly, Mark’s curiosity had gotten the better of him and he had loaded up with enough supplies to stay away from the town for at least four days. He had sophisticated travel gear in his backpack, so there was no worry about getting lost or not making it back to town, and as he glided on out he started a rudimentary cataloging and mapping system to help him make sense of the sameness.
The skimmer smoothed along as he checked the area ... rocks here, rocks there, rocks, rocks, rocks. But the sun was warm, the temperature a steady 48 degrees, and the isolation soothing to his soul.
Damn that mess at headquarters! But unless a miracle occurred and he found out who had sabotaged him, it wouldn’t do any good to replay the horrors he’d faced. What was done was done and he was light-years away from all that malignance. He forcibly reminded himself there was no way they could trace his location, wormholes being undependable that way, and he dragged his attention back to the rocks.
Taking a deep breath, he studied what was ahead. There actually is variety in the landscape, he realized after several hours. What looked like simply a pile of rocks at first, eventually became recognizable as a crescent-shaped pile or an amorphous-shaped pile, a lateral pile, a steep pile or a pyramidal pile. There was never variation on the rest of it though -- no vegetation or life-forms, and never any water. There was no soil either, the gritty surface varying from small pebbles to large stones, without any uniformity or shape to the overall design.
But finally, after he’d been exploring and observing for about eight hours, it occurred to him that there actually was order to the placement of the crescent-shaped rock piles. He had kept to an easterly path all day and eventually noticed the crescent rock piles, or cressies as he had begun thinking of them, showed up at a regular rate. Sometimes they were off to the left of the skimmer and sometimes off to the right, but they were definitely more prevalent than any of the other formations.
He decided to check out one such formation about the same time he realized it was time to eat some supper. He swung over to the rocks, circled them slowly so as to make sure there were no surprises around, although he couldn’t imagine what would pass for a surprise in this desolation, then stopped the skimmer just outside the crescent area.
He ate and mulled over the possibilities that the placement of these rocks did not seem to be random. Yet if they weren’t random, that meant purpose, and purpose meant intelligence, and he’d never yet heard of an intelligent rock.
Grinning, he remembered that his grandfather invariably had to remind him that the universe was much more complex and diverse than we could ever imagine. Mark, everything you can see is just the beginning. There are things out there you can’t see, sounds you can’t hear, and wonders you can’t imagine. As long as you stay open to possibilities, you just may realize those things are there when they appear in front of your nose.
Thinking about his grandfather made him sad, then mad, as his thoughts segued to Hilson and the mess he’d ended up in. Sighing, he jerked his thoughts back to the rocks and finished his meal.
When he cleaned up and put everything away, he left the skimmer and walked to the center of the crescent. They were actually pretty rocks up close. From three feet away he could see blue and green in the fissures of the rocks, and occasionally a deep purple.
He chuckled. I haven’t enjoyed looking at rocks since I was a kid, he mused, and shook his head at himself. Gingerly dropping to his knees, he was reaching out to touch the rock when he realized there was a lateral opening in the center of the crescent. He hadn’t noticed it before, which seemed astonishing because now that he could see it, it was obvious. It was about two inches high and ran across the center of the formation for about two feet.
He moved his hand toward the opening and felt cool air. That’s a surprise ... I wonder what’s down there? Then he moved his hand above the cool air and touched the rock. It was warm and almost soft and, oddly enough, made him feel ... happy. Whoa, that’s weird, but as he withdrew his hand, the area where he was kneeling collapsed inward, throwing him down on the inside of the rock.
coincidental events
My Older Son and daughter-in-law had an unusual experience earlier this week. she had emergency surgery for an ectopic pregnancy. they didn't even know she was pregnant until the morning of the surgery. she'd been having some bleeding, then started feeling a lot of pain. after seeing several doctors, they admitted her, and decided to do the surgery that afternoon.
she lost about 5 liters of blood (it had collected in her abdominal area), but they got the situation under control and she came home the next day. her mom went over to stay and help out.
the grandaughter's first birthday party is sunday (the birthday is really monday) and dau-in-law still wanted to have it, so we're heading down tomorrow. it will be fun and if dau-in-law needs to rest that won't be a problem.
the grandaughter is getting big and is into everything. she's a smart little puppy and i expect that won't change. they're going to need to be on their toes to keep up with her.
since they hadn't realized about the pregnancy, it wasn't traumatic to lose the baby. a friend told me that the same time dau-in-law was having her experience, my friend's son and girlfriend (who was 5 months along) lost their baby. s and r were very upset about it and since the baby was beyond 20 weeks old, a funeral service needed to be involved. they handled the whole thing in a very spiritual way which i loved hearing about. s is a very sensitive young man and i figure he will work through the experience just fine. i haven't met r, but i'm sure she's a lovely person -- a perfect complement to a wonderful young man. it just wasn't their time yet.
and the universe marches on.
she lost about 5 liters of blood (it had collected in her abdominal area), but they got the situation under control and she came home the next day. her mom went over to stay and help out.
the grandaughter's first birthday party is sunday (the birthday is really monday) and dau-in-law still wanted to have it, so we're heading down tomorrow. it will be fun and if dau-in-law needs to rest that won't be a problem.
the grandaughter is getting big and is into everything. she's a smart little puppy and i expect that won't change. they're going to need to be on their toes to keep up with her.
since they hadn't realized about the pregnancy, it wasn't traumatic to lose the baby. a friend told me that the same time dau-in-law was having her experience, my friend's son and girlfriend (who was 5 months along) lost their baby. s and r were very upset about it and since the baby was beyond 20 weeks old, a funeral service needed to be involved. they handled the whole thing in a very spiritual way which i loved hearing about. s is a very sensitive young man and i figure he will work through the experience just fine. i haven't met r, but i'm sure she's a lovely person -- a perfect complement to a wonderful young man. it just wasn't their time yet.
and the universe marches on.
once-a-year
for our annual trip this year, mary and i went to port townsend. i had this thing about wanting to ride the train, so i took amtrak from bellingham to edmonds, got off, met mary, got in her car, drove around the block to get in line for ferry tickets, and 10 minutes later we were on the ferry which, nicely, is right-next-door to the amtrak station. thirty minutes later we got off the ferry and took a lovely 30 minute drive to port townsend. life doesn't get any better than that.
we stayed at fort worden which is a big, beautiful campus with old buildings, some of which are for admin purposes, and some of which are rentable -- duplexes, little houses, rv and tent sites, and a hostel.
we stayed in a little house which had a kitchen, living room, bathroom with shower and towels, and three bedrooms. the kitchen was fully equipped, all we needed to bring was the food.
the weather was perfect -- sunny and around 70*. we checked out the whole fort worden area including the castle (a three-story stone house which can be rented but has only 1 bedroom), the lighthouse, and the observation balloon building. the balloon building was a real stumper -- it is about 3-stories tall with huge doors on one end and several balconies on one side. we finally found the info which explained it was used to house observation balloons for three years back around 1918 and that it is now a pavilion. no further explanation, however, as to whether it's used or rentable or what. very curious building.
we shopped in port townsend (the fort is on the outskirts of town) which has lots of wonderful shops and eateries. there was a health food store for provisions and a goodwill for books.
our favorite eating places were Victorian Square Deli (underground) and the Landfall Restaurant with a gorgonzola and carmelized onion burger which is absolutely to die for!!!
i decided i really liked the town and when i came home i told the husband i thought we should move there. he readily agreed. so as soon as this housing market shows some energy, we will revisit the issue and get serious about maybe making a change. i expect it to be no sooner than 2-3 years, though.
an excellent vacation and one which recharged our batteries. yay for girlfriend get-aways!
overheardinnewyork
Man: Hey, is that postcard in 3D?
Woman: Nope. It's just normal d.
Student #1: Yeah, but for Christmas break I'm gonna be in South Carolina.
Student #2: Really? I'm gonna be in North Carolina! Maybe we'll run into each other!
Thug #1: Nigga, you all old-like 'n shit. You be like, sixteen goin' on sixty.
Thug #2: Me?! Nigga, you got that shit all backwards. Look at Jerome. He be sixteen goin' on dead.
Father, to five-year-old son: I had no idea you liked AC/DC!
Mother, to son in stroller watching two shady characters: Oh, a drug deal! Sam, your first drug deal encounter.
Girl #1: Oh my god, he is *so* hot!
Girl #2: That's a woman!
Girl #1: Oh my god! Does that make me gay? Am I gay?
Woman: Nope. It's just normal d.
Student #1: Yeah, but for Christmas break I'm gonna be in South Carolina.
Student #2: Really? I'm gonna be in North Carolina! Maybe we'll run into each other!
Thug #1: Nigga, you all old-like 'n shit. You be like, sixteen goin' on sixty.
Thug #2: Me?! Nigga, you got that shit all backwards. Look at Jerome. He be sixteen goin' on dead.
Father, to five-year-old son: I had no idea you liked AC/DC!
Mother, to son in stroller watching two shady characters: Oh, a drug deal! Sam, your first drug deal encounter.
Girl #1: Oh my god, he is *so* hot!
Girl #2: That's a woman!
Girl #1: Oh my god! Does that make me gay? Am I gay?
Thursday, October 09, 2008
poor yorick
hello again!
i don't know how it ends up that i have no time, but it's true. i need to tell you about my trip with my girlfriend, but it's time for me to get ready for work so ... alas.
i have another vignette i need to put in, but no time ... alas.
and i have other details i need to impart, but ... alas.
and it doesn't look like it's going to get a lot better. but i will try. for now -- the trip was great, the vignette is two-parts, my daughter-in-law had emergency surgery for an ectopic pregnancy and they hadn't even know she was pregnant but she's fine now, i'm getting a new computer, my grandaughter's first birthday is next monday, and i know there are more things which, of course, i can't think of now.
later.
alas.
i don't know how it ends up that i have no time, but it's true. i need to tell you about my trip with my girlfriend, but it's time for me to get ready for work so ... alas.
i have another vignette i need to put in, but no time ... alas.
and i have other details i need to impart, but ... alas.
and it doesn't look like it's going to get a lot better. but i will try. for now -- the trip was great, the vignette is two-parts, my daughter-in-law had emergency surgery for an ectopic pregnancy and they hadn't even know she was pregnant but she's fine now, i'm getting a new computer, my grandaughter's first birthday is next monday, and i know there are more things which, of course, i can't think of now.
later.
alas.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
coming right up
the girlfriend and i are taking our annual trip this weekend. we used to be gone for a week, but we're both so popular these days that it has been cut back. friday i'm taking the train south and when i get off the train i'll head next door to the ferry, meet her, and off we'll go into the wild blue. then we'll head back to civilization on monday, do some final things, and go our separate ways.
i expect to have a lovely time with lots of catching up, eating of wonderful foods, reading, and touristing.
next agenda: scotland!
i expect to have a lovely time with lots of catching up, eating of wonderful foods, reading, and touristing.
next agenda: scotland!
Monday, September 22, 2008
astro-physics man
My Younger Son had his quals today. they're a very big deal. he did an excellent job of preparing himself for the ordeal and came through with flying colors! he was only stumped by one question out of the many the four advisors asked and he felt really good about the whole experience.
i am soooooooo proud of him! and for him, too!
now it's onward and upward to his ph.d. he's got about six projects in the mill and when he gets them finished, he'll be close to the prize.
isn't he excellent?!
i am soooooooo proud of him! and for him, too!
now it's onward and upward to his ph.d. he's got about six projects in the mill and when he gets them finished, he'll be close to the prize.
isn't he excellent?!
Saturday, September 20, 2008
today is ...
Mmmmmmm, i smell the smell of home-made bread, fresh from the bread maker. the loaf is filled with sesame seeds, flax, pearl millet, oats, pecans, cranberries, cherries, and cinnamon. delicious!!!
it's a lazy day today. raining, cool, quiet. the thermostat is set on 50* and it's about 65* right now. i'm comfortable with a couple of silk turtlenecks, a polartec vest, and polartec pants. this weather is just my style!!
the husband hired a young friend to install an awning over our west-facing window. the window is huge (58" by 52") and in the summer it lets in LOTS of light. and heat. so with the awning, we'll still have lots of sky-view, but the sun will have less entrance into the kitchen. it looks great and i think it will work nicely.
our next project will be to put a pergola on the deck. we found plans for a lovely-looking one and are anxious to get the project started. when that's finished we hope to plant some bushes strategically so as to maximize the privacy of our small yard. i think it's all going to turn out great.
it's a lazy day today. raining, cool, quiet. the thermostat is set on 50* and it's about 65* right now. i'm comfortable with a couple of silk turtlenecks, a polartec vest, and polartec pants. this weather is just my style!!
the husband hired a young friend to install an awning over our west-facing window. the window is huge (58" by 52") and in the summer it lets in LOTS of light. and heat. so with the awning, we'll still have lots of sky-view, but the sun will have less entrance into the kitchen. it looks great and i think it will work nicely.
our next project will be to put a pergola on the deck. we found plans for a lovely-looking one and are anxious to get the project started. when that's finished we hope to plant some bushes strategically so as to maximize the privacy of our small yard. i think it's all going to turn out great.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
make-up
heads up -- clinique is having their twice-yearly gift-with-purchase in bellingham at macy's october 12-26.
Monday, September 08, 2008
teeth, 2
and so while i was at the dentist office, they mentioned doing that test where they slide this super-sharp needle under your fingernails, i mean under your gums so they can take this mysterious measurement to see if you are having any gum disease.
that frickin' test hurts. i hate it. i don't want it. i told them so. they were unhappy/nervous. i love my dentist though, and she came in to talk with me about the whole thing saying it was something that was supposed to be done yearly, and that it had been three years since it had been done, and i asked who made this law or rule, and she said lawyers.
well, shit. so we talked a little longer and reached a compromise and went ahead with the test. as it turns out it was a good thing to have done. if a person gets 1, 2, or 3 with this test, that is normal. if they get a 4, that is a warning. if they get a 5, that means there is the grumblings of dental disease starting and measures need to be taken. i actually had several 5s.
considering how much trouble i take with my teeth, 5s is astonishing. i brush every day (sonicare) and sometimes twice, i floss at least twice a day, and i use that little rubber-tipped thingy to go around my gums while i'm sitting and reading.
so the hygienist told me about this little bristly toothpick thingy. i like it and bought a bunch. key-ryst ... i don't know what else i can do about these teeth.
but back to my original point -- there's a law or rule which says someone can invade your body against your will????? when did that rule get made? and how in the holy hell did the american public let it happen? that is so disgusting i can hardly sit still. it majorly pisses me off. and to my way of thinking, it is much, much worse than the motorcycle helmet law.
that frickin' test hurts. i hate it. i don't want it. i told them so. they were unhappy/nervous. i love my dentist though, and she came in to talk with me about the whole thing saying it was something that was supposed to be done yearly, and that it had been three years since it had been done, and i asked who made this law or rule, and she said lawyers.
well, shit. so we talked a little longer and reached a compromise and went ahead with the test. as it turns out it was a good thing to have done. if a person gets 1, 2, or 3 with this test, that is normal. if they get a 4, that is a warning. if they get a 5, that means there is the grumblings of dental disease starting and measures need to be taken. i actually had several 5s.
considering how much trouble i take with my teeth, 5s is astonishing. i brush every day (sonicare) and sometimes twice, i floss at least twice a day, and i use that little rubber-tipped thingy to go around my gums while i'm sitting and reading.
so the hygienist told me about this little bristly toothpick thingy. i like it and bought a bunch. key-ryst ... i don't know what else i can do about these teeth.
but back to my original point -- there's a law or rule which says someone can invade your body against your will????? when did that rule get made? and how in the holy hell did the american public let it happen? that is so disgusting i can hardly sit still. it majorly pisses me off. and to my way of thinking, it is much, much worse than the motorcycle helmet law.
teeth, 1
i went last thursday to have my teeth cleaned. before i have that done, i always have to take four pills (antibiotics) because i have lymphedema although i'm not sure what the connection is. anyhow, this time when i swallowed the pills, something didn't go down right and i got this really bad pain in my chest. it would come and go throughout the day and it was always very uncomfortable. it was still there the next day. and the next. and the next.
here it is four days later and that pain hasn't quiiiiite disappeared. between feeling that pain if i'd swallow a bite or take a drink of water, and having a burp present itself at the most mysterious times, i really don't want to take any more pills.
i've lost five pounds though. i mean, who wants to eat something and feel pain with every swallow?!
here it is four days later and that pain hasn't quiiiiite disappeared. between feeling that pain if i'd swallow a bite or take a drink of water, and having a burp present itself at the most mysterious times, i really don't want to take any more pills.
i've lost five pounds though. i mean, who wants to eat something and feel pain with every swallow?!
Friday, September 05, 2008
i spy
counterintelligence is alive and well. check this out (edit below):
The U.S. Commerce Department's security office warns that "a cellular telephone can be turned into a microphone and transmitter for the purpose of listening to conversations in the vicinity of the phone." An article in the Financial Times last year said mobile providers can "remotely install a piece of software on to any handset, without the owner's knowledge, which will activate the microphone even when its owner is not making a call."
Nextel and Samsung handsets and the Motorola Razr are especially vulnerable to software downloads that activate their microphones, said James Atkinson, a counter-surveillance consultant who has worked closely with government agencies. "They can be remotely accessed and made to transmit room audio all the time," he said. "You can do that without having physical access to the phone."
honestly, i'm all for whatever it takes to get the bad guys, but ... what the hell?! civil liberties!
The U.S. Commerce Department's security office warns that "a cellular telephone can be turned into a microphone and transmitter for the purpose of listening to conversations in the vicinity of the phone." An article in the Financial Times last year said mobile providers can "remotely install a piece of software on to any handset, without the owner's knowledge, which will activate the microphone even when its owner is not making a call."
Nextel and Samsung handsets and the Motorola Razr are especially vulnerable to software downloads that activate their microphones, said James Atkinson, a counter-surveillance consultant who has worked closely with government agencies. "They can be remotely accessed and made to transmit room audio all the time," he said. "You can do that without having physical access to the phone."
honestly, i'm all for whatever it takes to get the bad guys, but ... what the hell?! civil liberties!
Monday, September 01, 2008
revenge
a very good friend of mine mentioned recently that she has an aquaintance who has herpes. i don't know how long she's had it, but she was pissed when she found out she'd gotten it and now she's sleeping with every guy she can talk into going to bed with her -- without telling him about her condition.
yes, i'm sure she's very angry about having contracted the disease, but i'm appalled at her irresponsible behavior and complete disregard for everyone else. in fact, if there were some way to turn her into authorities and legal justification for it, i would do it.
sure, everyone has to be careful about sex these days, but for her to sweet-talk someone into bed with the express purpose of getting back at men? that's disgraceful and immoral and i wish it were punishable. a month in jail with daily appts with a counselor, for starters. this is one sick chick.
yes, i'm sure she's very angry about having contracted the disease, but i'm appalled at her irresponsible behavior and complete disregard for everyone else. in fact, if there were some way to turn her into authorities and legal justification for it, i would do it.
sure, everyone has to be careful about sex these days, but for her to sweet-talk someone into bed with the express purpose of getting back at men? that's disgraceful and immoral and i wish it were punishable. a month in jail with daily appts with a counselor, for starters. this is one sick chick.
my weekend
don't you just love three-day weekends? you have an extra day to just do whatever you want. except they somehow fill up and you may or may not get to just lay around and do nothing. but still .... three days!
we went to see the grandaughter yesterday. she's growing so quickly. and cute!! she is adorable! and smart!! she is walking by herself (took off at 9 1/2 months) and saying words (she's 10 1/2 months now) like mama, dada, and lamp! they aren't crystal-clear yet, but by the time they are she may be reading the dictionary.
i simply cannot wait to see what she decides to do as an adult!
we went to see the grandaughter yesterday. she's growing so quickly. and cute!! she is adorable! and smart!! she is walking by herself (took off at 9 1/2 months) and saying words (she's 10 1/2 months now) like mama, dada, and lamp! they aren't crystal-clear yet, but by the time they are she may be reading the dictionary.
i simply cannot wait to see what she decides to do as an adult!
Sunday, August 31, 2008
life
there are times when i wish the hubby and i had the same body-clock. i mean, he's a morning person and i'm a night person.
he wakes up all jouncy-bouncy-boy and i'm block-of-mud-girl. he hums, whistles, sings as he practically skips around the house. i stay tucked into myself trying to keep the world away, including sunshine, noises, and any form of cheerfulness.
in the evening i'm ready to PAR-TAY, run marathons, lead the charge, etc. he has faded into a gentle willow-the-wisp, droop-eyed, the switch almost turned to off.
i can't help but wonder what our lives would be like if we were on the same schedule.
he wakes up all jouncy-bouncy-boy and i'm block-of-mud-girl. he hums, whistles, sings as he practically skips around the house. i stay tucked into myself trying to keep the world away, including sunshine, noises, and any form of cheerfulness.
in the evening i'm ready to PAR-TAY, run marathons, lead the charge, etc. he has faded into a gentle willow-the-wisp, droop-eyed, the switch almost turned to off.
i can't help but wonder what our lives would be like if we were on the same schedule.
milestones
my mother, Betty Rose, was born on this day eighty-two years ago. she died in january, 1988.
i still miss her.
i still miss her.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
food for the tummy
i made soup today! yummy!
it has: bacon, barley, basmati rice, onions, garlic, beets (beet, stem, and leaf), swiss chard (stem and leaf), carrots, tomato sauce, mushrooms, and radishes.
our weather this summer has been pretty excellent and i love it that i can have home-made soup in august!
it has: bacon, barley, basmati rice, onions, garlic, beets (beet, stem, and leaf), swiss chard (stem and leaf), carrots, tomato sauce, mushrooms, and radishes.
our weather this summer has been pretty excellent and i love it that i can have home-made soup in august!
number ple-yuz
well, this will be interesting. i've been fed up with verizon for more than a year and have diddled around trying to figure out which service to switch to. try as i did, i couldn't summon up any answers.
today i just happened to be glancing through the aarp bulletin (i have never looked at it before in all the years we've been getting it) and saw an ad for Consumer Cellular. the thing that caught my eye was that it doesn't insist on a contract. (there was also an ad for jitterbug cellular, but when i looked at them online i was very UNimpressed.)
so i went online to check it out and liked what i saw. one of the nicest things is that i don't have to call verizon to cancel my service and put up with them trying to talk me out of it. i just switch the number over to CC and it magically happens.
sure, it may turn out i don't like the phone i got (it's nokia which i already know i do like) or we may have a problem with service, but we'll see. i've got 30 days/30 minutes to make up my mind.
the monthly plan is 200 minutes for $19 with 100 texting messages for $2.38 (a 5% aarp discount is figured in -- when i gave them aaa as a reference, i didn't get ANY discount).
it may not be the best deal in the world, and i just remembered it doesn't have a camera, but, really -- how many times did i use the camera with verizon. not very often. and if i like the service i think i'm going to be happy with the phone. that will be a nice change.
p.s. the replacement battery for this new phone is half (ONE HALF) what it cost from verizon.
today i just happened to be glancing through the aarp bulletin (i have never looked at it before in all the years we've been getting it) and saw an ad for Consumer Cellular. the thing that caught my eye was that it doesn't insist on a contract. (there was also an ad for jitterbug cellular, but when i looked at them online i was very UNimpressed.)
so i went online to check it out and liked what i saw. one of the nicest things is that i don't have to call verizon to cancel my service and put up with them trying to talk me out of it. i just switch the number over to CC and it magically happens.
sure, it may turn out i don't like the phone i got (it's nokia which i already know i do like) or we may have a problem with service, but we'll see. i've got 30 days/30 minutes to make up my mind.
the monthly plan is 200 minutes for $19 with 100 texting messages for $2.38 (a 5% aarp discount is figured in -- when i gave them aaa as a reference, i didn't get ANY discount).
it may not be the best deal in the world, and i just remembered it doesn't have a camera, but, really -- how many times did i use the camera with verizon. not very often. and if i like the service i think i'm going to be happy with the phone. that will be a nice change.
p.s. the replacement battery for this new phone is half (ONE HALF) what it cost from verizon.
Saturday, August 23, 2008
what i love
there are some really great artists who have their music played on Groovera and one of the most recent excellent artists is Ulrich Schnauss. every single one of his tunes which has played on Groovera has been superlative! his music is sort of in the style of Joey Fahrenbach, Jeff Woodall, and Delerium.
Excellent music from all four, wonderful, very talented artists/groups!!!!!
Excellent music from all four, wonderful, very talented artists/groups!!!!!
progress...
my work area is a reception area, complete with several two-minute chairs (you can only sit in them for two minutes before you need to get up and walk around), a couple of counters, some reading material, an office hallway, a door to a conference room, and a window to the main hallway upon which the elevator opens. the window starts about waist-high and goes up about three feet.
at any rate, the other day one of the officers i talk with poked his head in the front door and asked if i'd seen the escalator they'd put in out there in the hall. 'what?' i asked, amazed. 'i'll show you,' he said and turned and got on the down escalator whereby he smoothly traveled down past the window. in short order he came back up the escalator as i was laughing my head off.
he stuck his head back in and said, 'they put in an elevator, too,' and stood behind the window, reading an imaginary book, and descended. pretty quickly, still reading the same book, he ascended back to our floor.
it was hilarious and i am going to have to ask him to do it again the next time i see him!
at any rate, the other day one of the officers i talk with poked his head in the front door and asked if i'd seen the escalator they'd put in out there in the hall. 'what?' i asked, amazed. 'i'll show you,' he said and turned and got on the down escalator whereby he smoothly traveled down past the window. in short order he came back up the escalator as i was laughing my head off.
he stuck his head back in and said, 'they put in an elevator, too,' and stood behind the window, reading an imaginary book, and descended. pretty quickly, still reading the same book, he ascended back to our floor.
it was hilarious and i am going to have to ask him to do it again the next time i see him!
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
z-z-z-z-z ...
and since i've been so busy at work, i've been dreaming like crazy at night.
last night i had a bunch of dreams, one of which involved living in a different house. it was a nice older neighborhood with nice wooden houses and nice yards. i don't remember much except that we lived in the third house from the corner, then my dream went somewhere else, then the dream went back and i had switched to living in the house on the corner. i couldn't figure out what had happened, but i liked the one on the corner better. and i didn't like the guy who was in the middle. i think i dreamed about the house because i had been looking at houses for sale in anchorage and found this absolutely darling house with a big yard on a corner. the problem was that it sat in an area which had a lot of businesses around it. too bad.
the next dream i had was the husband and myself going back to work as air traffic controllers. i can't remember what facility we were at, but after working one airplane, i decided i didn't want to be a controller after all. i wanted to be an instructor. then i woke up.
last night i had a bunch of dreams, one of which involved living in a different house. it was a nice older neighborhood with nice wooden houses and nice yards. i don't remember much except that we lived in the third house from the corner, then my dream went somewhere else, then the dream went back and i had switched to living in the house on the corner. i couldn't figure out what had happened, but i liked the one on the corner better. and i didn't like the guy who was in the middle. i think i dreamed about the house because i had been looking at houses for sale in anchorage and found this absolutely darling house with a big yard on a corner. the problem was that it sat in an area which had a lot of businesses around it. too bad.
the next dream i had was the husband and myself going back to work as air traffic controllers. i can't remember what facility we were at, but after working one airplane, i decided i didn't want to be a controller after all. i wanted to be an instructor. then i woke up.
elegant professionalism
this has been a busy time at work -- the big boss has hosted a two-day conference which means that donna bobonna and i have been taking care of getting the table set up, the food put together and laid out, and cleaning things up to get the next layout in place.
sheesh! it's been stressful and exhausting. this is only the second one of these i've been involved in and i'm glad it doesn't happen very often. got there early yesterday, stayed late yesterday in addition to the day before. my mind can't get into my other work because i have to keep being aware of the timeframe/do the next thing on this conference.
ah well -- this afternoon it will be over. donna bobonna and i will take our tablecloths, platters, bowls, flowers, napkins, placemats, and other pretties back home and relax. but the next time i'm at value village i'm going to see if there are platters/tablecloths/etc which would do that i can just leave at work rather than toting my things around.
like i said, it hasn't been horrible, just stressful. and i think if i did it often enough i'd get good at it. i'm just not sure i want to be good at it.
sheesh! it's been stressful and exhausting. this is only the second one of these i've been involved in and i'm glad it doesn't happen very often. got there early yesterday, stayed late yesterday in addition to the day before. my mind can't get into my other work because i have to keep being aware of the timeframe/do the next thing on this conference.
ah well -- this afternoon it will be over. donna bobonna and i will take our tablecloths, platters, bowls, flowers, napkins, placemats, and other pretties back home and relax. but the next time i'm at value village i'm going to see if there are platters/tablecloths/etc which would do that i can just leave at work rather than toting my things around.
like i said, it hasn't been horrible, just stressful. and i think if i did it often enough i'd get good at it. i'm just not sure i want to be good at it.
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
just yanked that sucker out
well, that was interesting. my dental extraction was this morning. i got there in plenty of time and read while i waited for my 10:45 appt. then they took me back and the assistant talked with me about a couple of things, put some numbing gel in my mouth, and leaned me back a bit.
the doctor came in and said hello, looked in my mouth, then took the syringe in hand. remember in the old days when the doctors would shoot you full of novocaine, how it used to hurt when they'd give you the shot? this was like that. (it was septocaine, i think) the shot on the outside of my tooth caused me to flinch *owwie*, then he reached in to the inside side and gave me that *goddamnsonofa* shot and then he was done. it was pretty quick but yuck! the inside shot was no fun.
then he took his dental tool, grasped my tooth, gently wrestled it around a little, and voila! it was out! took about 90 seconds! apparently the tooth was being rejected by my body which helped it come out. i couldn't believe it had come out in one piece, but he got all of it and didn't even need to place any stitches. he left for other adventure, the assistant gave me the speel about not swishing/spitting/drinking with straws, gave me a handful of gauze, and sent me on my way. i was driving home by 11:30.
yes, i'm glad it was easy. no, i didn't like the shots. yes, i'm glad the trouble-making tooth is gone. no, i don't like having a tooth gone. yes, i know that life isn't fair.
honestly, bits and pieces of me are just disappearing into the past.
the doctor came in and said hello, looked in my mouth, then took the syringe in hand. remember in the old days when the doctors would shoot you full of novocaine, how it used to hurt when they'd give you the shot? this was like that. (it was septocaine, i think) the shot on the outside of my tooth caused me to flinch *owwie*, then he reached in to the inside side and gave me that *goddamnsonofa* shot and then he was done. it was pretty quick but yuck! the inside shot was no fun.
then he took his dental tool, grasped my tooth, gently wrestled it around a little, and voila! it was out! took about 90 seconds! apparently the tooth was being rejected by my body which helped it come out. i couldn't believe it had come out in one piece, but he got all of it and didn't even need to place any stitches. he left for other adventure, the assistant gave me the speel about not swishing/spitting/drinking with straws, gave me a handful of gauze, and sent me on my way. i was driving home by 11:30.
yes, i'm glad it was easy. no, i didn't like the shots. yes, i'm glad the trouble-making tooth is gone. no, i don't like having a tooth gone. yes, i know that life isn't fair.
honestly, bits and pieces of me are just disappearing into the past.
Monday, August 11, 2008
and that's the truth, by crackey!
my life has been very full lately. so full, in fact, that i haven't had a bit of time to devote to my volunteer job with Groovera. :( -- very frowny face!
the last thing to come up is i have a cracked tooth. a part of it came apart about three years ago, so my dentist put a crown on it and it worked fine. then it was giving me trouble so she did a root canal and it worked fine. now it appears to have a crack up into the root which means it needs to come out. the oral surgeon mentioned today that a tooth which has had a root canal can be brittle, and that must have contributed to the crack. it's been soooo uncomfortable that i just want it out. and so wednesday my wish will be granted. it's a fairly minor tooth (#4 -- upper right, toward the back) so he's just going to deaden it rather than do the whole iv/sedation thing. thank god.
the last thing to come up is i have a cracked tooth. a part of it came apart about three years ago, so my dentist put a crown on it and it worked fine. then it was giving me trouble so she did a root canal and it worked fine. now it appears to have a crack up into the root which means it needs to come out. the oral surgeon mentioned today that a tooth which has had a root canal can be brittle, and that must have contributed to the crack. it's been soooo uncomfortable that i just want it out. and so wednesday my wish will be granted. it's a fairly minor tooth (#4 -- upper right, toward the back) so he's just going to deaden it rather than do the whole iv/sedation thing. thank god.
Saturday, August 09, 2008
a slight difference
i got this video from MYS and since i know you probably don't check out his website as often as i do, i wanted to give you an opportunity to see this video before it disappears into the milieu of the past. i was sooooooooo pulling for the guy at the end.
fun and games
my youngest bro sent me a fun time-waster the other day. just click on the ball and see it change color.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
yelpie-yi-yo-ki-yay
hey, do you guys already know about yelp? i just discovered it today and signed up. mainly so i can write reviews on restaurants. i also wrote one on my dentist, who i really like.
finally you can complain/compliment someone or a place. hopefully the comments are true and not just blather.
so .... did you already know about it?
finally you can complain/compliment someone or a place. hopefully the comments are true and not just blather.
so .... did you already know about it?
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
the old and the new
my co-worker, Mr. Billy GG, decided to start his own blog. if you're interested in reading the rants and ramblings of an old, opinionated, irish dude, go here. personally, i think he's going to get tired of it real fast, but we'll see. he has some good thoughts as well as some which are way out there. and it won't be hard to figure out that he's a republican.
we're off to see the wizard...
today was m's last day at work. she's moving to north dakota which is closer to her roots as well as her family.
my boss, patty cake, had several weeks ago asked me to come up with some decorating ideas, and since we were combining the going-away party with a potato salad throw down which someone decided should be a competition, she asked me to come up with a voting booth.
a voting booth?? for days i tried to figure out what kind of voting booth, how big, made of what, etc. and finally i came up with the perfect solution. i got some gauzy old curtains and hot-glue gunned them to an old wide-brimmed hat .... voila! instant voting booth!
i was so pleased with my solution since it was light-weight as well as extremely portable. when i showed it to patty cake yesterday, she was stunned. but not because she was awed by my great idea -- she was stunned because she had meant for me to come up with a voting box. something to put the votes in.
well, shit.
anyhow, i wish m the best in her new position, new town, and new friends. new adventures are always exciting.
my boss, patty cake, had several weeks ago asked me to come up with some decorating ideas, and since we were combining the going-away party with a potato salad throw down which someone decided should be a competition, she asked me to come up with a voting booth.
a voting booth?? for days i tried to figure out what kind of voting booth, how big, made of what, etc. and finally i came up with the perfect solution. i got some gauzy old curtains and hot-glue gunned them to an old wide-brimmed hat .... voila! instant voting booth!
i was so pleased with my solution since it was light-weight as well as extremely portable. when i showed it to patty cake yesterday, she was stunned. but not because she was awed by my great idea -- she was stunned because she had meant for me to come up with a voting box. something to put the votes in.
well, shit.
anyhow, i wish m the best in her new position, new town, and new friends. new adventures are always exciting.
Friday, July 25, 2008
yummy, yummy, yummy, i got love in my tummy
i ordered some very cool things and they finally arrived today. one of them is a pan which gives you a lot more sides when you make brownies...
i can't wait to try it! i mean, if you're going to run up the tab on calories, you might as well make them totally delicious!
and then i saw a thing i just couldn't resist:
these little cupcake holders are darling! they're silicone so you just pour the mixture in them, put them on the cookie sheet and bake -- then you have to be creative enough to add the icing faces. i'm not that much for cake, but i can't wait to try these!
we got a couple more things (little dishes you can chop things into, then moosh the sides together so it won't spill when you pour the stuff out; little butter-holder thingys so you can butter your corn-on-the-cob without the butter falling off your knife) but trying to get the pictures on here is just too much trouble.
tGif
god, i'm beat. this has seemed like a long week, i still am trying to lose the cough i acquired when i started taking some new blood pressure medicine (which gave me this cough problem), my hand has been a little puffy all week, and i've got this tooth which i think has died. it aches a little bit all the time and has started extending the pain toward my ear and up my head. but it comes and goes (the pain, not my head), so maybe i can make it until tuesday when the dentist will be able to look at it. i think it's going to have to come out. actually, right now i WANT it out! it's just really uncomfortable.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
grease is the word
Mr. Billy GG at work is letting his hair grow. it's a tad bit bald on top surrounded by grey and pretty white hairs. it's below his collar these days, with lots of bounce and turning under of the ends, and i keep telling him he needs to put it in a pony tail. i think he's reluctant to torque off the big boss by doing that, so he just wears it shaggy. i think it would look great in a pony tail. maybe it just needs to get a little bit longer before he gets up the nerve.
the other day i convinced him to let me put it in a pony tail while we were talking in the mailroom. i gathered it back and tried to put the rubber band on without pulling his hair, and one of the chiefs chose that moment to walk through. she saw what we were doing and gave me a look like, 'oh it's just the girls braiding each other's hair again', shook her head and walked on. hahahahaha....
it just needs to get a little bit longer.
the other day i convinced him to let me put it in a pony tail while we were talking in the mailroom. i gathered it back and tried to put the rubber band on without pulling his hair, and one of the chiefs chose that moment to walk through. she saw what we were doing and gave me a look like, 'oh it's just the girls braiding each other's hair again', shook her head and walked on. hahahahaha....
it just needs to get a little bit longer.
a wonder to behold
we had company last weekend -- the grandaughter and her parents came up. she is just so adorable! she's got a great smile and is just delightful. and i think she's pretty strong-willed, too. if we hold her hands so she can walk around, if she wants to go a different direction she just turns her head and shoulders and expects you to go with her. kind of a reverse powering steering option. hard to explain, but really funny to experience!
i can't wait to see what she's like when she's grown! a space pilot? a professor of alien artifacts? director of a galactic battalion? she's a pretty smart cookie for 9 months -- we shall see!
i can't wait to see what she's like when she's grown! a space pilot? a professor of alien artifacts? director of a galactic battalion? she's a pretty smart cookie for 9 months -- we shall see!
Friday, July 18, 2008
the river is smooth
the crisis has been resolved. m will be going to her new job.
her roommate finally commited to moving with her, therefore they were able to afford a house which was out of m's bracket (by herself). the lease was faxed and signed, so no one should be able to come in and get it before she gets there.
this is a relief for everyone. m, because she can move forward with her life; slim jim, because he can move forward with learning his new job (m's old stuff); billy goat gruff, because he won't have to stress anymore about new changes reverting back to old ways; me, because everything is falling into place for everyone.
life is good!
her roommate finally commited to moving with her, therefore they were able to afford a house which was out of m's bracket (by herself). the lease was faxed and signed, so no one should be able to come in and get it before she gets there.
this is a relief for everyone. m, because she can move forward with her life; slim jim, because he can move forward with learning his new job (m's old stuff); billy goat gruff, because he won't have to stress anymore about new changes reverting back to old ways; me, because everything is falling into place for everyone.
life is good!
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
one ringy dingy ...
do you pay any attention to the issue of cell phone radiation? apparently the federal communications commission has stats about which cell phones leak the most and the least radio frequency energy, and they are continuing research into whether this is a cancer-causing problem.
the five most problematic phones so far (according to their 'sar' -- specific absorption rate): motorola v195s, motorola slvr l6, motorola slvr l2, motorola w385, blackberry curve 8330. if you have one of those phones, throw it out the window.
the five least problematic phones: lg kg800, motorola razr v3x, nokia 9300, nokia n90, samsung sgh-g800. if you have one of those phones, you are a clever person.
the five most problematic phones so far (according to their 'sar' -- specific absorption rate): motorola v195s, motorola slvr l6, motorola slvr l2, motorola w385, blackberry curve 8330. if you have one of those phones, throw it out the window.
the five least problematic phones: lg kg800, motorola razr v3x, nokia 9300, nokia n90, samsung sgh-g800. if you have one of those phones, you are a clever person.
trying to go with the flow...
one of the gals from my small group at work is in a real bind right now. she bid on a job in grand forks, north dakota and got it. it's a good step up for her -- gets her back to the part of the country where her family is and boosts her up a couple of pay grades.
the problem? as it turns out grand forks has a dearth of rental units. there's an air force base just outside of town. there is a university in town. and a flood wiped out a bunch of housing just a couple of years ago. once the college kids descend in mid-summer, there's no pot left to ... well, you know.
she flew out there last week, planning on looking at some units she had arranged to see. by the time she got there, they were gone. tacky on their part. she has two dogs and isn't willing to part with them so her options become even more limited.
when she was talking with me about it today, she started crying. i felt so bad. this is a gal who has faith and believes 'what will be will be' but her stress level had taken her to the breaking point. i just hope things work out for her -- i think she would be happy being back in the midwest.
the problem? as it turns out grand forks has a dearth of rental units. there's an air force base just outside of town. there is a university in town. and a flood wiped out a bunch of housing just a couple of years ago. once the college kids descend in mid-summer, there's no pot left to ... well, you know.
she flew out there last week, planning on looking at some units she had arranged to see. by the time she got there, they were gone. tacky on their part. she has two dogs and isn't willing to part with them so her options become even more limited.
when she was talking with me about it today, she started crying. i felt so bad. this is a gal who has faith and believes 'what will be will be' but her stress level had taken her to the breaking point. i just hope things work out for her -- i think she would be happy being back in the midwest.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
curious
ah ... *ahem* ... excuse me, but what's the deal with the latest piercing thing? i've seen ears with this conical thing in the piercing and wondered, wha? then i heard someone say that people have started piercing like they do in africa, where they keep enlarging the hole until it's humongous.
i mean, eeuuuwwww. when they take the decoration out, the hole just hangs there in all its largeness.
uh ..... why?
i mean, eeuuuwwww. when they take the decoration out, the hole just hangs there in all its largeness.
uh ..... why?
Saturday, July 12, 2008
oui, oui!
our front door is on the east side of the house and we have french doors on the south side. there's also a large patio outside the french doors and we finally decided to have convertible french doors installed outside the regular french doors. the convertible ones have full-screens which can be replaced with full-glass when it starts to get colder.
we are happy with the result. it looks nice and allows a nice air exchange.
we've toyed with putting in air conditioning, but two (both) of the people we've had give us an estimate have pushed hard for a heat pump. we rented a duplex in the 70's which had a heat pump and hated it! i've never heard anyone say they loved their heat pump, although they surely have changed for the better in the last 30 years. if our weather keeps being fairly nice, i'm really going to drag my feet about the a/c conundrum. maybe we'll get lucky and have to wait another year before we are again presented with hot, humid wx.
up with frenchy screeny doors. down (or at least level) with heat pumps. so sayeth the not-quite-informed.
we are happy with the result. it looks nice and allows a nice air exchange.
we've toyed with putting in air conditioning, but two (both) of the people we've had give us an estimate have pushed hard for a heat pump. we rented a duplex in the 70's which had a heat pump and hated it! i've never heard anyone say they loved their heat pump, although they surely have changed for the better in the last 30 years. if our weather keeps being fairly nice, i'm really going to drag my feet about the a/c conundrum. maybe we'll get lucky and have to wait another year before we are again presented with hot, humid wx.
up with frenchy screeny doors. down (or at least level) with heat pumps. so sayeth the not-quite-informed.
from someone at work
things that are difficult to say when drunk:
innovative; preliminary; proliferation; cinnamon
things that are very difficult to say when drunk:
specificity; anti-constitutionalistically; passive-aggressive disorder; transubstantiate
things that are downright impossible to say when drunk:
thanks, but i don't want to have sex; nope, no more booze for me; sorry, but you're not really my type; taco bell? no thanks, i'm not hungry; good evening, officer. isn't it lovely out tonight?; oh, i couldn't! no one wants to hear me sing karaoke; i'm not interested in fighting you; thank you, but i won't make any attempt to dance, i have no coordination. i'd hate to look like a fool; where is the nearest bathroom? i refuse to pee in this parking lot or on the side of the road; i must be going home now, as i have to work in the morning.
innovative; preliminary; proliferation; cinnamon
things that are very difficult to say when drunk:
specificity; anti-constitutionalistically; passive-aggressive disorder; transubstantiate
things that are downright impossible to say when drunk:
thanks, but i don't want to have sex; nope, no more booze for me; sorry, but you're not really my type; taco bell? no thanks, i'm not hungry; good evening, officer. isn't it lovely out tonight?; oh, i couldn't! no one wants to hear me sing karaoke; i'm not interested in fighting you; thank you, but i won't make any attempt to dance, i have no coordination. i'd hate to look like a fool; where is the nearest bathroom? i refuse to pee in this parking lot or on the side of the road; i must be going home now, as i have to work in the morning.
lovely day; crime doesn't pay
oooooh, happy day! it's 65* in the house right now. i'm having the first cup of tea i've had in ages, the sky is blue, the sun is shining, the air is still, and the neighborhood is quiet. it's just lovely!
i meant to tell you about some excitement we had on thursday. a trucker came from canada to cross the border. he was in the 'fast' lane (free and secure trade) which means he had submitted to a background check and screening to allow him quicker crossing. truckers can get 'fast', people can get 'nexus'.
at any rate, the truck was empty, had cruised through the traffic, and pulled up to the checkpoint. it just so happened the officer who was at this particular checkpoint always sent empty trucks through the vacis (the x-ray area) -- it was this officer's own quirk. then when the truck was x-rayed, something showed up.
the trucker had to pull over to another area and a drug dog was brought. it alerted to trouble and additional officers checked in more depth. secret compartments were found which turned up 22 bags of cash -- $1s, $10s, $20s, and $50s. later that night, after being sorted with two counting machines, the total came out to $1,130,080. that's the biggest currency seizure ever in our area.
the big boss was back east during this time, but her big boss just happened to be visiting for a meeting and got to be present when this was going down. our local paper has an article, along with an article in a tacoma paper, and a seattle paper police blog. there are undoubtedly more, but those give the details.
the money was destined for the los angeles area for the purchasing of drugs which would then be taken back to canada and sold for quite a bit more. i imagine the guy who put up the money is a little ticked-off right now.
i meant to tell you about some excitement we had on thursday. a trucker came from canada to cross the border. he was in the 'fast' lane (free and secure trade) which means he had submitted to a background check and screening to allow him quicker crossing. truckers can get 'fast', people can get 'nexus'.
at any rate, the truck was empty, had cruised through the traffic, and pulled up to the checkpoint. it just so happened the officer who was at this particular checkpoint always sent empty trucks through the vacis (the x-ray area) -- it was this officer's own quirk. then when the truck was x-rayed, something showed up.
the trucker had to pull over to another area and a drug dog was brought. it alerted to trouble and additional officers checked in more depth. secret compartments were found which turned up 22 bags of cash -- $1s, $10s, $20s, and $50s. later that night, after being sorted with two counting machines, the total came out to $1,130,080. that's the biggest currency seizure ever in our area.
the big boss was back east during this time, but her big boss just happened to be visiting for a meeting and got to be present when this was going down. our local paper has an article, along with an article in a tacoma paper, and a seattle paper police blog. there are undoubtedly more, but those give the details.
the money was destined for the los angeles area for the purchasing of drugs which would then be taken back to canada and sold for quite a bit more. i imagine the guy who put up the money is a little ticked-off right now.
Sunday, July 06, 2008
blast from the past
the husband sent me some pix of old cars -- i forgot about them until just now. aren't they cool?! or at least ... interesting?!
'38 Buick...
'41 Chrysler...
'51 Buick...
'51 Chrysler...
'54 Dodge...
'38 Buick...
'41 Chrysler...
'51 Buick...
'51 Chrysler...
'54 Dodge...
Saturday, July 05, 2008
old times
remember the bear and cat game? it's been forever since i played that ....
http://www.zeronews-fr.com/flash/bearandcat.php
http://www.zeronews-fr.com/flash/bearandcat.php
stuff on my cat/mutt
Be honest...does this shirt make my head look big?
Put that tongue back-in young man!
Did I steal the car and go to Dairy Queen? Nope, you've got the wrong guy.
Next time... just let me stay dirty.
surfing
i haven't visited this web site in a long time -- http://www.overheardinnewyork.com/
I Still Think She Was Just Fat from Eating
Woman #1 - “She wastes so much time at work. Did you ever notice she eats lunch, like, every day?”
Woman #2 - “Yeah, and do you really have to take maternity leave?”
I Can Feel My Pores Loosening Again
Girl to friend (smiling) - “I am so happy to have gone to the spa!”
Angry preacher passing by (screaming) - “You are all going to hell!”
Girl to friend (no longer smiling) - “I didn't need to hear that.”
We Heart This Guy
Awkward Japanese teacher - “So you guys use text messages, right? Like... L-O-L?”
(students look confused)
(awkward Japanese teacher laughs)
Student, proudly - “I know: L-O-L sensei!”
Awkward Japanese teacher - “Oh em gee.”
We Don't Serve That Here
Customer - “A hot coffee, please.”
Cashier - “Huh?”
Suit - “I think you would really like As Good As It Gets.”
Woman - “Is that the one with Jennifer Aniston?”
Suit - “No, it's Helen Keller.”
I Still Think She Was Just Fat from Eating
Woman #1 - “She wastes so much time at work. Did you ever notice she eats lunch, like, every day?”
Woman #2 - “Yeah, and do you really have to take maternity leave?”
I Can Feel My Pores Loosening Again
Girl to friend (smiling) - “I am so happy to have gone to the spa!”
Angry preacher passing by (screaming) - “You are all going to hell!”
Girl to friend (no longer smiling) - “I didn't need to hear that.”
We Heart This Guy
Awkward Japanese teacher - “So you guys use text messages, right? Like... L-O-L?”
(students look confused)
(awkward Japanese teacher laughs)
Student, proudly - “I know: L-O-L sensei!”
Awkward Japanese teacher - “Oh em gee.”
We Don't Serve That Here
Customer - “A hot coffee, please.”
Cashier - “Huh?”
Suit - “I think you would really like As Good As It Gets.”
Woman - “Is that the one with Jennifer Aniston?”
Suit - “No, it's Helen Keller.”
take a break
i get such a kick out of Improv Everywhere and had actually forgotten about them until i was scanning my blog entries today.
take a look at the pants-less gag -- i giggled and giggled. the mobile desktop was kinda funny and i loved the music with the brooklyn bridge flash thingy. go here for more vids.
and for sheer laughs, check this out. yes, i know i've had it on before, but it just really tickles me.
if you like to see little babies, go here.
and if you like mysterious cats, go here.
enjoy!!!
take a look at the pants-less gag -- i giggled and giggled. the mobile desktop was kinda funny and i loved the music with the brooklyn bridge flash thingy. go here for more vids.
and for sheer laughs, check this out. yes, i know i've had it on before, but it just really tickles me.
if you like to see little babies, go here.
and if you like mysterious cats, go here.
enjoy!!!
nice day
we went over to our friends' house last night for a 4th of july party. they have a lovely view and their neighbors and other friends all congregated on the large deck. it was very enjoyable. we left at about 8:15 (hubby was sleepy and needed to get up for work the next day) and it was still daylight. the husband went right to bed when we got home and i read for about 30 minutes, then took to the sheets myself. i heard the fireworks for awhile, but i must have been so tired, that when i crashed, i didn't hear anything else until my 2:30 a.m. potty break.
My Older Son, wife, and baby were going to the in-laws for celebrating, i think. and MYS was surely doing something with his soon-to-move-away sweetie.
it didn't rain on us and all-in-all it was a nice day! life is good!
My Older Son, wife, and baby were going to the in-laws for celebrating, i think. and MYS was surely doing something with his soon-to-move-away sweetie.
it didn't rain on us and all-in-all it was a nice day! life is good!
Friday, July 04, 2008
all the news....
sooooo many things i intended to blog about this week, but time went right on by. and i, therefore, have forgotten all of them so i'm going to ramble and see if anything comes back.
my friend mary put her house on the market. they've moved a lot of their stuff out -- knickknacks, extra clothes, some pieces of furniture -- and with the rearranging and general sprucing, their place looks lovely and HUGE. if there are buyers on the market, it shouldn't take them long to sell. good luck, mary!!
this month was 'berry' month at our regular bring-food-to-work lunch. i always hate these things because i've never enjoyed cooking, and since i have so many other interests now and so little time, i begrudge doing the lunch thing. but, trooper that i am, i do try to bestir myself to do something. i bought blueberries and raspberries, washed and culled through them, then added them to a mixture of creamy cool whip, sour cream, and cherry yogurt. it was so delish!!! and how could it not be, eh?!!
and you know that dish which has mandarin oranges, coconut, nuts, other berries, in a creamy pink mixture? ambrosia or something? oh my god. one of the good guys (i really like him and he's such a sweetheart) brought this in and even though i was pretty sure i wouldn't like it, he was expecting everyone to love it, so i put a large dab on my plate. and ate most of it. and smiled. and somehow managed to not gag and throw up in front of everyone. i absolutely hate that stuff and even after i had downed most of it and secretly thrown the rest away, my mouth remembered that taste for at least three hours.
it's been hell here with the temps the last 8 or 9 days. our weather is usually so mild, even the cold isn't bad. but hot is hot everywhere. it was 78 or a few degrees more in the house, and 80s and low 90s outside. i wilt very quickly. and when my body gets hot, my lymphedema instantly gives me trouble. it's already bothering me because of allergies, so the heat just makes me double cranky. but finally the temp dropped into the 70s. the humidity is right on the verge of being a problem though.
and today is the 4th. we're supposed to go to a 'do' this evening, but the forecast is rain. the get-together will be nice, but we're going to be ready to go home hours before anyone else -- we're just not get-together-and-stay-up-late people. but we may surprise ourselves. we're open to surprises.
never did remember what i wanted to say. does this mean i'm a bullshitter?
my friend mary put her house on the market. they've moved a lot of their stuff out -- knickknacks, extra clothes, some pieces of furniture -- and with the rearranging and general sprucing, their place looks lovely and HUGE. if there are buyers on the market, it shouldn't take them long to sell. good luck, mary!!
this month was 'berry' month at our regular bring-food-to-work lunch. i always hate these things because i've never enjoyed cooking, and since i have so many other interests now and so little time, i begrudge doing the lunch thing. but, trooper that i am, i do try to bestir myself to do something. i bought blueberries and raspberries, washed and culled through them, then added them to a mixture of creamy cool whip, sour cream, and cherry yogurt. it was so delish!!! and how could it not be, eh?!!
and you know that dish which has mandarin oranges, coconut, nuts, other berries, in a creamy pink mixture? ambrosia or something? oh my god. one of the good guys (i really like him and he's such a sweetheart) brought this in and even though i was pretty sure i wouldn't like it, he was expecting everyone to love it, so i put a large dab on my plate. and ate most of it. and smiled. and somehow managed to not gag and throw up in front of everyone. i absolutely hate that stuff and even after i had downed most of it and secretly thrown the rest away, my mouth remembered that taste for at least three hours.
it's been hell here with the temps the last 8 or 9 days. our weather is usually so mild, even the cold isn't bad. but hot is hot everywhere. it was 78 or a few degrees more in the house, and 80s and low 90s outside. i wilt very quickly. and when my body gets hot, my lymphedema instantly gives me trouble. it's already bothering me because of allergies, so the heat just makes me double cranky. but finally the temp dropped into the 70s. the humidity is right on the verge of being a problem though.
and today is the 4th. we're supposed to go to a 'do' this evening, but the forecast is rain. the get-together will be nice, but we're going to be ready to go home hours before anyone else -- we're just not get-together-and-stay-up-late people. but we may surprise ourselves. we're open to surprises.
never did remember what i wanted to say. does this mean i'm a bullshitter?
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