I am fighting off a cold. I am tired. I am going to bed now.
So today's blog post is just to let y'all know that tonight was spent in more research - into potential travel destinations and into potential credit card options.
Tomorrow, I will wake up healthy, wealthy, and wise (and up for a better daily challenge)......right?
16 December 2008
Dalmatian Coast Daydreamin'
With the end of the year financial statements at work, I will now have enough money (and enough vacation time) to entertain the possibility of two trips abroad in 2009. (YES!) So now the big questions are when and where. Since I no longer am tied to a school schedule and my workload is fairly regular (no real peaks and valleys in work flow), I can travel pretty much any time of the year, so long as I give advance notice.
In our conversations on Monday, my Love and I were talking about potential travel plans, again. We daydream a lot, together and separately, about where we want to travel when I go to visit him. We started kicking around possibilities and narrowed down our list to start with:
Thus, Monday's challenge was to smother my temptation to start doing any research while at work, instead of focusing on the horrendous database reconciliations I've been working on. Once I got home from work though, I quickly set up flight watches to see where and when the best flight deals are (looking at March or April), and I pulled out my Lonely Planet guide to help the scheming. If anyone has any travel suggestions, I'd love to hear them.
In our conversations on Monday, my Love and I were talking about potential travel plans, again. We daydream a lot, together and separately, about where we want to travel when I go to visit him. We started kicking around possibilities and narrowed down our list to start with:
Thus, Monday's challenge was to smother my temptation to start doing any research while at work, instead of focusing on the horrendous database reconciliations I've been working on. Once I got home from work though, I quickly set up flight watches to see where and when the best flight deals are (looking at March or April), and I pulled out my Lonely Planet guide to help the scheming. If anyone has any travel suggestions, I'd love to hear them.
14 December 2008
Seven Sins
Well-rested after Saturday's very lazy day, I felt good enough to do my usual Sunday brunch and dinner with a friend. As I puttered around the apartment in between brunch and dinner, I felt snatches of guilt come creeping in for not doing anything on Saturday.
So, I pulled a book off my shelf, dusted it off, and proceeded to re-read it to remind myself....it is okay to not feel guilty.
Sometimes, you need a reminder.
I try to live my life by this philosophy: "When you die, God and the angels will hold you accountable for all the pleasures you were allowed in life that you denied yourself."
Now, that philosophy doesn't mean take pleasure to excess; it just means, take time for yourself.
Roger Housden wrote a book called Seven Sins for a Life Worth Living. I highly recommend it. Some of you will take it to heart like I have, others may only find a few tidbits to consider; just the same, you won't waste your time reading it.
According to Housden, the Seven Sins for a Life Worth Living are:
So, I pulled a book off my shelf, dusted it off, and proceeded to re-read it to remind myself....it is okay to not feel guilty.
Sometimes, you need a reminder.
I try to live my life by this philosophy: "When you die, God and the angels will hold you accountable for all the pleasures you were allowed in life that you denied yourself."
Now, that philosophy doesn't mean take pleasure to excess; it just means, take time for yourself.
Roger Housden wrote a book called Seven Sins for a Life Worth Living. I highly recommend it. Some of you will take it to heart like I have, others may only find a few tidbits to consider; just the same, you won't waste your time reading it.
According to Housden, the Seven Sins for a Life Worth Living are:
- The Pleasure of All Five Senses: Really take advantage of all the sensory pleasures out there. Feel the sun on your skin. Taste that crisp apple. See the old lady's wrinkled smile. Smell that chocolate pastry. Hear the kids laugh.
- The Pleasure of Being Foolish: It's okay to be foolish and silly at times. But only if you can laugh at yourself during those moments.
- The Pleasure of Not Knowing: Gotta give up your plan for life in order to live the life life has planned for you.
- The Pleasure of Not Being Perfect: Och. Type A personalities everywhere cringe at this, but the man has a point.
- The Pleasure of Doing Nothing: Ahh, pure bliss. And you don't need to be on a beach in Tahiti either.
- The Pleasure of Being Ordinary: Er, um, the one sin I absolutely positively need to learn how to indulge in. I still think I need to live a life less ordinary, and perhaps once I give up that ideal, I will be able to better enjoy the every day.
- The Pleasure of Coming Home: After all, home, wherever it is for you, is where the heart is. Where the heart is, you will find happiness.
Just Say No
I had a long week, topped off by a marathon day on Friday.
No surprise, when I woke up on Saturday, I was feeling under the weather. With that most recent bout of mono fresh in my mind, I opted for a lazy day on the couch.
The challenge? To not succumb to indoctrinated Catholic guilt about not doing a single damn thing all day. Normally, I'd feel guilty enough to at least get myself to do the dishes or make my bed or go out for a bite to eat when I have a lazy day (and still manage to feel guilty for not doing more). Not Saturday.
I reveled in the pure pleasure of taking lots of catnaps, watching horrible movies, and shamelessly web surfing. Sure, snatches of guilt snuck in, but I'd quickly put a stop to that.
No surprise, when I woke up on Saturday, I was feeling under the weather. With that most recent bout of mono fresh in my mind, I opted for a lazy day on the couch.
The challenge? To not succumb to indoctrinated Catholic guilt about not doing a single damn thing all day. Normally, I'd feel guilty enough to at least get myself to do the dishes or make my bed or go out for a bite to eat when I have a lazy day (and still manage to feel guilty for not doing more). Not Saturday.
I reveled in the pure pleasure of taking lots of catnaps, watching horrible movies, and shamelessly web surfing. Sure, snatches of guilt snuck in, but I'd quickly put a stop to that.
Don't Take It for Granted
I recently mentioned how thankful I was for modern technology enabling me to hear.
On Wednesday, modern technology reminded me that there are still limits to what it can do.
My cochlear implant broke. It is made of two pieces so that one piece can be unscrewed and plugged into a computer for program upgrades. Those two pieces had been loose for sometime now. It just got to be a little too loose. (To the point where if my glasses wriggled, my implant would turn itself off)
Low tech temporary solution? A creatively placed band aid to hold the two pieces together until a replacement unit could come in.
On Friday afternoon, I went in to the doctors to get the replacement piece. It takes me about an hour and a half one way to get there (stupid public transportation....or a $20 cab ride, no thanks). We were able to quickly get the replacement unit up and running at the same levels as the band-aid one. However, since I was already there, we decided to go ahead and boost the levels a bit more.
Boosting the program levels enables me to hear more sounds as I get used to a level. It's a tedious process to program though - what's the quietest I can consistently hear a beep, what's the loudest I can stand a beep, what sounds like I can adjust to and what sounds like it will continue to be unbearable even with time? All said, a 20 minute appointment morphed into just short of a 2.5 hour appointment (and that's a short one for us!).
Despite wearing a working cochlear implant for 10 years now, I'm still amazed at how much these sessions wear me out. It's hard work training to your ears to learn how to hear all over again, which, in a nutshell, is what happens every time I boost the programs.
Although this break-down was more irritating than anything, it was a reminder to not take my modern technology or my living in an advanced society for granted. It could have been a lot worse - I could have spent several days without hearing while I waited for a replacement part (not fun) or I could have been somewhere where I would have been unable to get a replacement so quickly. Sometimes, the stars just align and you luck out, and I need to make sure I thank my lucky stars.
On Wednesday, modern technology reminded me that there are still limits to what it can do.
My cochlear implant broke. It is made of two pieces so that one piece can be unscrewed and plugged into a computer for program upgrades. Those two pieces had been loose for sometime now. It just got to be a little too loose. (To the point where if my glasses wriggled, my implant would turn itself off)
Low tech temporary solution? A creatively placed band aid to hold the two pieces together until a replacement unit could come in.
On Friday afternoon, I went in to the doctors to get the replacement piece. It takes me about an hour and a half one way to get there (stupid public transportation....or a $20 cab ride, no thanks). We were able to quickly get the replacement unit up and running at the same levels as the band-aid one. However, since I was already there, we decided to go ahead and boost the levels a bit more.
Boosting the program levels enables me to hear more sounds as I get used to a level. It's a tedious process to program though - what's the quietest I can consistently hear a beep, what's the loudest I can stand a beep, what sounds like I can adjust to and what sounds like it will continue to be unbearable even with time? All said, a 20 minute appointment morphed into just short of a 2.5 hour appointment (and that's a short one for us!).
Despite wearing a working cochlear implant for 10 years now, I'm still amazed at how much these sessions wear me out. It's hard work training to your ears to learn how to hear all over again, which, in a nutshell, is what happens every time I boost the programs.
Although this break-down was more irritating than anything, it was a reminder to not take my modern technology or my living in an advanced society for granted. It could have been a lot worse - I could have spent several days without hearing while I waited for a replacement part (not fun) or I could have been somewhere where I would have been unable to get a replacement so quickly. Sometimes, the stars just align and you luck out, and I need to make sure I thank my lucky stars.
11 December 2008
Pay to Play
Among the other interests Mb and I share, we seem to have a similar love of books. Now that Mb is done with our grad program (finally!), she's rediscovered the love of reading a book for sheer pleasure. I recall the many, many books I devoured about this time last year myself.
So when Mb recommended The Red Tent by Anita Diamant, I knew I had to read it. I quickly requested a copy from the library and it arrived today. I stopped on my way home from work to pick it up, since I knew there was no way I was going back out in this rain.
Once I got home though, I realized I really needed to do the dishes and a quick pick-up of my apartment. It wasn't quite messy just yet, but at that point where, without a quick pick-up, it would rapidly descend into a mess that would take much longer to clean later.
So, as much as I wanted to just curl up on the couch for the evening, I forced myself to spend a half hour or so getting the apartment back into shape. Now I've been reading for hours and have already gotten totally addicted to the book.
So when Mb recommended The Red Tent by Anita Diamant, I knew I had to read it. I quickly requested a copy from the library and it arrived today. I stopped on my way home from work to pick it up, since I knew there was no way I was going back out in this rain.
Once I got home though, I realized I really needed to do the dishes and a quick pick-up of my apartment. It wasn't quite messy just yet, but at that point where, without a quick pick-up, it would rapidly descend into a mess that would take much longer to clean later.
So, as much as I wanted to just curl up on the couch for the evening, I forced myself to spend a half hour or so getting the apartment back into shape. Now I've been reading for hours and have already gotten totally addicted to the book.
Working Hard for the Money
My company uses laptops. Most of the time, necessary updates are easily done by the IT staff through patches. However, once in a blue moon, they need to get their hands on the actual laptop itself. Since IT staff works the same hours the employees do, the end result is that the employee has to give up the laptop during working hours.
Now, in theory, there are backup laptops I can borrow for the day when I drop off my computer for mandatory upgrades. In reality, those things are as broken as Russia's democratic system. Thus, I had two options - 1) come in to work late and/or take some leave, or 2) work off the grid until the upgrades were complete.
Since I have PLANS for my leave, yesterday I opted for number two. For the last few days, I started putting aside anything that could be done without a computer, and printed off massive amounts of paper so I would have everything I could possibly need to finish those projects.
I was surprised by how productive I was without constant email and internet distractions. I was also surprised by how many gaps were in some of the projects because I couldn't look something in up in another file, an email, or online. After about four hours, I started bugging the IT guys..."how much longer...?" until, finally, at hour five, I could get back online.
Amazing. How did people get any work done before computers and internet?
Now, in theory, there are backup laptops I can borrow for the day when I drop off my computer for mandatory upgrades. In reality, those things are as broken as Russia's democratic system. Thus, I had two options - 1) come in to work late and/or take some leave, or 2) work off the grid until the upgrades were complete.
Since I have PLANS for my leave, yesterday I opted for number two. For the last few days, I started putting aside anything that could be done without a computer, and printed off massive amounts of paper so I would have everything I could possibly need to finish those projects.
I was surprised by how productive I was without constant email and internet distractions. I was also surprised by how many gaps were in some of the projects because I couldn't look something in up in another file, an email, or online. After about four hours, I started bugging the IT guys..."how much longer...?" until, finally, at hour five, I could get back online.
Amazing. How did people get any work done before computers and internet?
09 December 2008
Long Overdue.....All in One
Warning: This post has grown to epically long proportions....read at your own risk.
So at the risk of sounding like a cop-out, today's challenge is simply to get this blog back up to date. So, instead of sitting here for hours trying to draft proper entries for all the days I am behind, here's the down and dirty catch-up.....all in one post:
1) Thanksgiving Day - I am So Blessed
In the midst of all the family bonding, long car rides with extended family members, random dice games, and good home cooked meal I didn't have to cook, I took a few moments to remind myself of the important things in life that I am wholly grateful for. A quick, random sampling:
Holidays and traditions go hand in hand. Sure, sometimes, continuing to honor those traditions is mildly insane, but the good ones are ones that you eagerly look forward to all year. My Mom, my cousin Allie, and I have been getting up early to go shopping on the morning after Thanksgiving for years. We go for the good deals, the gossip, and the gifts (for ourselves, 'natch).
Since the economy is lean this year, and all three of us have tighter finances than we'd like, we kept our shopping in check. That said, I couldn't resist two fabulous bargains for myself: a $140 winter jacket (that I adore) for less than $40, and a pair of brown boots I've been drooling over forever for $60. I told myself that my shopping budget for myself during the entire trip home was a certain, fairly low, limit, and I actually pulled in quite a haul (including a fab cocktail dress for the company banquet) for far less than said self-imposed limit. Yay! 'Tis the season.....
3) Saturday - Lucky Sevens
The other family Thanksgiving tradition is that on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, all the legal females in the family go to the casino. Once again, there's only a small amount of money involved, because it's more about spending time together and having fun. When I go to the casino, I gamble big: I'm all about the penny slots.
The challenge came at the end of the day. My shopping partners in crime from the day before (Mom and my cousin) wanted to check out the casino's gift shop. It's half kitschy crap and half glamorous items to buy with your big winnings. We spied and fell in love with, this adorable little caplet that would look fabulous with that cocktail dress I'd just picked up for the company banquet next month. Between the sale price and my winnings, I would have easily been able to walk out of the store without spending any of my own money. Yet, as much as I adored that caplet, I had already made plans for my winnings and I wanted to utilize those winnings in a good way, so I resisted temptation.
4) Sunday - Should've Been an English Major
Another family tradition, whenever I go home, is to help my bros with schoolwork. I spent quite a bit of time helping PMac edit and revise a term paper on Sunday evening. He had a good start, but needed a lot of help fine-tuning the grammatical structure and dramatically expanding the word limit (two degrees in politics and bs-ing my way through grad school sure came in handy!). My bro and I also both owe a huge thanks to My Love for offering editorial assistance all the way from Albania. This kid better get an A on this paper....
5) Monday - Projecting a Calm Demeanor
Remember that horrendously long work evaluation I toiled so hard on?
Well, turns out I worried about that evaluation needlessly. On Monday, my boss gave me the paper copy of my completed evaluation. He prefers to give his employees 24 hours or so to read over their evaluation before sitting down to discuss with them. Everyone in my suite knew I got the eval back, so it was challenging to project a calm demeanor throughout the day (since gossip spreads like wildfire and my eval is none o' their business). The more I re-read the eval, the harder it became to project such a calm, this-is-an-ordinary-day, demeanor. I was THAT excited.
6) Tuesday - International Customs
I got My Love's Christmas package in the mail today. International flat rate boxes are a certain price so long as the specified package is under 20 pounds. I crammed as much as I could in this package but was worried about the weight. It felt ridiculously heavy, so I made the mailman weigh it for me before he sealed it up. It weighed less than a measly six pounds. Guess I'd have to ship My Love a box of rocks in order to come close to hitting that weight limit in such a small box. Then I had to learn how to fill out the customs form - it involved a lot of questioning the very patient mailman...
7) Wednesday - "It's a Pleasure."
Had the sit-down portion of my work evaluation with the boss. My boss adores me, loves having me on the team, wants to do what it takes to help me advance my career, and keep me with the company for a good long time. In his opinion, I underestimated myself in several key portions of the evaluation, and did actually rate me as "outstanding!"
It felt great to be validated in such a glowing review. It was also great to have the chance to sit down with my boss and be filled in on where I stand with my client, my boss, and my position (watch out: there was a prediction of some great growth for me in the next year), as well as ask some questions I wanted solid answers to.
8) Thursday - "Hope is the Love of Life..."
In my free time these days, I have been obsessed with pretty things. I do the online equivalent of window shopping (what is that called?) and look at pretty clothes, accessories, and home decor. Some things are pretty and meant to be admired. Some things I like but would never want myself. And some things I.Just.Have.to.Have.
Since I'm just window shopping, I bookmark the pretty things I adore. Maybe someday I'll buy them or use the items as inspiration for projects.
I fell in love with a wall hanging the other day. I bookmarked it. I kept coming back to admire it. I knew exactly where I would hang it if I had it (on that bare white wall in my white kitchen). I loved the quote. But I wasn't sure I wanted to spend $20 plus shipping on it plus the cost of finding/creating a fabulous frame for it.
So, digging out what I had around my apartment, I got crafty instead. See what's hanging on my kitchen wall now?
Pretty picture for free.
9) Friday - Gut Instincts
I got an unexpected email during the week. I wasn't thrilled to see the sender's name in my inbox, but I read the email and gave it a few day's consideration.
Almost immediately after reading the email, I knew what I wanted to do. Yet, after a few days and bouncing my possible responses off several people, I came away with the same decision. As my Mom told me during that discussion, "Listen to your gut instincts. You're logical and you've made a logical decision that works best for you." So, instead of playing the normally too-nice girl role I can all too easily fall into, I'm doing what's best for me and listening to my gut instincts.
10) Saturday - Season's Greetings
Got the last of my Christmas cards written and off into the mail!
11) Sunday - Christmas Cheer
Being well aware that my Sunday Brunch crew is all hurting for cash in the holiday season, I started scheming cheap entertainment for us in the past few weeks. While I didn't get any nibbles on my suggestion of ice skating (several hours for under $10!), they all liked the suggestion we make delicious smelling Christmas ornaments. So I gave them a semi-recipe and asked each person to bring one or two of the necessary ingredients. We mixed them up, cut 'em out, gossiped shamelessly and ate junk food while being crafty. The ornaments didn't come out perfectly, but they smell good, and most importantly, we had fun.
Making my pretty Christmas tree smell delicious.
So at the risk of sounding like a cop-out, today's challenge is simply to get this blog back up to date. So, instead of sitting here for hours trying to draft proper entries for all the days I am behind, here's the down and dirty catch-up.....all in one post:
1) Thanksgiving Day - I am So Blessed
In the midst of all the family bonding, long car rides with extended family members, random dice games, and good home cooked meal I didn't have to cook, I took a few moments to remind myself of the important things in life that I am wholly grateful for. A quick, random sampling:
- Love - Being in love and being loved by the one I love.
- Family - Because who else will be there?
- Friends - They keep life interesting, in the best way.
- My Hearing - It's amazing how far modern technology has improved my life.
- Having a secure job in insecure times - 'Nuff said.
- The ability to find something beautiful in every day.
- Internet - And its ability to make this big ole' world a much smaller place.
Holidays and traditions go hand in hand. Sure, sometimes, continuing to honor those traditions is mildly insane, but the good ones are ones that you eagerly look forward to all year. My Mom, my cousin Allie, and I have been getting up early to go shopping on the morning after Thanksgiving for years. We go for the good deals, the gossip, and the gifts (for ourselves, 'natch).
Since the economy is lean this year, and all three of us have tighter finances than we'd like, we kept our shopping in check. That said, I couldn't resist two fabulous bargains for myself: a $140 winter jacket (that I adore) for less than $40, and a pair of brown boots I've been drooling over forever for $60. I told myself that my shopping budget for myself during the entire trip home was a certain, fairly low, limit, and I actually pulled in quite a haul (including a fab cocktail dress for the company banquet) for far less than said self-imposed limit. Yay! 'Tis the season.....
3) Saturday - Lucky Sevens
The other family Thanksgiving tradition is that on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, all the legal females in the family go to the casino. Once again, there's only a small amount of money involved, because it's more about spending time together and having fun. When I go to the casino, I gamble big: I'm all about the penny slots.
The challenge came at the end of the day. My shopping partners in crime from the day before (Mom and my cousin) wanted to check out the casino's gift shop. It's half kitschy crap and half glamorous items to buy with your big winnings. We spied and fell in love with, this adorable little caplet that would look fabulous with that cocktail dress I'd just picked up for the company banquet next month. Between the sale price and my winnings, I would have easily been able to walk out of the store without spending any of my own money. Yet, as much as I adored that caplet, I had already made plans for my winnings and I wanted to utilize those winnings in a good way, so I resisted temptation.
4) Sunday - Should've Been an English Major
Another family tradition, whenever I go home, is to help my bros with schoolwork. I spent quite a bit of time helping PMac edit and revise a term paper on Sunday evening. He had a good start, but needed a lot of help fine-tuning the grammatical structure and dramatically expanding the word limit (two degrees in politics and bs-ing my way through grad school sure came in handy!). My bro and I also both owe a huge thanks to My Love for offering editorial assistance all the way from Albania. This kid better get an A on this paper....
5) Monday - Projecting a Calm Demeanor
Remember that horrendously long work evaluation I toiled so hard on?
Well, turns out I worried about that evaluation needlessly. On Monday, my boss gave me the paper copy of my completed evaluation. He prefers to give his employees 24 hours or so to read over their evaluation before sitting down to discuss with them. Everyone in my suite knew I got the eval back, so it was challenging to project a calm demeanor throughout the day (since gossip spreads like wildfire and my eval is none o' their business). The more I re-read the eval, the harder it became to project such a calm, this-is-an-ordinary-day, demeanor. I was THAT excited.
6) Tuesday - International Customs
I got My Love's Christmas package in the mail today. International flat rate boxes are a certain price so long as the specified package is under 20 pounds. I crammed as much as I could in this package but was worried about the weight. It felt ridiculously heavy, so I made the mailman weigh it for me before he sealed it up. It weighed less than a measly six pounds. Guess I'd have to ship My Love a box of rocks in order to come close to hitting that weight limit in such a small box. Then I had to learn how to fill out the customs form - it involved a lot of questioning the very patient mailman...
7) Wednesday - "It's a Pleasure."
Had the sit-down portion of my work evaluation with the boss. My boss adores me, loves having me on the team, wants to do what it takes to help me advance my career, and keep me with the company for a good long time. In his opinion, I underestimated myself in several key portions of the evaluation, and did actually rate me as "outstanding!"
It felt great to be validated in such a glowing review. It was also great to have the chance to sit down with my boss and be filled in on where I stand with my client, my boss, and my position (watch out: there was a prediction of some great growth for me in the next year), as well as ask some questions I wanted solid answers to.
8) Thursday - "Hope is the Love of Life..."
In my free time these days, I have been obsessed with pretty things. I do the online equivalent of window shopping (what is that called?) and look at pretty clothes, accessories, and home decor. Some things are pretty and meant to be admired. Some things I like but would never want myself. And some things I.Just.Have.to.Have.
Since I'm just window shopping, I bookmark the pretty things I adore. Maybe someday I'll buy them or use the items as inspiration for projects.
I fell in love with a wall hanging the other day. I bookmarked it. I kept coming back to admire it. I knew exactly where I would hang it if I had it (on that bare white wall in my white kitchen). I loved the quote. But I wasn't sure I wanted to spend $20 plus shipping on it plus the cost of finding/creating a fabulous frame for it.
So, digging out what I had around my apartment, I got crafty instead. See what's hanging on my kitchen wall now?
Pretty picture for free.
9) Friday - Gut Instincts
I got an unexpected email during the week. I wasn't thrilled to see the sender's name in my inbox, but I read the email and gave it a few day's consideration.
Almost immediately after reading the email, I knew what I wanted to do. Yet, after a few days and bouncing my possible responses off several people, I came away with the same decision. As my Mom told me during that discussion, "Listen to your gut instincts. You're logical and you've made a logical decision that works best for you." So, instead of playing the normally too-nice girl role I can all too easily fall into, I'm doing what's best for me and listening to my gut instincts.
10) Saturday - Season's Greetings
Got the last of my Christmas cards written and off into the mail!
11) Sunday - Christmas Cheer
Being well aware that my Sunday Brunch crew is all hurting for cash in the holiday season, I started scheming cheap entertainment for us in the past few weeks. While I didn't get any nibbles on my suggestion of ice skating (several hours for under $10!), they all liked the suggestion we make delicious smelling Christmas ornaments. So I gave them a semi-recipe and asked each person to bring one or two of the necessary ingredients. We mixed them up, cut 'em out, gossiped shamelessly and ate junk food while being crafty. The ornaments didn't come out perfectly, but they smell good, and most importantly, we had fun.
Making my pretty Christmas tree smell delicious.
12) Monday - Knowing Where You Come From
I was talking to a coworker about music and the fabulous beats of Motown came into discussion. I started telling my coworker that for all the fabulous music that came out of it, Hitsville, USA is a small house. I Wikipedia'd Hitsville to show my coworker and started reading out loud that Motown moved to LA in the late 60's and then to NY afterwards.
My coworker asked why Motown moved, and I knew that it was because of the 1967 race riots in Detroit, but with my interest piqued, I started clicking Wikipedia links to learn more about the Motor City in all its "glory." I learned about the 1967 riots, what a blind pig is, about the Purple Gang, the mafia in Detroit, and more. I finally had to stop my mini-hometown history lesson simply because it was fascinating and I was in danger of ignoring work that needed to be done. You really do learn something new every day, but it's been a while since I purposely sat down and made sure I learned a few new things.
13) Today - Blog Updates
Lesson learned. If your blog is about daily challenges, you need to blog about those challenges daily. Otherwise, the backpile rapidly becomes overwhelming.
Those of you who have read this epic entry to the bitter end, hugs and kisses to you. Now get back to work!
P.S. - See all the light purple words in this entry? Click on them. Thanks to Mb, I've learned how to add all kinds of cool links.
I was talking to a coworker about music and the fabulous beats of Motown came into discussion. I started telling my coworker that for all the fabulous music that came out of it, Hitsville, USA is a small house. I Wikipedia'd Hitsville to show my coworker and started reading out loud that Motown moved to LA in the late 60's and then to NY afterwards.
My coworker asked why Motown moved, and I knew that it was because of the 1967 race riots in Detroit, but with my interest piqued, I started clicking Wikipedia links to learn more about the Motor City in all its "glory." I learned about the 1967 riots, what a blind pig is, about the Purple Gang, the mafia in Detroit, and more. I finally had to stop my mini-hometown history lesson simply because it was fascinating and I was in danger of ignoring work that needed to be done. You really do learn something new every day, but it's been a while since I purposely sat down and made sure I learned a few new things.
13) Today - Blog Updates
Lesson learned. If your blog is about daily challenges, you need to blog about those challenges daily. Otherwise, the backpile rapidly becomes overwhelming.
Those of you who have read this epic entry to the bitter end, hugs and kisses to you. Now get back to work!
P.S. - See all the light purple words in this entry? Click on them. Thanks to Mb, I've learned how to add all kinds of cool links.
07 December 2008
Gab Fest
My Mom and I took full advantage of being together the day before Thanksgiving. Even though we shared parts of our day with my Dad, or my bros, or my Grandma, for the most part, Mom and I seized the opportunities to hang out and gossip.
And gossip we did.
We also played catch-up on all the news and had a few heart-to-hearts. We talked about my Mom's past, my past, our present, and our hopes for my future, for Mom's future, and for those we love.
While having good conversations with my Mom is never a challenge for me since she is my best friend, it was a bit challenging on Wednesday to ask questions I had not asked before. Mom did a great job of answering the questions I had and providing a little greater insight. It's funny - Mom's always been my best friend, but I feel like as I get older, we grow closer. I'm so glad.
And gossip we did.
We also played catch-up on all the news and had a few heart-to-hearts. We talked about my Mom's past, my past, our present, and our hopes for my future, for Mom's future, and for those we love.
While having good conversations with my Mom is never a challenge for me since she is my best friend, it was a bit challenging on Wednesday to ask questions I had not asked before. Mom did a great job of answering the questions I had and providing a little greater insight. It's funny - Mom's always been my best friend, but I feel like as I get older, we grow closer. I'm so glad.
All Tied Up with String
The Tuesday before Thanksgiving was spent wrapping up projects and ensuring that I would have a smooth return.
I have taken the time to tie up loose ends at work before, but I don't think I've ever done such a comprehensive job of ensuring that everything was either taken care of or that the people involved understood that things would be addressed upon my return.
It made for a busy day, but I was pleased with myself.
I have taken the time to tie up loose ends at work before, but I don't think I've ever done such a comprehensive job of ensuring that everything was either taken care of or that the people involved understood that things would be addressed upon my return.
It made for a busy day, but I was pleased with myself.
Grab and Go
Since my Mom called me a few weeks earlier and started describing all the clothes I had left behind in the Midwest (mostly cold weather gear), I knew I didn't have to pack a lot for my Thanksgiving trip home. Mostly some extra underwear, socks, makeup, and my curling iron. A few extra tops to give myself some options. Very minimal packing required. I probably could have comfortably fit everything into my smallest gym bag and still had room left over.
However, even though I knew this year would probably not yield the enormous hauls of years past, I knew I would still be coming home with loot - from Black Friday shopping and from raiding the shelves at home. I almost inevitably always have some new (to me) movies and books I "borrow" for indefinite periods of time and food that I get from "shopping" in my Mom's pantry. Toss in that haul with the Black Friday shopping successes and the plan to bring back a few sweaters previously left behind, and my standard carry-on suitcase became a must.
Long story short, there's still quite a haul left behind in the Midwest. Mostly books I'm permanently claiming and other random odds and ends. That haul will have to be picked up over Christmas (good thing my Mom's driving me back then! No weight limits!)
However, even though I knew this year would probably not yield the enormous hauls of years past, I knew I would still be coming home with loot - from Black Friday shopping and from raiding the shelves at home. I almost inevitably always have some new (to me) movies and books I "borrow" for indefinite periods of time and food that I get from "shopping" in my Mom's pantry. Toss in that haul with the Black Friday shopping successes and the plan to bring back a few sweaters previously left behind, and my standard carry-on suitcase became a must.
Long story short, there's still quite a haul left behind in the Midwest. Mostly books I'm permanently claiming and other random odds and ends. That haul will have to be picked up over Christmas (good thing my Mom's driving me back then! No weight limits!)
03 December 2008
Minor Delay....
So a mixture of laziness, a trip home for Thanksgiving, and a busy schedule have all combined to keep me from updating my blog regularly. Have no fear, I've been keeping up with my daily challenges. Blog updates will be slowly but surely coming.....I promise.
Off The Grid
I didn't discover until it was forced upon me just how much of my weekend entertainment relies on internet access. If I'm going out, gotta check the weather, train times, IT locations, the maps on how to get there (if it's somewhere new or unfamiliar), my email 5,000 times to coordinate arrival times, outfits, who's coming, and what to bring. If I'm staying in, I obsessively check news headlines (I'm a news junkie, I admit it), Facebook, email, do the online equivalent of window shopping for pretty things (I wish for, but almost never buy), watch TV and movies online, download music, and, of course, talk to My Love.
Yep, I can handle not having TV or a roomie....as long as I have the distraction of internet.
So what happens when internet goes out for an entire Sunday afternoon? Especially a cold Sunday afternoon while broke?
You cry a few tears of boredom. You have a hot date with Marty McFly. Oh yeah. You creatively cook a meal or two of soon-to-go-bad items from your fridge. And then you dance a little happy dance when you discover the return of internet.
Hand Cramps
I'm beginning to notice a trend to my weekends: I hibernate. I might do one or two things out and about the city, but for the most part, I'm curling up at home with a movie, a book, and/or webcam conversations with My Love. When I hibernate, it makes it hard to find ways to challenge myself. So, because winter is just starting, please excuse the lameness of some of my weekend challenges for the foreseeable future (let's say until mid-April or so...).
Opting to spend time on the couch Saturday afternoon, I sat down, figured out how many Christmas cards I had (I bought some on clearance after Christmas last year), who I want to send cards to, and started writing out my Christmas cards. I was ambitious enough to want to finish writing them all out Saturday, but after a while, my hand cramped up. I've got about half the cards done. I won't send them out for a few more weeks, but at least it's one less holiday concern for me.
The Girl Who Used To Be Me
Friday was just ridiculous. Mb and I had plans Friday night, so we spent the day at work scheming. The more we schemed, the more excited I got. Ridiculously so. In fact, it was a small miracle that I got ANYTHING done at work that day, nevermind as much work as I did actually accomplish. Nights out with Mb are always a guaranteed good time, and I was rightfully excited.
The combination of a decided lack of sleep Thursday night, a day spent scheming, and the inevitable excitement brought out a side of me that has been somewhat lost lately. I was the bouncy, happy-go-lucky, slightly bold self I normally was in college. I blame some of that personality loss on living in this city (moderation, modesty, and a lack of manners is key to survival here), and partly on just plain old growing up. Either way, when I'm reminded of that side of my personality, I realize how much I miss it.
Anyways, Mb and I went to a Happy Hour to meet other bloggers (who we knew online, but not in person). We both wanted to meet one blogger in particular (he's hysterically funny), but he wasn't recognizing us and we were feeling a bit shy. As the evening went on, my old bouncy, happy-go-lucky self got brazen enough to grab the blogger's attention and say, "Hey! Meet Mb!" In a city where anonymity is prized, I have fallen out of the habit of regularly chatting to strangers or being the first to introduce myself, so I was pleased with myself for being bold enough to make the first move. Now that I realize how much I miss my happy-go-lucky, bouncy self, I am going to have to be a little more diligent about letting the girl who used to be me show up a little more often - it's no fun keeping that spunkiness hidden away.
Then we went dancing and life was good.
Awkward?
GChat (the chat feature inside Gmail) is my life-saver at work. It provides distraction and entertainment on the days I'm waiting for necessary responses from clients. It enables me to make personal plans in real time without getting on the phone or wasting my texts. It gives me the chance to catch up with family and friends not anywhere near my adopted city.
And, apparently, it leaves the lines of communication open with guys I've dated. Just like any instant messenger service, you can add people you want to talk to, block the creeps, and remove from view people you don't talk to but don't necessarily feel compelled to flat-out block either. I kind of forgot about that remove from view feature. That was, until a guy I dated ever so briefly after first moving to this adopted city contacted me.
We didn't date long enough for there to be any real hurt feelings - just an ego blow on my end along the lines of "how dare he not want me..." No regrets either way about dating him. Then again, in general, I try not to waste any time regretting things I did or did not do....life's too short for regret. I was surprised when, out of the blue, he contacted me. He just wanted to catch up and see how things are going. It was awkward at first. How do you play catch-up with a blast from the past? I kept the conversation pleasant, polite, and light-hearted without giving too much personal information away. Perhaps now, with several years distance between us, we can be friendly.
I Heart Hot Water
Wednesday was the coldest morning of winter thus far in my adopted city. The temperature was lower than the usual cold snap in January temperatures. It was C.O.L.D. When my alarm went off, I snuggled under the covers for a while longer, dreading my usual morning dash from my bed to shut the open window (I am from the Midwest, I sleep best with a slightly cracked open window in winter....). Eventually, I got up, dashed to the window, turned on the heat (perks of living on a high floor in a high rise = less need for the heat to be on all the time), and went to work out. Following my work-out, I was eagerly anticipating a hot shower. Instead, I discovered that the shower options were "Cold", "Freezing Cold", and "Are You Out of Your Blasted Mind?! Cold". Barely lukewarm was not even an option.
*Grumble*
I didn't have high expectations for the return of hot water when I got home after work. Wisely so. I found a letter from the management office tucked under my door telling me that they were working on restoring hot water as soon as possible. No biggie, as long as I can shower tomorrow. I turn up the heat and curl up on the couch with a book. About a half hour later, I realize that I am actually COLDER than I was before the heat was turned up. So I walk over to the radiator and discover that the heat is blowing out icy cold air (where was this during the summer heat wave?). Lovely. No hot water AND no heat on the C.O.L.D.E.S.T. day of the year?
I called the Maintenance office. I am livid, smelly, and cold. The girl who answers the phone sounds weary. I imagine she's had a long day answering incensed calls about the hot water - after all, we sure do pay a pretty penny for the guarantee of hot water on demand. I ask about the water..."they're working on it." I ask about the heat..."The heating system is connected to the hot water." Biting back the anger and frustration I feel rising up, I realize this girl has no control over the heat/hot water failure but has borne the brunt of what I imagine has been many, many phone calls today. Instead of snapping at her, I suggested that perhaps the next time this happens (*knock on wood* never), they at least inform residents that the hot water and the heat are connected so that we don't have to blast their office with phone calls.
Even though I whined to my Mom a bit about the lack of hot water and heat, I knew I had no right to take out my frustrations on the girl who was answering the phone in the Maintenance office, even though she would have been an easy enough target. It's hard sometimes, to keep that perspective when you're frustrated and you want the world to know you've been wronged.
A few hours of cooking, baking cookies, and cuddling under an electric blanket later, the hot water was restored. Let's just say I firmly believe hot water is the answer to everything.
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