Sunday, April 30, 2006

Varied and Sundry

[Post originally started April 25]

That describes the contents of my to-do list. None of these items have specific deadlines, they are just things that I need to do. Some items are more pressing than others (how can I bake without an oven?) so let's hope that I get around to those sooner rather than later.



  • get estimate on repairing oven thermostat (or cost of new purchase)
  • close out ETrade accounts
  • enter Trucklet's service records online
  • schedule dentist appointment
  • submit to drug test for new job
  • visit apartment complex; see if they have short term rentals available
  • split perennials
  • go to the gym!
  • check out other gym specials; decide whether to keep membership, change gyms, or just give up on gyms altogether
  • research tires for Trucklet; order online and have installed at local shop rather than going through dealer at next service?
  • once I change jobs, transfer retirement accounts and investment account as needed



File This Under:

Thursday, April 27, 2006

What A Cop Out!

So I hear that People's "100 Most Beautiful People" issue hits newsstands Friday.
 
In the past they've only listed the 50 Most Beautiful People, but this year the list swelled to 100.  Sort of.  Apparently, all 26 spokesmodels from the NBC game show "Deal or No Deal" are listed.  That, I think, is a major cop out.
 
Do they each have their own page?  Do we learn anything about them other than their name?  This is just a cheap, lazy way to say they've listed 100 people.  Or should we say celebrities and sports stars - because there are tons of beautiful people in the world who will never grace the pages of People magazine.

Tuesday, April 25, 2006

AUGPLC2B

This particular vanity plate reflects a local sentiment - if you know where I live, then you'll figure it out and it will make sense to you.

I'll let you know come August.

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Monday, April 24, 2006

You Are Not Alone

I just found out today that a friend of mine is going through the same job turmoil I went through - his contract was not renewed. I'm not sure how long he has known, but I dropped him a note to update him on my recent good job news, and he shared with me that he was moving on as of June 30. I read between the lines, and he subsequently confided that was the case.

I don't know the details, and I'm not going to ask. If he chooses to share with me, we can commiserate. It wasn't an easy thing, but I was determined to make the best of it, and ultimately, I did. I'm not saying there weren't rough spots, but I think I'm going to come out of this a better person.

File This Under:

Sunday, April 23, 2006

Tag - You're It!

Just trying out the tagging feature ... it's not a part of blogger but supposedly you can tag via Technorati just by adding a bit of code to your post.

Saturday, April 22, 2006

Tackling My Piles

My plan for this weekend was yardwork, but Mother Nature has other plans. It's been especially dry, so I shouldn't complain about rain. I managed to get a good start on leaf removal last night and I dug up a few stray bleeding hearts. There are six bags and two cans of leaves at the curb - I've done enough.

So, instead I'm going to start tackling my piles. I have them everywhere. I need to find a final resting place for my stuff. Let's just hope I can resist the urge to skim/read those newspaper articles - after all, I saved them for a reason, didn't I? And do you think I can consolidate those two boxes of high school memorabilia into one?

Who knows what I'll do with the carefully preserved wedding gown that yellowed anyway. Is there someone out there who wants to buy it for the yards of satin and whatever lace trim is still salvageable? Or should I just wear it to my next party? Wait - nix that. The dress fit me in 1991 - now, probably not so much.

Thursday, April 20, 2006

So Quiet ...

... I can hear my Diet Pepsi fizz as the carbonated bubbles make their way to the top of the can.

And what's with AdSense? Serving up a single Honda ad on the top of my page - how is that relevant to anything I've said in the last 24 hours? Granted, Trucklet is of Honda lineage, but I haven't mentioned her in ages. (By the way - 40,000 mile service on Saturday. And once I start my new job, once again she'll be sitting quietly in the driveway most of the time.)

Wasting time here ... trying to write a press release and just not inspired. Drafting/laying out the catalog isn't working for me either. It is a beautiful, glorious spring day and I just want to be outside!

Tuesday, April 18, 2006

Where's My Puzzle?

So much for Google's Da Vinci Code Quest.  I've been checking back all morning and they still haven't loaded today's puzzle.  Don't they know that I need ways to waste time here at work?

Monday, April 17, 2006

So Cool It's Scary

I followed this link to The DaVinci Code Quest on Google.  It's an interesting concept - they have crafted a series of puzzles that you need to solve in the days leading up to the movie premiere of The DaVinci Code.  I solved the first one and expected to have to go to a page where I would register etc but instead - Google did it for me.  They knew my gmail user name, and presented me with a screen asking if I wanted to add the puzzle quest to my personalized home page.  I said yes, and there it was - a nice little block on the side of my Google homepage showing my progress to date.
 
I was totally impressed with the whole thing.  And scared shitless.
 
I'm giving Google so much access to my movements and habits.  I'm using Gmail and while I know that they can't possibly have enough resources (much less the inclination) to truly monitor and read my email (among other things), just the very idea that they could, if they wanted to, scares the shit out of me.
 
But I'm playing my own little game - I tweaked the code on the link above.  I'm just curious to see how closely they are monitoring from whence their traffic comes ... and if it ever finds its way back to me, some way, some how.

Susan Speaks

I got a message from Susan that I just have to share with you:
==========================================================

Have you heard about this? This guy was on Good Morning America today.

http://oneredpaperclip.blogspot.com/

I wonder if I can trade a Cadbury crème egg for a decent man....

==========================================================
Not if I see the egg first, Susan, not if I see the egg first ...

A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words

Sunday, April 16, 2006

A Year In Review

Oh, the places I've been in the last year!

A year ago I was counting down the days until I could leave my job. I spent a week in Charleston with my mother, and the following weekend I took a quick day trip to Boston for my first ever blog meet with John Strain.

I was bold and adventurous on the eve of my 40th birthday, and I vowed that the celebration would last all year. And so it has ... last June I flew to New Orleans with a guy I'd just met ... in August it was San Diego where I did Blog Meet # 2 with Maria (if you're reading this, drop me a note!) and then just a few days later I found myself in the Baja Cantina enjoying dinner with Brian and Deb. Kenna does three Blog Dates in as many days!

Susan and I went to Montreal at the end of August ... I spent the weekend in the Hamptons with The Man ... the next thing I knew I was flying to Vegas for my sister's wedding and then - the QM2 for twelve wonderful days.

Oh, how I lived in 2005!

Things slowed down there for a while, but I think that I'm ultimately going to end my 40th birthday on a high note. I just came back from Boston where once again I wished John Strain well - by the time he reads this he will have completed the Boston Marathon. I'm still in awe of anyone who runs a marathon. This year I extended the trip, spent the night and was able to conduct Blog Meet # 5 - with Nita.

I just knew that she would be a kick, and she didn't disappoint. It felt like we'd known each other for years and we were quickly offering up way too much information, but hey - my 40th year is almost over and I've got to live it to the fullest. No time to waste with niceties. I have the most adorable photo of the two of us (thanks for snapping it Susan) which I would love to post (I have Nita's permission), but I'm still having computer issues here at home and no matter how many times I restart, the damn computer just doesn't recognize the camera. Tomorrow, I promise, when I go work I'll download the photo and post it.

And Nita? Girlfriend, you are so invited to my next party.

Thursday, April 13, 2006

Stupid News

Time for another edition of stupid news ... actually, I've heard this before and I'm not surprised:
 

Wednesday, April 12, 2006

Note To Self

Do you really think that by constantly checking your email it will magically cause a new message to appear?  Just focus on the job at hand, put in your time at the office and go home with a clear conscience.  The email will be there when you check later.  I promise.

Tuesday, April 11, 2006

Not So Fast ...

I got my bank statement today, and for a few moments, I was proud of myself. According to the statement, I earned $200 more than I spent last month. Cool.

Then I realized that my $972 tax refund was in there, and so I still spent $700 more than I brought in last month.

How. In. God's. Name. Is. That. Possible?

I've curbed my spending, I swear!

Actually, upon closer review, I think that I am just about even for the month. My landlord didn't cash my March rent until March 30 and then they also cashed my April rent on April 6, so there are two rent checks reflected in one month's statement.

Whew. I'm even again. Barely.

I Want My $2.00 !!

What movie was that? Where there was this demonic paperboy who was riding his bike and chasing the main character (John Cusack?) screaming "I want my two dollars!"?

So I just check my Google AdSense stats for like, the first time since I signed up four months ago. I've earned $1.98. Only $98.02 to go until they send me my first check.

There were a couple big days in there - back in December when I linked to an mp3 of "Dominick the Christmas Donkey" and just last month when I spouted off about a New York Times article. Guess I'll have to spout off some more!

Took off early today and am feeling relaxed, despite having had to undergo some medical tests (no worries), finding myself unexpectedly babysitting a sick child and doing some yard work. I'm patiently awaiting the end of the week when I hope to receive a phone call with a job offer. Please, please, please keep sending positive energy my way.

If I get this job, I'll tell you a (not so) funny story about a woman who met an untimely death and who may, ultimately, be responsible for my getting this new job. We'll see.

Saturday, April 08, 2006

I Burned The Cake

Well, the cake is burned to a crisp, but I don't think it's my fault. I think there is something wrong with the oven. I don't know if this has ever happened to you, but when you are cooking in the kitchen you don't notice the build-up of smoke - at least, not until the damn smoke detector starts going off.

And then, because it's hard wired in the house, every damn smoke detector is going off and I'm running around waving at the smoke and finally I just ripped the suckers right out of the ceiling.

Still don't know what I'm going to do about the burnt cake.

Prepping for the Party

Yesterday was The Man's birthday and tonight I'm throwing him a party. He's so excited - like a little kid. It's been a long time since anyone had a party for him and he's just so tickled to think that someone cared enough to do it. He's so cute!

I've debated telling you this but ... I have an interview on Monday. Don't know where it will go, but it's one step closer to walking out the door. My job isn't horrible - it's just not the right job for me. Please send me some good karma because I really want to make a change.

Okay - I've wasted enough time. I still need to make the scallops wrapped in bacon, marinate the shrimp, bake two cakes, make the bed, shower and get dressed and blow up a gazillion balloons - because it's not a party without balloons.

Pictures? Maybe!

Thursday, April 06, 2006

Play Together. Learn Together. Grow Together.

At least I think I heard that was the tagline for Sesame Beginnings, a new video series aimed at six month old infants.
 
The series has sparked some controversy, and deservedly so.  I don't have kids and I'm not an expert.  But here's the thing - if you do have kids, you shouldn't use the television as a baby sitter.  No one knows for sure, but I suspect that those who claim watching too much television and playing too many video games contributes to ADHD may be right.
 
(Here's where I start sounding like an old fuddy-duddy ...)
 
Kids today are just too over-stimulated.  Whatever happened to sitting down on the floor and playing with your kids?  To reading them a book?  To talking to them over dinner?  To teaching them a few basic tenets in life like "do unto others as you would have done unto you" and "if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all?" 
 
What really irks me?  The "Learn Together" part of that tagline.  Like we need to teach the adults along with infants. 
 
Sad that it just may be true.

Wednesday, April 05, 2006

Word of the Day

Can you believe it?
 
Word of the Day for Wednesday April 5, 2006
 
cum: with; along with; combined with.

Going Global

So I just checked my site stats for the first time in a long time.  SiteMeter now shows where your visitors are coming from, and I've had clicks from around the world - Saudi Arabia, India, Netherlands, Argentina, Denmark, Portugal, South Africa, Canada, Australia, Estonia, Uzbekistan, New Zealand, Norway, France, Brazil and 8 Unknown countries.
 
Wow.
 
Hope y'all found what you were looking for.  If not, check back next week.  I'm cleaning house and I may be having a garage sale.