1) I Knew It!
New guy started December 18, and since no one else stepped up, I invited him out to lunch on his first day. He asked how long I thought you had to stay in a job before you left. I predicted he wouldn't last six months. He only lasted two weeks (actually, eight days since we had Christmas and the day after as a holiday).
2) I really need a new tagline.
3) Score One For the Little Guy
Last fall I flew Independence Air to Las Vegas for my sister's wedding. I had originally booked the ticket, but then saw there was a big price reduction, so I rebooked and even after paying $25 rebooking fee, saved $95. Then Independence Air filed for bancruptcy. Just got a notice in the mail - there is a chance that I may actually get that $95 credit! I filled out the paperwork; we'll see.
4) Not Bad If I Do Say So Myself
I'm very pleased with myself for moving some money around in one of my retirement funds. It's grown 5% in the last quarter, and that's without any additional contributions. Granted, the market has been hot, but I think that my moving the funds around had something to do with it as well. And I have a meeting with a financial counselor coming up in January to address another account.
Still, I doubt I'll be retiring any time soon.
5) What A Crock!
I asked for, and received, a new crock pot for Christmas. The old one was too small. The new one? It's the difference between a Yugo and a Mercedes. If you have any to-die-for crock pot recipes, send them my way 'cause I'm a working girl and I ain't got time to slave over a hot stove.
File This Under: Various
Friday, December 29, 2006
Saturday, December 23, 2006
From My Cousin Lew
I don't forward those email chain letters. But I am going to reprint one here. Merry Christmas to all.
I remember my first Christmas adventure with Grandma. I was just a kid. I remember tearing across town on my bike to visit her on the day my big sister dropped the bomb: "There is no Santa Claus," she jeered. "Even dummies know that!"
My Grandma was not the gushy kind, never had been. I fled to her that day because I knew she would be straight with me.
I knew Grandma always told the truth, and I knew that the truth always went down a whole lot easier when swallowed with one of her "world-famous" cinnamon buns. I knew they were world-famous, because Grandma said so. It had to be true.
Grandma was home, and the buns were still warm. Between bites, I told her everything. She was ready for me.
"No Santa Claus?" she snorted...."Ridiculous! Don't believe it. That rumor has been going around for years, and it makes me mad, plain mad!! Now, put on your coat, and let's go."
"Go? Go where, Grandma?" I asked.
I hadn't even finished my second world-famous cinnamon bun. "Where" turned out to be Kerby's General Store, the one store in town that had a little bit of just about everything.
As we walked through its doors, Grandma handed me ten dollars. That was A bundle in those days. "Take this money," she said, "and buy something for someone who needs it. I'll wait for you in the car."
Then, she turned and walked out of Kerby's.
I was only eight years old. I'd often gone shopping with my mother, but never had I shopped for anything all by myself. The store seemed big and crowded, full of people scrambling to finish their Christmas shopping.
For a few moments I just stood there, confused, clutching that ten-dollar bill, wondering what to buy, and who on earth to buy it for.
I thought of everybody I knew: my family, my friends, my neighbors, the kids at school, the people who went to my church. I was just about thought out, when I suddenly thought of Bobby Decker. He was a kid with bad breath and messy hair, and he sat right behind me in Mrs Pollock's grade-two class.
Bobby Decker didn't have a coat. I knew that because he never went out to recess during the winter. His mother always wrote a note, telling the teacher that he had a cough, but all we kids knew that Bobby Decker didn't have a cough; he didn't have a good coat.
I fingered the ten-dollar bill with growing excitement. I would buy Bobby Decker a coat! I settled on a red corduroy one that had a hood to it. It looked real warm, and he would like that.
"Is this a Christmas present for someone?" the lady behind the counter asked kindly, as I laid my ten dollars down.
"Yes, ma'am," I replied shyly. "It's for Bobby."
The nice lady smiled at me, as I told her about how Bobby really needed a good winter coat. I didn't get any change, but she put the coat in a bag, smiled again, and wished me a Merry Christmas.
That evening, Grandma helped me wrap the coat in Christmas paper and ribbons and wrote, "To Bobby, From Santa Claus" on it. A little tag fell out of the coat and Grandma tucked it in her Bible. Grandma said that Santa always insisted on secrecy. Then she drove me over to Bobby Decker's house, explaining as we went that I was now and forever officially, one of Santa's helpers.
Grandma parked down the street from Bobby's house, and she and I crept noiselessly and hid in the bushes by his front walk.
Grandma gave me a nudge. "All right, Santa Claus," she whispered, "get going."
I took a deep breath, dashed for his front door, threw the present down on his step, pounded his door and flew back to the safety of the bushes and Grandma. Together we waited breathlessly in the darkness for the front door to open. Finally it did, and there stood Bobby.
Fifty years haven't dimmed the thrill of those moments spent shivering, beside my Grandma, in Bobby Decker's bushes.
That night, I realized that those awful rumors about Santa Claus were just what
Grandma said they were ridiculous. Santa was alive and well, and we were on his team.
I still have the Bible, with the coat tag tucked inside: $19.95.
May you always have LOVE to share, HEALTH to spare and FRIENDS that care...and may you always believe in the magic of Santa Claus!
I remember my first Christmas adventure with Grandma. I was just a kid. I remember tearing across town on my bike to visit her on the day my big sister dropped the bomb: "There is no Santa Claus," she jeered. "Even dummies know that!"
My Grandma was not the gushy kind, never had been. I fled to her that day because I knew she would be straight with me.
I knew Grandma always told the truth, and I knew that the truth always went down a whole lot easier when swallowed with one of her "world-famous" cinnamon buns. I knew they were world-famous, because Grandma said so. It had to be true.
Grandma was home, and the buns were still warm. Between bites, I told her everything. She was ready for me.
"No Santa Claus?" she snorted...."Ridiculous! Don't believe it. That rumor has been going around for years, and it makes me mad, plain mad!! Now, put on your coat, and let's go."
"Go? Go where, Grandma?" I asked.
I hadn't even finished my second world-famous cinnamon bun. "Where" turned out to be Kerby's General Store, the one store in town that had a little bit of just about everything.
As we walked through its doors, Grandma handed me ten dollars. That was A bundle in those days. "Take this money," she said, "and buy something for someone who needs it. I'll wait for you in the car."
Then, she turned and walked out of Kerby's.
I was only eight years old. I'd often gone shopping with my mother, but never had I shopped for anything all by myself. The store seemed big and crowded, full of people scrambling to finish their Christmas shopping.
For a few moments I just stood there, confused, clutching that ten-dollar bill, wondering what to buy, and who on earth to buy it for.
I thought of everybody I knew: my family, my friends, my neighbors, the kids at school, the people who went to my church. I was just about thought out, when I suddenly thought of Bobby Decker. He was a kid with bad breath and messy hair, and he sat right behind me in Mrs Pollock's grade-two class.
Bobby Decker didn't have a coat. I knew that because he never went out to recess during the winter. His mother always wrote a note, telling the teacher that he had a cough, but all we kids knew that Bobby Decker didn't have a cough; he didn't have a good coat.
I fingered the ten-dollar bill with growing excitement. I would buy Bobby Decker a coat! I settled on a red corduroy one that had a hood to it. It looked real warm, and he would like that.
"Is this a Christmas present for someone?" the lady behind the counter asked kindly, as I laid my ten dollars down.
"Yes, ma'am," I replied shyly. "It's for Bobby."
The nice lady smiled at me, as I told her about how Bobby really needed a good winter coat. I didn't get any change, but she put the coat in a bag, smiled again, and wished me a Merry Christmas.
That evening, Grandma helped me wrap the coat in Christmas paper and ribbons and wrote, "To Bobby, From Santa Claus" on it. A little tag fell out of the coat and Grandma tucked it in her Bible. Grandma said that Santa always insisted on secrecy. Then she drove me over to Bobby Decker's house, explaining as we went that I was now and forever officially, one of Santa's helpers.
Grandma parked down the street from Bobby's house, and she and I crept noiselessly and hid in the bushes by his front walk.
Grandma gave me a nudge. "All right, Santa Claus," she whispered, "get going."
I took a deep breath, dashed for his front door, threw the present down on his step, pounded his door and flew back to the safety of the bushes and Grandma. Together we waited breathlessly in the darkness for the front door to open. Finally it did, and there stood Bobby.
Fifty years haven't dimmed the thrill of those moments spent shivering, beside my Grandma, in Bobby Decker's bushes.
That night, I realized that those awful rumors about Santa Claus were just what
Grandma said they were ridiculous. Santa was alive and well, and we were on his team.
I still have the Bible, with the coat tag tucked inside: $19.95.
May you always have LOVE to share, HEALTH to spare and FRIENDS that care...and may you always believe in the magic of Santa Claus!
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Friday, December 15, 2006
But I Don't Want To Change!
I see Blogger is trying to force it's "new and improved" version on me.
I don't want it.
I'm comfortable with tweaking code. I don't want you to dumb it down for me because, honestly, I find the "easier to use" template harder to use. They may have forced the new version on me for the new blog I just set up, but I'll be damned if they'll make me use it here.
I don't want it.
I'm comfortable with tweaking code. I don't want you to dumb it down for me because, honestly, I find the "easier to use" template harder to use. They may have forced the new version on me for the new blog I just set up, but I'll be damned if they'll make me use it here.
Thursday, December 14, 2006
What Was I Thinking?
Put on a long skirt this morning and thought, "Hmm ... this is so long I don't need to wear panty hose; I'll just wear knee highs."
Totally forgot about the slit in the back of the skirt, so now when I'm walking down the hall I'm wondering if people can see my knee highs and fleshly knees.
Yeah, I came home to put panty hose on.
Totally forgot about the slit in the back of the skirt, so now when I'm walking down the hall I'm wondering if people can see my knee highs and fleshly knees.
Yeah, I came home to put panty hose on.
Thursday, December 07, 2006
Ex Marks The Spot
I bumped into my Ex last night. Or rather, he bumped into me.
I was shopping at BJ's and he came up behind me and said "Well, hello there." I know he was trying to be friendly, and since I hadn't seen him he could have completely avoided me if he'd wanted to. It was the most awkward conversation I've ever had.
We started with the "what's new?" thing and he got a little testy and replied "Come on, I know you know the answer to that." Yes, he sold the marital homestead and bought a new house with his current girlfriend. And he assumed I knew because the guy that bought the house was working with a friend of mine who is a real estate agent. That's not how I knew, but anyway ... the point was that he didn't tell me. And so I didn't tell him when I got a new job. And of course he knew about the new job even though I hadn't told him. We live in a small town, folks.
So it was a struggle to get a conversation going - and then he just didn't seem to know how to let it drop. There would be a pause and he would just look at me, like he was willing me to tell him more. I didn't want to give up anything. My life is my life and I don't need or want to share it with him anymore. I'm sure he walked away from the encounter thinking I was angry and hostile. Maybe I was, but not for the reasons he thought. He just sapped my energy which was already low at that point in the day.
Frankly, I just don't care anymore.
I was shopping at BJ's and he came up behind me and said "Well, hello there." I know he was trying to be friendly, and since I hadn't seen him he could have completely avoided me if he'd wanted to. It was the most awkward conversation I've ever had.
We started with the "what's new?" thing and he got a little testy and replied "Come on, I know you know the answer to that." Yes, he sold the marital homestead and bought a new house with his current girlfriend. And he assumed I knew because the guy that bought the house was working with a friend of mine who is a real estate agent. That's not how I knew, but anyway ... the point was that he didn't tell me. And so I didn't tell him when I got a new job. And of course he knew about the new job even though I hadn't told him. We live in a small town, folks.
So it was a struggle to get a conversation going - and then he just didn't seem to know how to let it drop. There would be a pause and he would just look at me, like he was willing me to tell him more. I didn't want to give up anything. My life is my life and I don't need or want to share it with him anymore. I'm sure he walked away from the encounter thinking I was angry and hostile. Maybe I was, but not for the reasons he thought. He just sapped my energy which was already low at that point in the day.
Frankly, I just don't care anymore.
Sunday, December 03, 2006
It's Always Something
Thought I'd finally get iTunes up and running. Phil asked me to download a song for him, so I did. Then I realized that I didn't have the iPod to computer cable with me, so I can't upload to the iPod. And I can't download the 4,000+ songs from the iPod to the laptop. And then when I tried to copy the song from the laptop to my flash drive, it says the flash drive is full.
It's always something.
It's always something.
The Bright Side
What a nice, sunny day! Granted, it's only about 40 degrees outside, but the sun is shining and there are just a few fluffy white clouds in the sky. Not like the deluge we had on Friday. It was so strange to have thunder and lightning in December. Two years ago, we had snow.
So it was a busy first week back from vacation. I had something after work almost every night this week. Made the time go by quickly. And now it seems like time is flying by as it always does in December. Never enough time to shop, decorate, do Christmas cards and visit with friends. I did some shopping after work on Friday, and started decorating yesterday. Today, I focus on the photo Christmas card. This year, perhaps one of me and The Man.
It's the best shot we have from vacation. He hates having his picture taken, but he agreed that if I were to get photo cards, this is the photo I should use.
I didn't take nearly as many photos on this vacation as I did last year. And now, looking at some of those photos it's clear that I definitely need to start exercising again. Of course, I've been saying that for six months. It's time to stop talking and start doing.
So it was a busy first week back from vacation. I had something after work almost every night this week. Made the time go by quickly. And now it seems like time is flying by as it always does in December. Never enough time to shop, decorate, do Christmas cards and visit with friends. I did some shopping after work on Friday, and started decorating yesterday. Today, I focus on the photo Christmas card. This year, perhaps one of me and The Man.
It's the best shot we have from vacation. He hates having his picture taken, but he agreed that if I were to get photo cards, this is the photo I should use.I didn't take nearly as many photos on this vacation as I did last year. And now, looking at some of those photos it's clear that I definitely need to start exercising again. Of course, I've been saying that for six months. It's time to stop talking and start doing.
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