I just read a story about something I had heard mentioned awhile ago, right after hurricane Katrina. A volunteer brought art supplies to the children at the shelter in Housten, Labor Day weekend. This was right after they started arriving from the Superdome. Art therapy wasn't mentioned at the time. This was just a volunteer who realized that the kids needed something to do.
Kids' art reveals horror and hope after Katrina
"...The pictures were produced as part of the Katrina's Kids Project, which began on Labor Day when volunteer and mom Johna DiMuzio brought art supplies to give the children at the shelter something to do.
"The children started coming up and showing me these pictures of these images of the hurricane, of people drowning, things that bought tears to your eyes," DiMuzio said.
After seeing some of the art, she realized it could also help the kids express their emotions. She enlisted a few friends and returned the next day.
...
One 12-year-old boy used a vivid pencil drawing of flooded homes in his New Orleans neighborhood -- the devastated Ninth Ward -- to finally tell Bryan that his mother had been swept away by the rushing waters and he was in Houston all alone. He has since been reunited with his aunt."
Some of the images were chosen for traveling exhibit, to raise money for the victims. But the real power of these drawings is that the children were able to begin the process of healing, to confront what happened to them, and to tell others what they saw.
One woman's generosity, from a mom who just wanted to give them something to do, was able to give the children more than she had ever expected.
P.S. I know a lot of you may be wondering why I am taking such an interest in New Orleans, and Katrina. There are two reasons.
I have been to New Orleans, and loved it more than any other city I have ever been. It has been at the top of my "Must Visit" list for more than 15 years. Even back when I visited, I was shocked by the contrast between the tourist parts, and the poverty that we saw. But here's the thing: there was a beauty even in the poorest spots that you won't find anywhere else in the world. Ever again, because it's gone.
And the people! They were wonderful, friendly, and open. The kids that we met when we visited a high school were just great, and they made us feel at home. I came from a very small town that has its share of problem, but all of us in our group were stunned by what we saw (okay, yes, we went to Bourbon Street at night, so that would have done it, too). There is a certain something that wrapped us up and made us feel good. That's what kept New Orleans burning in the back of my mind all of these years. That's why I was glued to the coverage of the hurricane.
The second reason has to do with what happened to my town when I was a kid. We had an F4 tornado rip through town, June 28, 1979. I watched it, with my grandparents, my mom, and my little sister, after my grandpa drove us away from town so we wouldn't have to hear it, or risk being in the house if it came down. For years, I was terrified of bad weather, yet I was drawn to it. Even the shapes of clouds on a mildly stormy day could send me running to the basement. These kids suffered a lot more, and are deserving of our attention and care.
Saturday, December 17, 2005
Friday, December 16, 2005
So what's up with Troy?
This guy hasn't blogged since Sunday!
He's either:
a. kidnapped by aliens,
b. rehearsing for the new play he's in,
c. too busy trying to keep up with the flurry of WWdN posts,
d. writing a new 50,000 word novel, but in a week instead of a month,
e. lapsed into a diet-induced coma, in which case someone needs to go take him some Mt. Dew,
or
f. all of the above.
So, which is it?
He's either:
a. kidnapped by aliens,
b. rehearsing for the new play he's in,
c. too busy trying to keep up with the flurry of WWdN posts,
d. writing a new 50,000 word novel, but in a week instead of a month,
e. lapsed into a diet-induced coma, in which case someone needs to go take him some Mt. Dew,
or
f. all of the above.
So, which is it?
Thursday, December 15, 2005
No wonder I was so grouchy last night.
I ended up not feeling very well most of the night. I went to work, and managed to do okay despite being very busy. At lunch, my stomach started doing flip=flops, so I took a twenty-minute nap instead of making something to eat. After I woke up, I felt a little better, but not much. I ate some mixed fruit, and hurried back to work. I was okay after work, and was able to go to my son's band concert (for those of you who went to school with me, my son's sixth grade band is better than our 8th grade band - very good!).
I think it was mainly stress. I am looking forward to tomorrow night, and being able to relax.
Ten-to-one I'll be asleep on the couch before seven...
I think it was mainly stress. I am looking forward to tomorrow night, and being able to relax.
Ten-to-one I'll be asleep on the couch before seven...
Wednesday, December 14, 2005
Writer's block, or just a bad mood?
For some reason, I can't think of a single thing to write about tonight. I am tired, and I may just go to bed early (-er than normal). I can listen to the lovely sound of snow plows...
Duh...
Kids' Food Different If Mom Works
Just don't tell anyone that I let him eat cookies for breakfast yesterday morning, because we were out of his favorite cereal... Hey, they had peanut butter in them...
Just don't tell anyone that I let him eat cookies for breakfast yesterday morning, because we were out of his favorite cereal... Hey, they had peanut butter in them...
Tuesday, December 13, 2005
Oh, the weather outside is frightful...
Winter weather advisory: 2-4 inches of snow, blowing snow, that is, drifting, making the morning commute nasty. Personally, I can't wait to try to clean the car off tomorrow morning.
This is going to be an interesting winter.
This is going to be an interesting winter.
It has to be at least Thursday, right?
I was talking with my son in the car on the way home. Actually, it was on the way to Taco Bell, because I am a horrible mother who was too wiped out to try to throw a nutritious meal on the table in under 20 minutes. He said something about PE, and I knew that he had PE on Wednesday last week, so all of a sudden, I was panicking about it being Religious Ed night, and how was I going to get all of the errands done that I needed to do after the movie thing tonight.
Then I realized it was Tuesday.
Oh God, it's only Tuesday. I am certain that there are many in town who are saying variations on that phrase under their breath.
"Oh God, it's Tuesday already, and I don't have that paper done!!!!"
"Oh God, it's Tuesday and I have a final tomorrow!!"
"OMG, it's Tuesday and I totally MISSED MY FINAL!!!!!!!"
"It's only Tuesday, and I have three more days of finals left!!!"
For me, this Tuesday meant the last night of Movies and Popcorn, and the last night of DASH hours to worry about. Yes, I have to set my alarm for 2:02 am again, but it's the last night of that until the end of April. It makes a difference, just knowing that.
So, I went to the store after I was done tonight, and bought healthy foods, with LOW SODIUM, so that I can get back on track to feeling better and shedding some extra pounds that inevitably stack up once you are reduced to eating chocolate muffins for breakfast, cheeseburgers for lunch, and tacos for dinner. I know, I should be ASHAMED! I just can't wait to feel good again, and I know that changing the food is going to make it happen.
This doesn't mean that I am swearing off all fast food forever. What it does mean is that I am going to follow my WW points guidelines and will also be cutting back my sodium intake to half the daily recommended allowance (1200 mg), to feel even better.
In case you are interested:
1/4 lb. Cheeseburger = 10 points
French Fries = 9 points
1 slice of Papa John's large garden special pizza = 6 points (see Mom, I told you it was good for you!)
1 apple = 1 point
1 banana = 2 points
2 slices D'Taliano light bread = 1 point
3 ounces chicken = 3 points
8 oz baked potato = 3 points
1 cup rice = 5 points
Most veggies, cooked or raw without butter = FREE
Butter Spray = FREE (trust me, it tastes okay)
Triple choclate meltdown = okay, we add up the devil's food cake, the ice cream, the hot fudge.... I really don't want to know...
Anyway, you get the point... no pun intended. It's not the amount of calories per se, it is the choices that you make. Yes, I can have a cheeseburger and french fries for lunch, but that only leaves me eight points for the rest of the day, and that doesn't stick with a girl as long as you think it would. Pretty soon you end up making sensible choices just because you know you'll end up hungry at the end of the day if you don't.
My points range on the old scale, based on weight = 20-27 points. I am very close to moving down to a lower points range. I would have been there if it hadn't been for summer camp...
You are all my witnesses.... D-Day is here. I refuse to have a sodium headache at the end of the day! I refuse to buy a larger pair of jeans! I will need to make smaller ren-faire garb for the next faire! I will be able to walk five miles without feeling like I am having a heart attack!!!!!
Ooo... I need to figure out how many points are in those chocolate star cookies I made on Saturday...
Then I realized it was Tuesday.
Oh God, it's only Tuesday. I am certain that there are many in town who are saying variations on that phrase under their breath.
"Oh God, it's Tuesday already, and I don't have that paper done!!!!"
"Oh God, it's Tuesday and I have a final tomorrow!!"
"OMG, it's Tuesday and I totally MISSED MY FINAL!!!!!!!"
"It's only Tuesday, and I have three more days of finals left!!!"
For me, this Tuesday meant the last night of Movies and Popcorn, and the last night of DASH hours to worry about. Yes, I have to set my alarm for 2:02 am again, but it's the last night of that until the end of April. It makes a difference, just knowing that.
So, I went to the store after I was done tonight, and bought healthy foods, with LOW SODIUM, so that I can get back on track to feeling better and shedding some extra pounds that inevitably stack up once you are reduced to eating chocolate muffins for breakfast, cheeseburgers for lunch, and tacos for dinner. I know, I should be ASHAMED! I just can't wait to feel good again, and I know that changing the food is going to make it happen.
This doesn't mean that I am swearing off all fast food forever. What it does mean is that I am going to follow my WW points guidelines and will also be cutting back my sodium intake to half the daily recommended allowance (1200 mg), to feel even better.
In case you are interested:
1/4 lb. Cheeseburger = 10 points
French Fries = 9 points
1 slice of Papa John's large garden special pizza = 6 points (see Mom, I told you it was good for you!)
1 apple = 1 point
1 banana = 2 points
2 slices D'Taliano light bread = 1 point
3 ounces chicken = 3 points
8 oz baked potato = 3 points
1 cup rice = 5 points
Most veggies, cooked or raw without butter = FREE
Butter Spray = FREE (trust me, it tastes okay)
Triple choclate meltdown = okay, we add up the devil's food cake, the ice cream, the hot fudge.... I really don't want to know...
Anyway, you get the point... no pun intended. It's not the amount of calories per se, it is the choices that you make. Yes, I can have a cheeseburger and french fries for lunch, but that only leaves me eight points for the rest of the day, and that doesn't stick with a girl as long as you think it would. Pretty soon you end up making sensible choices just because you know you'll end up hungry at the end of the day if you don't.
My points range on the old scale, based on weight = 20-27 points. I am very close to moving down to a lower points range. I would have been there if it hadn't been for summer camp...
You are all my witnesses.... D-Day is here. I refuse to have a sodium headache at the end of the day! I refuse to buy a larger pair of jeans! I will need to make smaller ren-faire garb for the next faire! I will be able to walk five miles without feeling like I am having a heart attack!!!!!
Ooo... I need to figure out how many points are in those chocolate star cookies I made on Saturday...
Sunday, December 11, 2005
Diet Sabatuer
11:10 am: some criossant thing with chocolate in the middle, from the Cafe, in Somerset. Kim's idea...
12:30 pm: Kim wants a pretzel and a pop, while we are shopping at the mall. I decide that I'd rather have a Jimmy John's sandwich. We get the idea to go to Panera for soup and sandwich.
12:35 pm: Panera parking lot is full. We decide to go to Culver's after toying with the idea of going to Arby's.
12:37 pm: Kim's phone rings. It's my son, they are going to go out to eat, and he wanted to know something. In the course of the conversation, we realized that they were at Culver's, just as we parked the car. When we got in the door, my brother-in-law was standing in line, holding my nephew, and my son ran over to ask me what he normally gets (that's why he called). We all had a great time at lunch watching my nephew try ketchup.
2:45 pm: Target checkout lane, we all decide to get a pop.
3:20 pm: Best Buy. Finally find Christmas Vacation DVD. Good thing, too, as it was the first movie on the list tonight. Target, Wal-Mart, and K-Mart have been out for three weeks.
3:35 pm: Leaving Best Buy to go to K-Mart on super-secret holiday misson for my son. We drive by Applebee's. "Triple-chocolate-meltdown!!!" we cry! Plans are made.
3:50 pm: Ahh.... we finally sit down to dessert. Kim has the apple pie, and mom and I each have our own TCMD, since she didn't want to share.
Kim, you are a diet sabatuer, but boy did we have a great time today!!!!!
12:30 pm: Kim wants a pretzel and a pop, while we are shopping at the mall. I decide that I'd rather have a Jimmy John's sandwich. We get the idea to go to Panera for soup and sandwich.
12:35 pm: Panera parking lot is full. We decide to go to Culver's after toying with the idea of going to Arby's.
12:37 pm: Kim's phone rings. It's my son, they are going to go out to eat, and he wanted to know something. In the course of the conversation, we realized that they were at Culver's, just as we parked the car. When we got in the door, my brother-in-law was standing in line, holding my nephew, and my son ran over to ask me what he normally gets (that's why he called). We all had a great time at lunch watching my nephew try ketchup.
2:45 pm: Target checkout lane, we all decide to get a pop.
3:20 pm: Best Buy. Finally find Christmas Vacation DVD. Good thing, too, as it was the first movie on the list tonight. Target, Wal-Mart, and K-Mart have been out for three weeks.
3:35 pm: Leaving Best Buy to go to K-Mart on super-secret holiday misson for my son. We drive by Applebee's. "Triple-chocolate-meltdown!!!" we cry! Plans are made.
3:50 pm: Ahh.... we finally sit down to dessert. Kim has the apple pie, and mom and I each have our own TCMD, since she didn't want to share.
Kim, you are a diet sabatuer, but boy did we have a great time today!!!!!
Oh my aching head...
I made the mistake of staying up too late last night.
I fell asleep on the couch with my glasses on, and my book in my hand. My son woke me up at about ten to nine. He had woken up when my alarm clock went off and kept going off (I had set it when I got home).
One of the side-effects of sleeping on the couch is that I wasn't really comfortable, but was too tired to move, and not keen on the idea of moving from a warm couch to an icy bed.
The headache is because I couldn't stand it, and had to have a handful of party mix before bed. Too salty, but it tasted just right. I am NOT checking the scale this morning, because of the salt. It wouldn't have been so bad, but I did not have more than a swallow of water afterwards. Bad idea.
Anyway, I have less than two hours before I have to go over to my sister's house so we can leave to go shopping. I have no definite list for my son, as he seems to change his mind by the day. I have a couple of ideas. One thing that did bug me was seeing one item that I bought for him at $34 a couple of weeks ago on sale this week for $24 at Target. Kicking myself, but as it is a popular item this year, I wanted to buy it early to be sure that we had it. It was number one, THE most important thing on his list.
Yikes! My time is running out, and I wanted to get a couple of batches of cookies baked before we go, so I can give some to Mom and Kim. Plus, I want to see my nephew have a bite, as I think his reaction ought to be the best entertainment of the day...
I fell asleep on the couch with my glasses on, and my book in my hand. My son woke me up at about ten to nine. He had woken up when my alarm clock went off and kept going off (I had set it when I got home).
One of the side-effects of sleeping on the couch is that I wasn't really comfortable, but was too tired to move, and not keen on the idea of moving from a warm couch to an icy bed.
The headache is because I couldn't stand it, and had to have a handful of party mix before bed. Too salty, but it tasted just right. I am NOT checking the scale this morning, because of the salt. It wouldn't have been so bad, but I did not have more than a swallow of water afterwards. Bad idea.
Anyway, I have less than two hours before I have to go over to my sister's house so we can leave to go shopping. I have no definite list for my son, as he seems to change his mind by the day. I have a couple of ideas. One thing that did bug me was seeing one item that I bought for him at $34 a couple of weeks ago on sale this week for $24 at Target. Kicking myself, but as it is a popular item this year, I wanted to buy it early to be sure that we had it. It was number one, THE most important thing on his list.
Yikes! My time is running out, and I wanted to get a couple of batches of cookies baked before we go, so I can give some to Mom and Kim. Plus, I want to see my nephew have a bite, as I think his reaction ought to be the best entertainment of the day...
Saturday, December 10, 2005
End of a long, but fun day...
Seriously, I have been going non-stop since early this morning, but everything I did today was productive and fun. Okay, maybe the laundry wasn't fun, and cleaning the bathroom is pretty low on my list of good times, but the rest was fun.
We went to the movies and saw "Narnia," and had an enjoyable time. Good company, despite having to dodge an eleven-year old who is too tall while trying to have a conversation. Most surreal moment: while walking out of the theater, suddenly realizing that we were walking behind two big tough guys in leather jackets, one of whom had curls on the ends of his mustache...
The movie was pretty good, and a very good adaptation. The beginning scene was not in the book at all, but it was totally necessary to set the situation and time period (WWII, England, during the Blitz). But really, it has been so long since I have read the book, that I can't remember the details. It was fun, and I got a chance to have a much needed break, and fun conversation with someone over the age of eleven.
After the movie, I raced home to throw together some cookie dough to take to my sister's house. Work called a couple of times while I was trying to do this. We had a network hiccup that tanked a couple of printers, but it all recovered correctly. That's part of my geek super-powers - troubleshooting over the phone while folding dry ingredients into the dough base :)
My mom came to town to baby sit my nephew while my sister and her husband went to a Christmas party at his cousin's in Des Moines. Mom and I decided it would be a good time to get our holiday baking done, since it is always more fun to make massive amounts of treats together than alone. Plus, my nephew is more than a handful, and we needed two sets of hands. "All of THAT came out of YOU?"
I was glad to be able to bake with my mom. Alone, I often end up kicking myself as I am putting the umpteen billionth sheet of cookies into the oven at 10:00 pm, and they all have to be frosted yet. And I eat too many as they are cooling. I usually only make a couple of different treats, since we can't eat them all, and I still end up giving a bunch away. This way, we could make more types of treats, and split everything three ways (a third to my sister, for letting us use her kitchen). Not to mention the fact that we can have nice long talks while working. Very fun!
We ended up not getting as much done as we thought we would, as my nephew had a hard time getting to sleep. He just didn't want to lie down, so my mom ended up rocking him to sleep. As soon as she put him in his crib, he woke up, but he quieted down after about five minutes of us just leaving him alone.
We made chocolate star cookies (triple batch), a bunch of almond bark pretzels (one and a half batches), and a batch of Granny's party mix (four gallons). The party mix almost killed us. It had to be stirred every 15 minutes while baking for two hours. You stir by pouring it into another container, then back into the pan. We had two of those disposable aluminum roasting pans, and it was interesting, to say the least. No wonder my mom rarely makes it... Mom also made peanut clusters beforehand, and brought us a plate. I made sugar cookie dough that we didn't have time to bake, so that is on my list for tomorrow morning (my famous melt-in-your-mouth sugar cookies). Mom is going to make the pumpkin bread tomorrow morning before we come over. This way we each can split up that stuff, too.
Then, we are going shopping. My son is staying with my brother-in-law and my nephew, while us girls go shopping. I should be able to get more of my son's presents taken care of, which will be great. I would like to be done before the end of this week, so I can just enjoy the season without the attendant stress that comes from leaving everything until the last minute.
I only hope my feet and legs hold out tomorrow.
We went to the movies and saw "Narnia," and had an enjoyable time. Good company, despite having to dodge an eleven-year old who is too tall while trying to have a conversation. Most surreal moment: while walking out of the theater, suddenly realizing that we were walking behind two big tough guys in leather jackets, one of whom had curls on the ends of his mustache...
The movie was pretty good, and a very good adaptation. The beginning scene was not in the book at all, but it was totally necessary to set the situation and time period (WWII, England, during the Blitz). But really, it has been so long since I have read the book, that I can't remember the details. It was fun, and I got a chance to have a much needed break, and fun conversation with someone over the age of eleven.
After the movie, I raced home to throw together some cookie dough to take to my sister's house. Work called a couple of times while I was trying to do this. We had a network hiccup that tanked a couple of printers, but it all recovered correctly. That's part of my geek super-powers - troubleshooting over the phone while folding dry ingredients into the dough base :)
My mom came to town to baby sit my nephew while my sister and her husband went to a Christmas party at his cousin's in Des Moines. Mom and I decided it would be a good time to get our holiday baking done, since it is always more fun to make massive amounts of treats together than alone. Plus, my nephew is more than a handful, and we needed two sets of hands. "All of THAT came out of YOU?"
I was glad to be able to bake with my mom. Alone, I often end up kicking myself as I am putting the umpteen billionth sheet of cookies into the oven at 10:00 pm, and they all have to be frosted yet. And I eat too many as they are cooling. I usually only make a couple of different treats, since we can't eat them all, and I still end up giving a bunch away. This way, we could make more types of treats, and split everything three ways (a third to my sister, for letting us use her kitchen). Not to mention the fact that we can have nice long talks while working. Very fun!
We ended up not getting as much done as we thought we would, as my nephew had a hard time getting to sleep. He just didn't want to lie down, so my mom ended up rocking him to sleep. As soon as she put him in his crib, he woke up, but he quieted down after about five minutes of us just leaving him alone.
We made chocolate star cookies (triple batch), a bunch of almond bark pretzels (one and a half batches), and a batch of Granny's party mix (four gallons). The party mix almost killed us. It had to be stirred every 15 minutes while baking for two hours. You stir by pouring it into another container, then back into the pan. We had two of those disposable aluminum roasting pans, and it was interesting, to say the least. No wonder my mom rarely makes it... Mom also made peanut clusters beforehand, and brought us a plate. I made sugar cookie dough that we didn't have time to bake, so that is on my list for tomorrow morning (my famous melt-in-your-mouth sugar cookies). Mom is going to make the pumpkin bread tomorrow morning before we come over. This way we each can split up that stuff, too.
Then, we are going shopping. My son is staying with my brother-in-law and my nephew, while us girls go shopping. I should be able to get more of my son's presents taken care of, which will be great. I would like to be done before the end of this week, so I can just enjoy the season without the attendant stress that comes from leaving everything until the last minute.
I only hope my feet and legs hold out tomorrow.
Friday, December 09, 2005
TGIF
On the way to pick up my son after work today, I got this idea into my head. I decided that, rather than get our usual Hy-Vee pizza for dinner, we'd go Christmas shopping and eat dinner at Culver's instead. Obviously, he thought that was a great idea!
Three and a half hours later, we finally got home, carried in the bags, put away the groceries, took out the garbage, and managed to miss the bottom step on the stairs on the way down. My boss made a joke about how I shouldn't lift that fifty-pound bag of popcorn this afternoon, on the off-chance I could hurt myself and be off work. It was very funny, and I had a good laugh over it... until I missed that step and thought, "Oh God, he jinxed me!" So far, I don't think I actually hurt myself, as I didn't fall (wouldn't that have been a sight, since I had quickly cleaned out the refrigerator so I wouldn't have to do it tomorrow).
I bought a bunch of baking supplies, so I can make holiday goodies with my mom tomorrow night while we are babysitting my nephew. Our list is long, but as we are dividing it three ways (me, mom, and Kim), we'll get a big variety without ending up with way too much food. Kim can eat pretty much anything she wants, but Mom and I are attempting to not overindulge this holiday season. Something to do with wanting to be able to wear favorite jeans comfortably...
I also finished all of my holiday shopping!!! Well, other than my son's sitter, and as my son reminded me, "And mine, right?" "Oh, I haven't done any of your shopping yet," wink, wink...
Gifts, and gift cards for everyone on my list, and even a little something for me. I found this really cute snowman to add to my collection at Hobby Lobby (my son's least favorite place). It was partially hidden by another item (which was very tacky, I might add), and I picked it up, and knew that I had to have it. Another lady in the same aisle also liked it, and we looked for another for her, but he was the last one. I felt bad, but it was perfect for my collection, and I had clearly picked it up first, as she was at the other end of the aisle at the time. The best part, though, was the fact that it ended up being 50% off. Check-out total = $3.76.
A mostly productive evening, even though I missed phone calls from my mom, and one of my sisters, and gmail messed up and did not register any new mail for about twenty-four hours...
Three and a half hours later, we finally got home, carried in the bags, put away the groceries, took out the garbage, and managed to miss the bottom step on the stairs on the way down. My boss made a joke about how I shouldn't lift that fifty-pound bag of popcorn this afternoon, on the off-chance I could hurt myself and be off work. It was very funny, and I had a good laugh over it... until I missed that step and thought, "Oh God, he jinxed me!" So far, I don't think I actually hurt myself, as I didn't fall (wouldn't that have been a sight, since I had quickly cleaned out the refrigerator so I wouldn't have to do it tomorrow).
I bought a bunch of baking supplies, so I can make holiday goodies with my mom tomorrow night while we are babysitting my nephew. Our list is long, but as we are dividing it three ways (me, mom, and Kim), we'll get a big variety without ending up with way too much food. Kim can eat pretty much anything she wants, but Mom and I are attempting to not overindulge this holiday season. Something to do with wanting to be able to wear favorite jeans comfortably...
I also finished all of my holiday shopping!!! Well, other than my son's sitter, and as my son reminded me, "And mine, right?" "Oh, I haven't done any of your shopping yet," wink, wink...
Gifts, and gift cards for everyone on my list, and even a little something for me. I found this really cute snowman to add to my collection at Hobby Lobby (my son's least favorite place). It was partially hidden by another item (which was very tacky, I might add), and I picked it up, and knew that I had to have it. Another lady in the same aisle also liked it, and we looked for another for her, but he was the last one. I felt bad, but it was perfect for my collection, and I had clearly picked it up first, as she was at the other end of the aisle at the time. The best part, though, was the fact that it ended up being 50% off. Check-out total = $3.76.
A mostly productive evening, even though I missed phone calls from my mom, and one of my sisters, and gmail messed up and did not register any new mail for about twenty-four hours...
Thursday, December 08, 2005
Confirmed: Me = Old
In joints, anyway. Achy, and tired, and my feet hurt from standing too long in one spot.
I am wiped out. I am so tired that I nearly fell asleep while sorting laundry just a few minutes ago.
I am going to curl up on the couch and read for a bit, enjoying my Christmas tree, and my nice fleece blanket (even though it is too short). It is important to relax the mind so that one can enjoy a restful slumber.
Okay, too cold in here to blog anymore, and I need to leave my laptop on the charger. Night all!
I am wiped out. I am so tired that I nearly fell asleep while sorting laundry just a few minutes ago.
I am going to curl up on the couch and read for a bit, enjoying my Christmas tree, and my nice fleece blanket (even though it is too short). It is important to relax the mind so that one can enjoy a restful slumber.
Okay, too cold in here to blog anymore, and I need to leave my laptop on the charger. Night all!
Precious Minutes at rest
I am trying to relax for the next few minutes, until it is time to leave for work. The problem is, I am so tired that I feel like I could fall asleep right now and not wake up until morning.
Part of that is caused by the fact that I ate too much for dinner.
The rest was caused by the fact that I could not get back to sleep after calling the lab monitors at 2am to see if the graveyard shift monitor had made it in yet (no, which led to all sorts of problems, and ultimately, one of the previous monitors staying to cover the shift). So, after being awake for half an hour, I was too tense and wound-up to sleep.
Am I too old for this? Well, when I get up from this spot, I am going to feel it in my back, knees, leg muscles, and ankles.
Part of that is caused by the fact that I ate too much for dinner.
The rest was caused by the fact that I could not get back to sleep after calling the lab monitors at 2am to see if the graveyard shift monitor had made it in yet (no, which led to all sorts of problems, and ultimately, one of the previous monitors staying to cover the shift). So, after being awake for half an hour, I was too tense and wound-up to sleep.
Am I too old for this? Well, when I get up from this spot, I am going to feel it in my back, knees, leg muscles, and ankles.
Wednesday, December 07, 2005
Life imitating art?
subtitle: The Day After Tomorrow
Did you know that it is really, really cold here? Did you know that it is so cold that I had to put towels on the windowsills, to keep out some of the cold air? I have frost inside my outer window? Not just a little, but ice?
Below zero actual temps, wind chill was -19°F last night when I watched the 10:00 news.
Yes, I have been through worse weather. Like the year I was a senior in high school. -70°F Windchill. Some guy walked from the convenience store at the end of the main street, to our house to get a tow truck, rather than calling. He ended up with frostbite on his ears so bad that they turned black. The store wasn't open yet, so he couldn't call, and he didn't want to bug people by knocking on their doors in the pre-dawn hours. Obviously, this was before normal people had cell phones.
So much we take for granted...
Anyway, that year, we missed the last couple of days of school before Christmas break because the temperatures were so dangerous. It was all about trying to stay warm, and worrying about my dad, out in the tow truck trying to help people. It was thinking about those times that prompted me to buy him hand and foot warmers for Christmas two years ago (that and a thermal bowl with a lid, so his soup would stay warm for lunch). Last year, I bought him these really good socks that cold-weather hikers use, plus hand and foot warmers. This year, I don't know yet.
In any case, when I think about all of the sacrifices my dad made for us girls and my mom (and still does), I just want to do things for him that will make his life and work easier. Keep him warm while he is out in terrible weather, say a prayer to keep him safe when he has a fire call, or an accident call. He's been stuck in the tow truck before, a long time ago when the twins were little. He came home covered in snow, ice on his beard and eyebrows, and we all just cried and hugged him, so glad to have him home after so many hours of just hearing him on the two-way radio. His former boss took out the big truck to go get him, and ended up stuck too. They had to winch each other out, and I still don't know just how they did it, but they did. Hours and hours, it took. In a blizzard. My dad was, and is, a superhero.
So, when I think back to the winters of my childhood, this winter seems almost mild so far. Except for it still being autumn, that is. I may have to try to find some of those pictures...
Did you know that it is really, really cold here? Did you know that it is so cold that I had to put towels on the windowsills, to keep out some of the cold air? I have frost inside my outer window? Not just a little, but ice?
Below zero actual temps, wind chill was -19°F last night when I watched the 10:00 news.
Yes, I have been through worse weather. Like the year I was a senior in high school. -70°F Windchill. Some guy walked from the convenience store at the end of the main street, to our house to get a tow truck, rather than calling. He ended up with frostbite on his ears so bad that they turned black. The store wasn't open yet, so he couldn't call, and he didn't want to bug people by knocking on their doors in the pre-dawn hours. Obviously, this was before normal people had cell phones.
So much we take for granted...
Anyway, that year, we missed the last couple of days of school before Christmas break because the temperatures were so dangerous. It was all about trying to stay warm, and worrying about my dad, out in the tow truck trying to help people. It was thinking about those times that prompted me to buy him hand and foot warmers for Christmas two years ago (that and a thermal bowl with a lid, so his soup would stay warm for lunch). Last year, I bought him these really good socks that cold-weather hikers use, plus hand and foot warmers. This year, I don't know yet.
In any case, when I think about all of the sacrifices my dad made for us girls and my mom (and still does), I just want to do things for him that will make his life and work easier. Keep him warm while he is out in terrible weather, say a prayer to keep him safe when he has a fire call, or an accident call. He's been stuck in the tow truck before, a long time ago when the twins were little. He came home covered in snow, ice on his beard and eyebrows, and we all just cried and hugged him, so glad to have him home after so many hours of just hearing him on the two-way radio. His former boss took out the big truck to go get him, and ended up stuck too. They had to winch each other out, and I still don't know just how they did it, but they did. Hours and hours, it took. In a blizzard. My dad was, and is, a superhero.
So, when I think back to the winters of my childhood, this winter seems almost mild so far. Except for it still being autumn, that is. I may have to try to find some of those pictures...
Ugh.
Last night, blogger was not working, so a post I made went off into the blogosphere, never to return.
This is a test post to see if it is working.
This is a test post to see if it is working.
Tuesday, December 06, 2005
'Tis the day for being bored...
"I'm bored," my son whines from his room. "Can I get up now?"
Lather. Rinse. Repeat.
Repeat, repeat, repeat.
He says he's feeling better, but I reminded him that with what he's got, better is relative, not absolute. "Wham-o, when you least expect it!"
Lucky for me, VH-1 has an "I Love the 80's" marathon on! Lucky me with the cable connection!
Anyway, I have to get going. I can feel the urge for an afternoon nap creeping on, and since having a day off is not likely to happen again for awhile, I am going to get what I can from it (beyond cleaning the house, laundry, and catering to the every whim of a kid who is stuck in bed).
At least I'm not the sick one...
Lather. Rinse. Repeat.
Repeat, repeat, repeat.
He says he's feeling better, but I reminded him that with what he's got, better is relative, not absolute. "Wham-o, when you least expect it!"
Lucky for me, VH-1 has an "I Love the 80's" marathon on! Lucky me with the cable connection!
Anyway, I have to get going. I can feel the urge for an afternoon nap creeping on, and since having a day off is not likely to happen again for awhile, I am going to get what I can from it (beyond cleaning the house, laundry, and catering to the every whim of a kid who is stuck in bed).
At least I'm not the sick one...
Stuck at home with a sick kid
It's never good when your child gets up at 5:25 to use the bathroom.
It's even worse when you are in the tub, and you hear this frantic pounding on the door, and some unintelligable murmuring that turns out to be a worst case scenario that happened before he could get to the bathroom.
(ignore the following sentence if you have a sensitive stomach, or do not have children)
And the worst case does not end up being vomit, if you know what I mean.
So, an hour and a half later, everything is cleaned up, the evidence is in the dryer after being washed in the hottest water possible, and he is resting comfortably in his bed with garbage bags under the sheet and towels over it. A movie is playing on his tv (t.g. for built in vcr and Goodwill - $25 total). Two slices of toast and a glass of water, and he is complaining that he is really hungry. Sorry buck-o, that's what you are having, and some broth for lunch. No sweets, milk, or anything other than toast, broth, or water sipped slowly.
The bathroom is disinfected, as is the kitchen, and his room. Medicine has been given. We just have to wait for it, and take steps to avoid restarting the problem.
It is going to be a very, very long day.
It's even worse when you are in the tub, and you hear this frantic pounding on the door, and some unintelligable murmuring that turns out to be a worst case scenario that happened before he could get to the bathroom.
(ignore the following sentence if you have a sensitive stomach, or do not have children)
And the worst case does not end up being vomit, if you know what I mean.
So, an hour and a half later, everything is cleaned up, the evidence is in the dryer after being washed in the hottest water possible, and he is resting comfortably in his bed with garbage bags under the sheet and towels over it. A movie is playing on his tv (t.g. for built in vcr and Goodwill - $25 total). Two slices of toast and a glass of water, and he is complaining that he is really hungry. Sorry buck-o, that's what you are having, and some broth for lunch. No sweets, milk, or anything other than toast, broth, or water sipped slowly.
The bathroom is disinfected, as is the kitchen, and his room. Medicine has been given. We just have to wait for it, and take steps to avoid restarting the problem.
It is going to be a very, very long day.
Stuck at home with a sick kid
It's never good when your child gets up at 5:25 to use the bathroom.
It's even worse when you are in the tub, and you hear this frantic pounding on the door, and some unintelligable murmuring that turns out to be a worst case scenario that happened before he could get to the bathroom.
(ignore the following sentence if you have a sensitive stomach, or do not have children)
And the worst case does not end up being vomit, if you know what I mean.
So, an hour and a half later, everything is cleaned up, the evidence is in the dryer after being washed in the hottest water possible, and he is resting comfortably in his bed with garbage bags under the sheet and towels over it. A movie is playing on his tv (t.g. for built in vcr and Goodwill - $25 total). Two slices of toast and a glass of water, and he is complaining that he is really hungry. Sorry buck-o, that's what you are having, and some broth for lunch. No sweets, milk, or anything other than toast, broth, or water sipped slowly.
The bathroom is disinfected, as is the kitchen, and his room. Medicine has been given. We just have to wait for it, and take steps to avoid restarting the problem.
It is going to be a very, very long day.
It's even worse when you are in the tub, and you hear this frantic pounding on the door, and some unintelligable murmuring that turns out to be a worst case scenario that happened before he could get to the bathroom.
(ignore the following sentence if you have a sensitive stomach, or do not have children)
And the worst case does not end up being vomit, if you know what I mean.
So, an hour and a half later, everything is cleaned up, the evidence is in the dryer after being washed in the hottest water possible, and he is resting comfortably in his bed with garbage bags under the sheet and towels over it. A movie is playing on his tv (t.g. for built in vcr and Goodwill - $25 total). Two slices of toast and a glass of water, and he is complaining that he is really hungry. Sorry buck-o, that's what you are having, and some broth for lunch. No sweets, milk, or anything other than toast, broth, or water sipped slowly.
The bathroom is disinfected, as is the kitchen, and his room. Medicine has been given. We just have to wait for it, and take steps to avoid restarting the problem.
It is going to be a very, very long day.
Sunday, December 04, 2005
Too weird!!!!!
As I was reviewing my last post, my son appeared in the door of my room. "I... you kn, kn, kn" (this went on for a bit while I tried to figure out what he was saying). I could not get a real word out of him.
I finally led him back to his bed, made him lie down, and tucked him in. "I couldn't sleep," he finally said.
"Honey, you've been sound asleep for over two hours. I think you were sleep walking."
"Oh," and he fell asleep again.
It's -2°F outside right now. Snow on the ground. I will be sleeping with one eye open, and an ear tuned to the sound of the apartment door being opened. I just hope this was a one-time deal.
I finally led him back to his bed, made him lie down, and tucked him in. "I couldn't sleep," he finally said.
"Honey, you've been sound asleep for over two hours. I think you were sleep walking."
"Oh," and he fell asleep again.
It's -2°F outside right now. Snow on the ground. I will be sleeping with one eye open, and an ear tuned to the sound of the apartment door being opened. I just hope this was a one-time deal.
OMG, I almost forgot to post today!
I managed to fill up my day with activity! I went into work at 9:00, replaced the model cartridge in the 3d printer, which meant that we were now four hours behind, as I actually went into work to start another model and the previous one had not finished because the machine ran out of material. I put gas in the car - splurged and bought regular unleaded rather than the ethanol blend for the first time since August. After getting home, my son helped me make bacon and scrambled eggs, and we had a great (if nauseating to me) breakfast (I don't like the smell of bacon, and scrambled eggs make my stomach feel icky, but he loves them). After that, I needed time to recover, so I tried to rest on the couch.
After not being able to take a nap, I decided we'd go shopping to get some gifts for the babies and others on our list. My son flat out refused to go. After about 30 seconds of arguing with me, I finally "gave in" (wink, wink), and told him he could stay at home, even though it would be really boring to go without him.
Hahahahhaha....
The upshot is, I got to get some shopping for him out of the way! I found a couple of excellent deals on things that he wanted, and learned exactly how hard it is to find a regular tub of Lego™ in this town. Oh, and I also can't find a regular set of black and white dominos anywhere! He wants to set up domino chain reactions but the white heavy ones do not work as well, and are very expensive (to be used to that). I guess I will need to start looking at the thrift stores to see if I can find any.
You should have seen his face when, after three hours of shopping, I walked in carrying two small shopping bags. One with my grab bag gift for my dad's side of the family, part of my mom's present and some gift boxes, and the other with my niece's present and some candy. "That's all you bought?!?" he asked. "What about Will's present? Or granpa's?" I just complained about the crowds, and how busy traffic was, and left it at that.
Now if only that trunk lid hadn't frozen up on me again tonight, I could have my four precious gifts wrapped and hidden in the closet already. My son never asks for much (on his real list, not the fake one he made this year to be funny), and never minds getting anything second hand (the only way to shop for video games). That is what makes it so fun to surprise him with something he never expected to be able to get! Today, I found a really great deal on something he wanted very much. I didn't have to spend a lot of money (under $20), but I know he'll be very excited.
Only a few more people on my list, and they may all get Target gift cards and leave it at that. Except my cousin Will. He's only in first grade, and too young to understand the power of the gift card. The rest, gift cards. They get what they want, it's minimal wrapping, and easy to transport in the car.
Everyone is happy!
After not being able to take a nap, I decided we'd go shopping to get some gifts for the babies and others on our list. My son flat out refused to go. After about 30 seconds of arguing with me, I finally "gave in" (wink, wink), and told him he could stay at home, even though it would be really boring to go without him.
Hahahahhaha....
The upshot is, I got to get some shopping for him out of the way! I found a couple of excellent deals on things that he wanted, and learned exactly how hard it is to find a regular tub of Lego™ in this town. Oh, and I also can't find a regular set of black and white dominos anywhere! He wants to set up domino chain reactions but the white heavy ones do not work as well, and are very expensive (to be used to that). I guess I will need to start looking at the thrift stores to see if I can find any.
You should have seen his face when, after three hours of shopping, I walked in carrying two small shopping bags. One with my grab bag gift for my dad's side of the family, part of my mom's present and some gift boxes, and the other with my niece's present and some candy. "That's all you bought?!?" he asked. "What about Will's present? Or granpa's?" I just complained about the crowds, and how busy traffic was, and left it at that.
Now if only that trunk lid hadn't frozen up on me again tonight, I could have my four precious gifts wrapped and hidden in the closet already. My son never asks for much (on his real list, not the fake one he made this year to be funny), and never minds getting anything second hand (the only way to shop for video games). That is what makes it so fun to surprise him with something he never expected to be able to get! Today, I found a really great deal on something he wanted very much. I didn't have to spend a lot of money (under $20), but I know he'll be very excited.
Only a few more people on my list, and they may all get Target gift cards and leave it at that. Except my cousin Will. He's only in first grade, and too young to understand the power of the gift card. The rest, gift cards. They get what they want, it's minimal wrapping, and easy to transport in the car.
Everyone is happy!
Okay, technically this is Sunday, so this is NOT my fourth post of the day...
True to form, the fact that I had at least eight hours of uninterrupted sleep last night, plus two hours rest until the alarm went off, then another 90 minutes on the couch, means that I cannot sleep tonight. It is 12:29 am, and I am wide awake, with no possibility of sleep for at least another hour. And I have to get up at 7:10 again, to go back to work and start another model.
I will be so glad when the next two weeks are over.
Actually, strike that. I love having the students around. They breathe life and vigor into our town and my building. We have FUN working such crazy hours... okay, maybe not FUN exactly, but it's interesting, and NOT BORING. I honestly don't know what I would do if I weren't trying to do three things at once.
Oh wait, I would be posting four times a day on this blog. (one day off at home with no chance of getting out to do something will do this to me).
In any case (another oft' used expression of mine), I have a busy day ahead of me tomorrow. Work in the morning for a bit, then I am making scrambled eggs and bacon for my son (who discovered that he loves them about two months ago while staying with my parents). Then church, because I feel this immense guilt because my son forgot who Mary was momentarily, and got a little confused about the whole thing (he's scientifically minded, didn't really listen apparently in all six years of religious ed, plus all those masses at Grandma and Grandpa's church. I've tried to explain that it is a story, but just get a blank look.). It's not like we don't go to church, because we do, but usually it's in my hometown with my parents, and it's very early in the morning. My son can sleep with his eyes open. Seriously. Scared me to death when he was a baby. Anyway, moving on...
That brings us up to about noon.
At six, it's back to work to get the movies started, then race to the other side of town for a very important meeting.
Like I said, nearly every night this week we are doubled up on activities.
So I need to get to bed to be rested for all of that. I am going to try right after I finish this post...
P.S. Awful book is finished. The main character ends up with the guy that we knew she would. Rah, rah, rah. Still can't believe I bothered to finish it. Am on a second book which is REALLY GOOD! Half through already, may end up reading the rest of it tonight. Saving the third and best book for tomorrow. We'll see how that goes.
I will be so glad when the next two weeks are over.
Actually, strike that. I love having the students around. They breathe life and vigor into our town and my building. We have FUN working such crazy hours... okay, maybe not FUN exactly, but it's interesting, and NOT BORING. I honestly don't know what I would do if I weren't trying to do three things at once.
Oh wait, I would be posting four times a day on this blog. (one day off at home with no chance of getting out to do something will do this to me).
In any case (another oft' used expression of mine), I have a busy day ahead of me tomorrow. Work in the morning for a bit, then I am making scrambled eggs and bacon for my son (who discovered that he loves them about two months ago while staying with my parents). Then church, because I feel this immense guilt because my son forgot who Mary was momentarily, and got a little confused about the whole thing (he's scientifically minded, didn't really listen apparently in all six years of religious ed, plus all those masses at Grandma and Grandpa's church. I've tried to explain that it is a story, but just get a blank look.). It's not like we don't go to church, because we do, but usually it's in my hometown with my parents, and it's very early in the morning. My son can sleep with his eyes open. Seriously. Scared me to death when he was a baby. Anyway, moving on...
That brings us up to about noon.
At six, it's back to work to get the movies started, then race to the other side of town for a very important meeting.
Like I said, nearly every night this week we are doubled up on activities.
So I need to get to bed to be rested for all of that. I am going to try right after I finish this post...
P.S. Awful book is finished. The main character ends up with the guy that we knew she would. Rah, rah, rah. Still can't believe I bothered to finish it. Am on a second book which is REALLY GOOD! Half through already, may end up reading the rest of it tonight. Saving the third and best book for tomorrow. We'll see how that goes.
Saturday, December 03, 2005
Saturday Evening Slump
Okay, what is this, my third post today?
My son and I played a friendly game of Monopoly this evening. We finally quit because we were hungry for supper. Well, that and the fact that he owed me about $2500 in accumulated rents from landing on properties of mine that had hotels, and only about $6 left to his name. He did have two houses each on Boardwalk and Park Place, but I only landed on Park Place once. That's why he ONLY owed me $2500 (I shaved $500 off his I.O.U.s).
We just finished watching Robots, and I'll let you in on a little secret - this kid can dance. He's got no sense of self-consciousness at all. He just moves and has a good time. And he's finally getting a bit of rythmn, too. We've been practicing with the "We will rock you" clapping, and he's finally getting the idea of rythmn and beat. When he hears a song he likes, he just gets up and dances. And so do I.
He finally decided to join an after school club. Friday, they had to come up with a skit by drawing subjects, places, and actions out of a box. Sounds like improv to me, and he had a great time with it. He really had fun with the kids on his team, and is anxious to go to the next meeting. I asked him in the car, after he was excitedly telling me about it, why he didn't join the drama club, as I thought he'd enjoy that because they do very similar things. "Oh, I'd get stage fright," he said,"all those people watching." I tried to explain how having to get up in front of a lot of people can actually help you get over stage fright, but he was still a little dubious. Besides, the drama club is already working on a production, and I am not sure that he'd have time for both clubs (and he was not impressed with the play they are putting on, "The Princess and the Pea". "I'm not being in something with the word 'princess' in it!").
It's interesting, though. The fact that he had no problem whatsoever helping to write and act out a skit in 45 minutes, with two kids he had never even met before (and one of his good friends, who had invited him to join). He was so excited when I picked him up from school.... It's not all they do, of course. Writing and acting out skits, I mean. The club does other problem solving exercises, too. I just think that if he was involved in more activities, he wouldn't sit around watching TV and playing video games all of the time.
He loves baseball, but it's too competitive, and we can't afford Little League (time or money), so that's sort of out for the moment. They are not offering the chance to go out for sports to the sixth graders, even though they are in middle school. They don't have recess anymore, and a good twenty minutes of gym class is devoted to getting on a bus and driving to the old middle school, because the gym at the new middle school is not yet finished.
Okay, I just noticed how long this post is getting...
I think it is time to close this post and get back to my awful book that I am forcing myself to read. Or maybe I'll clean out my desk drawers... I apologize for all of this rambling today. I just honestly don't have anything else to do.
My son and I played a friendly game of Monopoly this evening. We finally quit because we were hungry for supper. Well, that and the fact that he owed me about $2500 in accumulated rents from landing on properties of mine that had hotels, and only about $6 left to his name. He did have two houses each on Boardwalk and Park Place, but I only landed on Park Place once. That's why he ONLY owed me $2500 (I shaved $500 off his I.O.U.s).
We just finished watching Robots, and I'll let you in on a little secret - this kid can dance. He's got no sense of self-consciousness at all. He just moves and has a good time. And he's finally getting a bit of rythmn, too. We've been practicing with the "We will rock you" clapping, and he's finally getting the idea of rythmn and beat. When he hears a song he likes, he just gets up and dances. And so do I.
He finally decided to join an after school club. Friday, they had to come up with a skit by drawing subjects, places, and actions out of a box. Sounds like improv to me, and he had a great time with it. He really had fun with the kids on his team, and is anxious to go to the next meeting. I asked him in the car, after he was excitedly telling me about it, why he didn't join the drama club, as I thought he'd enjoy that because they do very similar things. "Oh, I'd get stage fright," he said,"all those people watching." I tried to explain how having to get up in front of a lot of people can actually help you get over stage fright, but he was still a little dubious. Besides, the drama club is already working on a production, and I am not sure that he'd have time for both clubs (and he was not impressed with the play they are putting on, "The Princess and the Pea". "I'm not being in something with the word 'princess' in it!").
It's interesting, though. The fact that he had no problem whatsoever helping to write and act out a skit in 45 minutes, with two kids he had never even met before (and one of his good friends, who had invited him to join). He was so excited when I picked him up from school.... It's not all they do, of course. Writing and acting out skits, I mean. The club does other problem solving exercises, too. I just think that if he was involved in more activities, he wouldn't sit around watching TV and playing video games all of the time.
He loves baseball, but it's too competitive, and we can't afford Little League (time or money), so that's sort of out for the moment. They are not offering the chance to go out for sports to the sixth graders, even though they are in middle school. They don't have recess anymore, and a good twenty minutes of gym class is devoted to getting on a bus and driving to the old middle school, because the gym at the new middle school is not yet finished.
Okay, I just noticed how long this post is getting...
I think it is time to close this post and get back to my awful book that I am forcing myself to read. Or maybe I'll clean out my desk drawers... I apologize for all of this rambling today. I just honestly don't have anything else to do.
Winter wonderland?
It is snowing again.
Actually, it has been snowing since this morning, around the time that I left to go to work. When I left, my car windows were clear, and now my car has about 4 inches of snow on it. Lucky for me that we got groceries last night.
I dozed on the couch for a couple of hours after work, then got up to make lunch. After cleaning up, my son and I sat down and watched more Battlestar Galactica. Three episodes worth. Five more to go, and we'll have finally seen the complete first season. We are saving them for other days.
I had planned to go do some Christmas shopping this afternoon, but the snow pretty much rules that out. The plows are out, and it isn't really windy, as far as I can tell, but I am not in the mood to play bumper cars. The problem is that I have slept as much as I possibly can today, and I have a feeling that I am going to have a long, boring afternoon and evening.
And I just remembered that it is my Mom and Dad's anniversary today! Yikes. They are visiting my sister LeAnn, and her husband and my niece this weekend. It is my niece's birthday on Wednesday. Our princess is going to be one. Amazing how times goes by... then I hear that the teen years drag on forever to compensate.
I guess I'll just go back to the book I am reading, even though I think it is actually making me dumber just for having read a third of it. Some chick lit seriously needs to not make it to press. Yes, I'll probably finish it just out of boredom, but honestly, it rambled for the first two chapters, in the third chapter the main character saw a ghost, and suddenly the plot became that of "A Christmas Carol," only for Valentine's Day. We already know who the girl is going to end up with, and the writing is just bad and not half as clever as it thinks it is. It's enough to make me vomit, which is good for the diet, if not for my literary soul.
Yes, the snow looks pretty, but it is dooming me to a terrible fate; stuck in the house with a pre-teen and a bad romance novel. Bad, bad, bad...
Actually, it has been snowing since this morning, around the time that I left to go to work. When I left, my car windows were clear, and now my car has about 4 inches of snow on it. Lucky for me that we got groceries last night.
I dozed on the couch for a couple of hours after work, then got up to make lunch. After cleaning up, my son and I sat down and watched more Battlestar Galactica. Three episodes worth. Five more to go, and we'll have finally seen the complete first season. We are saving them for other days.
I had planned to go do some Christmas shopping this afternoon, but the snow pretty much rules that out. The plows are out, and it isn't really windy, as far as I can tell, but I am not in the mood to play bumper cars. The problem is that I have slept as much as I possibly can today, and I have a feeling that I am going to have a long, boring afternoon and evening.
And I just remembered that it is my Mom and Dad's anniversary today! Yikes. They are visiting my sister LeAnn, and her husband and my niece this weekend. It is my niece's birthday on Wednesday. Our princess is going to be one. Amazing how times goes by... then I hear that the teen years drag on forever to compensate.
I guess I'll just go back to the book I am reading, even though I think it is actually making me dumber just for having read a third of it. Some chick lit seriously needs to not make it to press. Yes, I'll probably finish it just out of boredom, but honestly, it rambled for the first two chapters, in the third chapter the main character saw a ghost, and suddenly the plot became that of "A Christmas Carol," only for Valentine's Day. We already know who the girl is going to end up with, and the writing is just bad and not half as clever as it thinks it is. It's enough to make me vomit, which is good for the diet, if not for my literary soul.
Yes, the snow looks pretty, but it is dooming me to a terrible fate; stuck in the house with a pre-teen and a bad romance novel. Bad, bad, bad...
A post about a bunch of nothing
The scale this morning puts me at 5 pounds under what I was yesterday.
I know that this is not the truth, that it's fluctuations in water weight most likely, but it gave me a lift.
Last night, I fell asleep on the couch at around 9:00. I woke up at 5:10 with a crick in my neck, and stumbled into my bedroom. I pretty much tossed and turned until the alarm went off at 7:10. I got up, showered and dressed, and went to work to get the next 3D print started on our modeler. While I was waiting for the machine to warm up so I could check the material extrusion, I made another snowflake to put on the window in the lab (my lab monitors went crazy making snowflakes yesterday - very festive!). After leaving, I ran to the grocery store and bought garbage bags, toilet paper, eggs, bacon, and postage stamps. I also got quarters for laundry. Fun.
Now I am back at home, changed back into my pyjamas, and have a date with the couch where I will begin work on catching up on my sleep. Three nights in a row I barely slept, and last night was the longest stretch of sleep I've had in a long time. I have got to get rested up for dead week, or I will be very cranky, or very loopy. I'd prefer to be cheerful and well-rested.
I will settle for 7 hours a night and a nutritious diet that does not consist of chicken nuggets and tator tots, but I will take what I can get...
I know that this is not the truth, that it's fluctuations in water weight most likely, but it gave me a lift.
Last night, I fell asleep on the couch at around 9:00. I woke up at 5:10 with a crick in my neck, and stumbled into my bedroom. I pretty much tossed and turned until the alarm went off at 7:10. I got up, showered and dressed, and went to work to get the next 3D print started on our modeler. While I was waiting for the machine to warm up so I could check the material extrusion, I made another snowflake to put on the window in the lab (my lab monitors went crazy making snowflakes yesterday - very festive!). After leaving, I ran to the grocery store and bought garbage bags, toilet paper, eggs, bacon, and postage stamps. I also got quarters for laundry. Fun.
Now I am back at home, changed back into my pyjamas, and have a date with the couch where I will begin work on catching up on my sleep. Three nights in a row I barely slept, and last night was the longest stretch of sleep I've had in a long time. I have got to get rested up for dead week, or I will be very cranky, or very loopy. I'd prefer to be cheerful and well-rested.
I will settle for 7 hours a night and a nutritious diet that does not consist of chicken nuggets and tator tots, but I will take what I can get...
Friday, December 02, 2005
Cinderella Missed the Ball
You know how when you are busy, there is usually this one little thing tickling the back of you brain? Well, every day this week, I kept saying to myself, "You know, you should probably check and see when the office party is, just to be sure."
Every day this week, I have been extremely busy.
So, when my boss was leaving the lab after fixing something, he asks, "Are you going to the thing tonight," my insides froze.
No, I am not going to the thing. You see, I sort of thought that the thing was next Friday. The paranoid side of me kept telling myself to check the invitation, but I was too busy listening to the paranoid side also telling me to make sure we ordered another lens for the laser cutter, some white acrylic, and where the heck is my tan chip board?
In the mean time, I forgot about the party, and at 4:30 pm, it was too late to find a sitter, and I'd have to go alone.
And you know I am not walking into a fancy party in the Campanile room of the Union without a date. Some other year, okay, but not this year. Not happening.
So six o'clock saw me on the couch in my track suit, watching Scooby Doo 2 with my son. And 7:00 saw me sitting bolt upright on the sofa, suddenly remembering that I had forgotten to take the DVDs back to Family Video. Said DVDs, of course, still sitting on my desk at work.
Back into the cold to get the movies back before midnight.
Every day this week, I have been extremely busy.
So, when my boss was leaving the lab after fixing something, he asks, "Are you going to the thing tonight," my insides froze.
No, I am not going to the thing. You see, I sort of thought that the thing was next Friday. The paranoid side of me kept telling myself to check the invitation, but I was too busy listening to the paranoid side also telling me to make sure we ordered another lens for the laser cutter, some white acrylic, and where the heck is my tan chip board?
In the mean time, I forgot about the party, and at 4:30 pm, it was too late to find a sitter, and I'd have to go alone.
And you know I am not walking into a fancy party in the Campanile room of the Union without a date. Some other year, okay, but not this year. Not happening.
So six o'clock saw me on the couch in my track suit, watching Scooby Doo 2 with my son. And 7:00 saw me sitting bolt upright on the sofa, suddenly remembering that I had forgotten to take the DVDs back to Family Video. Said DVDs, of course, still sitting on my desk at work.
Back into the cold to get the movies back before midnight.
Thursday, December 01, 2005
Brain Dead
Yup, that's me.
Last night... I mean this morning at around 2 am, I had to call the labs to make sure that the graveyard shift monitor arrived safely at work (we did not close last night, and will not close tonight, either). After I hung up the phone, I could not get back to sleep.
In fact, I tossed and turned all night, very tired, but not able to get back into a deep sleep.
As a result, I pretty much was a zombie today, from the time I got to work, through the whole laser cutter sign-up process, and through the entire day. Pretty appropriate really, as tonight's movies were all zombie flicks.
I want nothing more than to sit on the couch, read a book, and go to bed.
Of course, the alarm is set for 2:00 am again, just because I am paranoid. This time, though, I should have no problems getting back to sleep...
Last night... I mean this morning at around 2 am, I had to call the labs to make sure that the graveyard shift monitor arrived safely at work (we did not close last night, and will not close tonight, either). After I hung up the phone, I could not get back to sleep.
In fact, I tossed and turned all night, very tired, but not able to get back into a deep sleep.
As a result, I pretty much was a zombie today, from the time I got to work, through the whole laser cutter sign-up process, and through the entire day. Pretty appropriate really, as tonight's movies were all zombie flicks.
I want nothing more than to sit on the couch, read a book, and go to bed.
Of course, the alarm is set for 2:00 am again, just because I am paranoid. This time, though, I should have no problems getting back to sleep...
Wednesday, November 30, 2005
I wanna 'fficial Red Ryder carbine action, 200-shot range model air rifle...
The Christmas shopping has begun...
Tuesday, November 29, 2005
Holiday Memory #01
When I was a little girl, the Saturday after Thanksgiving was reserved for putting up the Christmas tree and other holiday decorations.
My mom would retrieve all of the boxes from their various hiding places in the store room, and my sisters and I would wait impatiently for my dad to get home, so he could put the lights on the tree.
He was, and is, very, very good at lighting a tree.
My dad still owns a service station, still drives a tow-truck, and is still a volunteer fireman. This meant that some years, we waited a very long time for him to get home, and sometimes he had to go back out into the cold or blizzards to help people.
No matter what, we waited, because to do otherwise was unthinkable.
He worked with a delicacy that defied his work-hardened fingers and hands, weaving the strands of lights artfully around the branches of our artificial, plastic tree. Always the colorful lights, patiently untangled, checked for burnt out bulbs that could cause a whole string to stay dark... He'd check and check until he found the culprit. Not until the lights were perfect could we begin putting on the tinsel, and the ornaments. The wait was always worth it. Finally, when we were finished, he'd put the tree topper on the very top, and the Christmas season could really begin.
My mom would retrieve all of the boxes from their various hiding places in the store room, and my sisters and I would wait impatiently for my dad to get home, so he could put the lights on the tree.
He was, and is, very, very good at lighting a tree.
My dad still owns a service station, still drives a tow-truck, and is still a volunteer fireman. This meant that some years, we waited a very long time for him to get home, and sometimes he had to go back out into the cold or blizzards to help people.
No matter what, we waited, because to do otherwise was unthinkable.
He worked with a delicacy that defied his work-hardened fingers and hands, weaving the strands of lights artfully around the branches of our artificial, plastic tree. Always the colorful lights, patiently untangled, checked for burnt out bulbs that could cause a whole string to stay dark... He'd check and check until he found the culprit. Not until the lights were perfect could we begin putting on the tinsel, and the ornaments. The wait was always worth it. Finally, when we were finished, he'd put the tree topper on the very top, and the Christmas season could really begin.
"You better not..."
We are having a little disagreement in our household.
The disagreement is over the treasure trove that is our copy of the first season of Battlestar Galactica.
Monday, my son did not have school. He watched episodes 2 through 5 without me. Now, this would be okay if he didn't try to tell me what was going on in those episodes when I came home for lunch, and then after work.
"That girl gets shot!"
"What?!?"
"You know that one girl"
"Oh, come on, quit telling me this! You're spoiling it!"
"Opps... sorry."
So, the agreement is, I catch up, and then I stop and wait until we can watch the next together. As he ran into the bathroom to take his bath, he yelled back, "You better not watch any more!!!"
I am half tempted to watch another and tell him alllllll about it.... :)
The disagreement is over the treasure trove that is our copy of the first season of Battlestar Galactica.
Monday, my son did not have school. He watched episodes 2 through 5 without me. Now, this would be okay if he didn't try to tell me what was going on in those episodes when I came home for lunch, and then after work.
"That girl gets shot!"
"What?!?"
"You know that one girl"
"Oh, come on, quit telling me this! You're spoiling it!"
"Opps... sorry."
So, the agreement is, I catch up, and then I stop and wait until we can watch the next together. As he ran into the bathroom to take his bath, he yelled back, "You better not watch any more!!!"
I am half tempted to watch another and tell him alllllll about it.... :)
Monday, November 28, 2005
The Star of Controversy
The Star of Controversy
Originally uploaded by jennifergeek.
Funny story...
My mother had been searching high and low for something to put over the fireplace in the new addition. Awhile ago, my sister saw this star in the window of a shop in Ames. A week ago Saturday, when my mom was in town to help with a baby shower, my sister decided to take Mom to the shop to see it.
When they got there, it was no longer in the window, but they decided to go in to the store to see if they could find something else. Luck of luck, the shop had another.
When my mom finally got back home, she was excited to show Dad the star.
He was less than thrilled. "This is just for the season, right?" he asked as he precariously perched on a ladder to hang the star.
"No, it's perfect there. It's staying up all year," my mom replied.
"Oh."
You know the whole deal with "The Lamp" in A Christmas Story?
Battlelines were drawn, albeit friendly lines...
Our Lovely Tree
Our Lovely Tree
Originally uploaded by jennifergeek.
As promised, here is a photo of our too-big Christmas tree. It's the perfect size for our apartment, yes, but about the fifteenth time I had to get up on the step ladder to do the lights and add decorations, I was beginning to hum something under my breath other than Christmas carols...
Mondays.
How did your Monday go?
I'm sorry, what did you say? How did MY Monday go?
Well, let's just put it this way. About every ten minutes I kept pinching myself to make sure I wasn't stuck in some nightmare where everything in the labs malfunctions at once (yes, I have those types of dreams).
Luckily, things started to turn around in the afternoon. Late afternoon.
I am now looking forward to a nice evening, followed by a meeting across town.
After the meeting, I am going to go to the store and stock up on Diet Pepsi, then go home and watch more episodes of "Battlestar Galactica."
And I will be just fine...
I'm sorry, what did you say? How did MY Monday go?
Well, let's just put it this way. About every ten minutes I kept pinching myself to make sure I wasn't stuck in some nightmare where everything in the labs malfunctions at once (yes, I have those types of dreams).
Luckily, things started to turn around in the afternoon. Late afternoon.
I am now looking forward to a nice evening, followed by a meeting across town.
After the meeting, I am going to go to the store and stock up on Diet Pepsi, then go home and watch more episodes of "Battlestar Galactica."
And I will be just fine...
Sunday, November 27, 2005
Lovely weather in Iowa, again.
Lightning, thunder, rain here.
South, tornado watch.
To the west, winter storm advisory.
Tomorrow ought to be interesting.
South, tornado watch.
To the west, winter storm advisory.
Tomorrow ought to be interesting.
Further proof that I am a Geek
I ran into Wal-mart to get a couple of things, and ended up buying season one of Battlestar Galactica on DVD.
I am such a geek.
I am such a geek.
Saturday, November 26, 2005
You would think that seven strands of lights would be enough...
but it's not.
I am a strand short of finishing the lights on the tree. What a bummer. I am going to have to go back to Wal-mart tomorrow and buy another strand. We are going to go ahead and decorate it, and I'll just remove the decorations when I get the new strand of lights.
This tree has about forty-two billion branches on it, which is why I needed so many more lights than for the old one.
My arms ache, my back hurts, but now we can start the fun part. Finally.
Update: The tree is decorated. It is by far the best tree we've ever had, and I still have tons of room for more decorations. That's the best part - I love making new decorations every year, and usually, I have to severely curtail my ornament making, or else give tons away to family. This time, I get to keep them! I'll post pictures after my camera batteries finish charging.
I am a strand short of finishing the lights on the tree. What a bummer. I am going to have to go back to Wal-mart tomorrow and buy another strand. We are going to go ahead and decorate it, and I'll just remove the decorations when I get the new strand of lights.
This tree has about forty-two billion branches on it, which is why I needed so many more lights than for the old one.
My arms ache, my back hurts, but now we can start the fun part. Finally.
Update: The tree is decorated. It is by far the best tree we've ever had, and I still have tons of room for more decorations. That's the best part - I love making new decorations every year, and usually, I have to severely curtail my ornament making, or else give tons away to family. This time, I get to keep them! I'll post pictures after my camera batteries finish charging.
Remember that scene from "Christmas Vacation"...
where they get the tree home, and it is much bigger than they realized?
Yep, I bought a seven-and-a-half foot tall tree. I have pretty high ceilings, so I wanted something that would look right, and still be manageable (size and money-wise).
That is one tall tree...
Thank god I have a step ladder, or putting on the lights would really have been difficult. I did remember to buy a couple of extra strands of lights, as my old tree claimed to be six foot tall, and I was taller than it (I'm five and a half). This may actually really be the full seven and a half...
I hope I have enough decorations...
Yep, I bought a seven-and-a-half foot tall tree. I have pretty high ceilings, so I wanted something that would look right, and still be manageable (size and money-wise).
That is one tall tree...
Thank god I have a step ladder, or putting on the lights would really have been difficult. I did remember to buy a couple of extra strands of lights, as my old tree claimed to be six foot tall, and I was taller than it (I'm five and a half). This may actually really be the full seven and a half...
I hope I have enough decorations...
Hanging Out
So, yesterday afternoon, as I was finishing work on mom's computer, my sister Mallory finally got home from working at Target.
Yep, she worked the insane 5:45 am to 3:00 shift, the day after Thanksgiving.
She survived.
We ended up decided to stay an extra day to spend more time with her, because she slept all day Thanksgiving, reviving long enough to eat dinner with us, and to take a bath while we were cleaning up after.
As I was about half-through the pile of dishes that would not fit in the dishwasher, I was waiting for hot water to come out so I could rinse a bowl. As it slowly turned ice cold, mom and I realized that she had taken all of the hot water. Fun, huh?
In any case, we decided to make dinner for everyone last night, as she had a craving for my oven-fried chicken and potatoes and gravy. She wanted my type of gravy, so we ran to the grocery store and spent waaayyyy too much on two gravy packets (hello, $1.47 for one McCormick chicken gravy mix?????? It's, like, 87 cents here, and usually on sale for 67...). We also rented two movies with the goal to stay up late, talk and watch movies.
Around 6:00, the phone rang. It was friends of the family, including my best friend from elementary school. They ended up coming over for about an hour, and we talked and caught up. She rode out Wilma at her brother's house, which ended up being a good idea. Florida is gorgeous, but I don't know if I could handle hurricane season.
Well, that's it for this post. I have lunch in the oven, then we are going to go shopping for a new Christmas tree, and maybe a new winter coat for me. My son also has $23 burning a hole in his pocket. He cashed in his change jar yesterday at the bank. He wants to go to Game Stop to look at what they have for used games.
Should be a fun afternoon!
Yep, she worked the insane 5:45 am to 3:00 shift, the day after Thanksgiving.
She survived.
We ended up decided to stay an extra day to spend more time with her, because she slept all day Thanksgiving, reviving long enough to eat dinner with us, and to take a bath while we were cleaning up after.
As I was about half-through the pile of dishes that would not fit in the dishwasher, I was waiting for hot water to come out so I could rinse a bowl. As it slowly turned ice cold, mom and I realized that she had taken all of the hot water. Fun, huh?
In any case, we decided to make dinner for everyone last night, as she had a craving for my oven-fried chicken and potatoes and gravy. She wanted my type of gravy, so we ran to the grocery store and spent waaayyyy too much on two gravy packets (hello, $1.47 for one McCormick chicken gravy mix?????? It's, like, 87 cents here, and usually on sale for 67...). We also rented two movies with the goal to stay up late, talk and watch movies.
Around 6:00, the phone rang. It was friends of the family, including my best friend from elementary school. They ended up coming over for about an hour, and we talked and caught up. She rode out Wilma at her brother's house, which ended up being a good idea. Florida is gorgeous, but I don't know if I could handle hurricane season.
Well, that's it for this post. I have lunch in the oven, then we are going to go shopping for a new Christmas tree, and maybe a new winter coat for me. My son also has $23 burning a hole in his pocket. He cashed in his change jar yesterday at the bank. He wants to go to Game Stop to look at what they have for used games.
Should be a fun afternoon!
Friday, November 25, 2005
I ate what?
There were eight of us for dinner (plus a one-year-old).
Here is the menu:
1. An eleven pound turkey,
2. Mashed potatoes and gravy,
3. whipped real (not from a can) sweet potatoes with brown sugar, butter, and pecan topping, (whoa)
4. green bean casserole,
5. corn,
6. fresh-baked bread,
7. grape salad,
8. macaroni and cheese (homemade, per request of my brother-in-law),
9. pumpkin pie
10. whipped pumpkin fluff pie.
OMG.
Everything was wonderful, and we have tons of leftovers.
In fact, I indulged in a morning-after tradition that was sadly missing last year... you guessed it. A piece of pumpkin pie for breakfast! I couldn't even finish it. Still stuffed from last night...
Here is the menu:
1. An eleven pound turkey,
2. Mashed potatoes and gravy,
3. whipped real (not from a can) sweet potatoes with brown sugar, butter, and pecan topping, (whoa)
4. green bean casserole,
5. corn,
6. fresh-baked bread,
7. grape salad,
8. macaroni and cheese (homemade, per request of my brother-in-law),
9. pumpkin pie
10. whipped pumpkin fluff pie.
OMG.
Everything was wonderful, and we have tons of leftovers.
In fact, I indulged in a morning-after tradition that was sadly missing last year... you guessed it. A piece of pumpkin pie for breakfast! I couldn't even finish it. Still stuffed from last night...
Wednesday, November 23, 2005
Urg.
I was NOT going to do laundry today. I had PLENTY of clothes clean for us to pack. Then I discovered my favorite jeans, and my favorite sleep pants in the laundry basket.
Obviously, it would be a crime if I did not wash these things to take with me, right? So, there is a full load of laundry in the dryer. I just had to throw my son's jeans in there, too. Why waste two bucks if I am not going to get a full load done?
So, here I am, waiting.
After this, I am going to finish packing, load up the car (oh crap, I still have the bottles and cans in the truck from my aborted attempt to recycle them yesterday!), go get a birthday present for my neice (so mom and dad can take it to her next weekend), pick up dinner, and head out of town. Luckily, the weather is great, with just a bit more wind that I would like. Yikes! I have to add "fill up the car" to the list... Luckily, gas is $1.96/gallon! Woo hoo!!!!! Hasn't been this low for ages...
Ekk! The timer just went off... laundry is DONE!!!!!
Obviously, it would be a crime if I did not wash these things to take with me, right? So, there is a full load of laundry in the dryer. I just had to throw my son's jeans in there, too. Why waste two bucks if I am not going to get a full load done?
So, here I am, waiting.
After this, I am going to finish packing, load up the car (oh crap, I still have the bottles and cans in the truck from my aborted attempt to recycle them yesterday!), go get a birthday present for my neice (so mom and dad can take it to her next weekend), pick up dinner, and head out of town. Luckily, the weather is great, with just a bit more wind that I would like. Yikes! I have to add "fill up the car" to the list... Luckily, gas is $1.96/gallon! Woo hoo!!!!! Hasn't been this low for ages...
Ekk! The timer just went off... laundry is DONE!!!!!
They got SOMEthing right, anyway...
This morning, I had to take my son and one of his friends to school. I have been dreading this, as there are 1800 kids in his school. Normally, he takes the bus, but as they are operating on break schedule, the bus that he normally takes is not running (he had a tardy on Monday - first time EVER - the bus did not have any signs announcing the change, so he and every other kid on the later bus had to go to the office for tardy slips).
I was dreading this based on my experience with his elementary school.
Sawyer elementary has one of the most screwed up methods for drop-off and pick-up imaginable. There is only one way into the parking lot, and only one way out (you have to drive past the bus drop-off to get out of the parking lot, even if you dropped the kids off on the other side of the school). It was a nightmare.
I was not looking forward to having the traffic increased six-fold.
So, imagine my surprise this morning when I saw the buses go to their own drop off point at the back of the school. I turned in at one of the parking lots, and followed it around a wide circle drive with ample space to pull out and around those who need to stop longer for the kids to grab various musical instruments and the like. There was no wait at all. We pulled up, the kids got out, grabbed their bags and the drum, and were off. I was able to get out of the parking lot right away. There were plenty of kids arriving, but the traffic was contained. There is at least one other circle for drop off, and plenty of parking if parents need to help kids bring in projects.
Whoever designed the parking lots knew what they were doing. It gives me great hope for the future of this new school as a whole.
And I no longer need fear picking up or dropping off...
I was dreading this based on my experience with his elementary school.
Sawyer elementary has one of the most screwed up methods for drop-off and pick-up imaginable. There is only one way into the parking lot, and only one way out (you have to drive past the bus drop-off to get out of the parking lot, even if you dropped the kids off on the other side of the school). It was a nightmare.
I was not looking forward to having the traffic increased six-fold.
So, imagine my surprise this morning when I saw the buses go to their own drop off point at the back of the school. I turned in at one of the parking lots, and followed it around a wide circle drive with ample space to pull out and around those who need to stop longer for the kids to grab various musical instruments and the like. There was no wait at all. We pulled up, the kids got out, grabbed their bags and the drum, and were off. I was able to get out of the parking lot right away. There were plenty of kids arriving, but the traffic was contained. There is at least one other circle for drop off, and plenty of parking if parents need to help kids bring in projects.
Whoever designed the parking lots knew what they were doing. It gives me great hope for the future of this new school as a whole.
And I no longer need fear picking up or dropping off...
Dear Abby
Note: Dear Abby today is all about cell phone etiquette, or lack thereof. I thought I would add my own experiences to the mix. I may actually send this one in. Link to column: RUDE CELL PHONE USE REQUIRES NEW ETIQUETTE
Dear Abby,
I read your column on cell phone etiquette with some interest, as I have experienced all manner of cell phone abuse in public places, including ones that are supposed to afford privacy.
Did you know that people (at least women are, I don't go into the men's room) are using cell phones in restrooms now? There is nothing more unnerving than being in a public restroom and having fellow occupants refuse to quit using their cell phones for the length of time it takes them to go about their business. It is uncomfortable, to say the least, and there is not much a girl can do other than wait until they leave. It is a huge intrusion of privacy. They walk in talking on their cell phones, and walk out still in full gab. Are they even washing their hands? eeewwww...
Then take last Friday night; I was sitting a movie theater with my son, waiting for the new Harry Potter movie to start. As we settled in, I jokingly said that the first person to have their cell phone ring was going to get a large Diet Coke tossed in their direction. Ten minutes later, my son asked, are you going to throw the Coke now? Sure enough, I looked in the direction he pointed, and someone was talking on their cell phone (the movie had not yet started, thankfully, so I did not have to throw the drink). The people behind us laughed (then proceeded to talk through the first fifteen minutes of movie - erg).
And there's the library, that last bastion of quiet and peace... I honestly do not mind the voices and laughter of children. I don't even mind the screaming of children - they have a right to be there, too. What I do mind are people on cell phones browsing the DVDs, conferencing with the person on the other end about which movies to choose, or the latest break-up. One time, it was so bad that every where I went to get away from this person, she followed. I could not get away! All I wanted was a movie to watch, and the library was closing shortly, and I got an earful of rather embarrassing personal problems...
There have been countless times that I have been party to one-sided conversations that I would rather not hear. I have no wish to know what you did with your boyfriend/girlfriend, or who did something mean. I do not want a rehash of what happened on your soap today (especially if I didn't catch the first part of the conversation where you indicated it was a soap and not real life - scary!). If you really have to discuss something personal, maybe you should wait to have the discussion until you are at home rather than in public. It is very hard to NOT hear your side of the conversation.
Signed,
The Unwilling Eavesdropper
Dear Abby,
I read your column on cell phone etiquette with some interest, as I have experienced all manner of cell phone abuse in public places, including ones that are supposed to afford privacy.
Did you know that people (at least women are, I don't go into the men's room) are using cell phones in restrooms now? There is nothing more unnerving than being in a public restroom and having fellow occupants refuse to quit using their cell phones for the length of time it takes them to go about their business. It is uncomfortable, to say the least, and there is not much a girl can do other than wait until they leave. It is a huge intrusion of privacy. They walk in talking on their cell phones, and walk out still in full gab. Are they even washing their hands? eeewwww...
Then take last Friday night; I was sitting a movie theater with my son, waiting for the new Harry Potter movie to start. As we settled in, I jokingly said that the first person to have their cell phone ring was going to get a large Diet Coke tossed in their direction. Ten minutes later, my son asked, are you going to throw the Coke now? Sure enough, I looked in the direction he pointed, and someone was talking on their cell phone (the movie had not yet started, thankfully, so I did not have to throw the drink). The people behind us laughed (then proceeded to talk through the first fifteen minutes of movie - erg).
And there's the library, that last bastion of quiet and peace... I honestly do not mind the voices and laughter of children. I don't even mind the screaming of children - they have a right to be there, too. What I do mind are people on cell phones browsing the DVDs, conferencing with the person on the other end about which movies to choose, or the latest break-up. One time, it was so bad that every where I went to get away from this person, she followed. I could not get away! All I wanted was a movie to watch, and the library was closing shortly, and I got an earful of rather embarrassing personal problems...
There have been countless times that I have been party to one-sided conversations that I would rather not hear. I have no wish to know what you did with your boyfriend/girlfriend, or who did something mean. I do not want a rehash of what happened on your soap today (especially if I didn't catch the first part of the conversation where you indicated it was a soap and not real life - scary!). If you really have to discuss something personal, maybe you should wait to have the discussion until you are at home rather than in public. It is very hard to NOT hear your side of the conversation.
Signed,
The Unwilling Eavesdropper
Tuesday, November 22, 2005
One more post tonight, and then I swear I am done!
I did not get much of anything done today.
I had all sorts of plans, and then realized, as these plans kept getting more and more complex, that if I wasn't careful, I would spend my entire vacation cleaning.
I dusted today. I spent 10 minutes dusting. I ran the dishwasher. I emptied the dishwasher. I took out the garbage. I made popcorn for my son and his friend, and I made dinner. I cleaned up after dinner. The house looks no worse than it did this morning, and actually a bit better. And I am relaxed instead of worn out and aching.
Tomorrow, I had planned to wash a load of jeans. Then I realized that I only have three pairs to wash between both of us (I wore my J-Lo warm-up pants today). Not worth it. So, I will wait on laundry.
All I have to do tomorrow is do a bit more tidying, take a box to goodwill, and pack. Oh, and I will probably vacuum, too. I may try to get a quilt top done for a wall-hanging, but since that is fun, I am not counting it as work. The goal is to have it ready to hand quilt by the time we need to leave to go to mom and dad's (I like having something to work on when I go home, as it is too loud to read, and this way I can talk and work at the same time).
In fact, I think I'll get out my sewing stuff and get to work...
I had all sorts of plans, and then realized, as these plans kept getting more and more complex, that if I wasn't careful, I would spend my entire vacation cleaning.
I dusted today. I spent 10 minutes dusting. I ran the dishwasher. I emptied the dishwasher. I took out the garbage. I made popcorn for my son and his friend, and I made dinner. I cleaned up after dinner. The house looks no worse than it did this morning, and actually a bit better. And I am relaxed instead of worn out and aching.
Tomorrow, I had planned to wash a load of jeans. Then I realized that I only have three pairs to wash between both of us (I wore my J-Lo warm-up pants today). Not worth it. So, I will wait on laundry.
All I have to do tomorrow is do a bit more tidying, take a box to goodwill, and pack. Oh, and I will probably vacuum, too. I may try to get a quilt top done for a wall-hanging, but since that is fun, I am not counting it as work. The goal is to have it ready to hand quilt by the time we need to leave to go to mom and dad's (I like having something to work on when I go home, as it is too loud to read, and this way I can talk and work at the same time).
In fact, I think I'll get out my sewing stuff and get to work...
Impulse Buying
Okay, I am normally not an impulse buyer. I tend to look at all pros and cons of most things I buy, to determine if
a. I really need it,
b. It has the options I want,
and
c. Best price/ best quality.
Which is why normally never would have done what I did about an hour and a half ago.
You see, earlier today, I was writing a post about nothing, again, when I started rambling on about my stupid tracfone that I have (because I had to go buy more minutes for it). I realized that I was always having to add minutes without even using the minutes I already had, just to keep the number active. Granted, this was a lump sum total of around $20 every two months. Not a big deal.
Then I realized that the reason I wasn't using my minutes is because, while I can hear everyone just fine, my mom has long complained that she can't hear me very well at all when I am using my cell phone.
Somehow this little seed entered my fertile brain, and I surfed over to the tracfone web site to look at the phones they had, and do a little comparison shopping. I also researched what it would take to get my current tracfone number and minutes transferred to a new phone.
Armed with the model number of the phone I wanted, I drove to Target, only to find they didn't carry it (the alternate phone was more than I wanted to pay). Empty handed, I walked out of the store and decided to drive to Wal-Mart (EVIL!).
At first, I couldn't find the phone I wanted. The more expensive phone was $20 cheaper at Wal-Mart than at Target, but I still had my heart set on the model I could not find. Luckily, they have this station set up just for cell-phones, so I asked the guy there if they had that model phone. Yep, upstairs, he said, and while I waited, he ran to get one. The price on the tracfone site was $29.99 on sale. Wal-Mart price = $21.99. I bought it, and a 40 minute card.
Thirty minutes later, the nice tracfone lady had transferred my old minutes and phone number to the new phone, activited it, and added the new minutes. Everything went pretty smoothly. After about ten minutes, I tested it. Perfect!
And the best part is that I don't have to add minutes until March 22, 2006!
P.S. I know this hardly qualifies as an impulse buy for most NORMAL people, but for me, it is. :)
a. I really need it,
b. It has the options I want,
and
c. Best price/ best quality.
Which is why normally never would have done what I did about an hour and a half ago.
You see, earlier today, I was writing a post about nothing, again, when I started rambling on about my stupid tracfone that I have (because I had to go buy more minutes for it). I realized that I was always having to add minutes without even using the minutes I already had, just to keep the number active. Granted, this was a lump sum total of around $20 every two months. Not a big deal.
Then I realized that the reason I wasn't using my minutes is because, while I can hear everyone just fine, my mom has long complained that she can't hear me very well at all when I am using my cell phone.
Somehow this little seed entered my fertile brain, and I surfed over to the tracfone web site to look at the phones they had, and do a little comparison shopping. I also researched what it would take to get my current tracfone number and minutes transferred to a new phone.
Armed with the model number of the phone I wanted, I drove to Target, only to find they didn't carry it (the alternate phone was more than I wanted to pay). Empty handed, I walked out of the store and decided to drive to Wal-Mart (EVIL!).
At first, I couldn't find the phone I wanted. The more expensive phone was $20 cheaper at Wal-Mart than at Target, but I still had my heart set on the model I could not find. Luckily, they have this station set up just for cell-phones, so I asked the guy there if they had that model phone. Yep, upstairs, he said, and while I waited, he ran to get one. The price on the tracfone site was $29.99 on sale. Wal-Mart price = $21.99. I bought it, and a 40 minute card.
Thirty minutes later, the nice tracfone lady had transferred my old minutes and phone number to the new phone, activited it, and added the new minutes. Everything went pretty smoothly. After about ten minutes, I tested it. Perfect!
And the best part is that I don't have to add minutes until March 22, 2006!
P.S. I know this hardly qualifies as an impulse buy for most NORMAL people, but for me, it is. :)
Day 1: Vacationitis
Ahhh...... I am sitting on the couch, with my favorite fleece blanket over my legs, checking email and trolling the web for interesting, non-work related items. "One Crazy Summer" is playing on Comedy Central, my son's toys are picked up, the dishwasher is running, and all is good in the world.
I'm guesing I have about an hour before I get bored.
I'm guesing I have about an hour before I get bored.
Monday, November 21, 2005
Vacation!!!!!
Woo hoo! I am now off work until NEXT MONDAY!!!!!
I have a bunch of things I want to accomplish, but realistically, and based on past experience, I can expect to spend a lot of time on the couch trying to muddle through the lame daytime tv offerings.
Now, my idea of a perfect TV day would be for the SciFi channel to run a Battlestar Galactica season 1 marathon, followed by a season 2 marathon. That VCR still records, after all.
I have this weird Battlestar Galactica obsession lately. I want to watch the new episodes, but I have missed so many that I DON'T want to watch it and be lost the whole time. Weird, right?
One of the other things that must be done, and that I am dreading, is getting the Christmas decorations out. My tree is really looking sad, but I could not find one that I liked as much during the after-Christmas sales. This is the absolute last year I can use it, though. Lights are easy, at least I think they will be. Please let me have remembered to neatly coil the strands rather than just throwing them in a box like I did last year... oh please...
In any case, by Saturday I will have moved the furniture around, dug out the old mix CD from Geoff and Amy (I can't find your address!), and have managed to spear myself in the foot with broken glass decorations. Cocoa will be drunk with tons of marshmallows, and I will have placed the tin-foil star on top of the tree. If we are lucky, it will snow.
I have a bunch of things I want to accomplish, but realistically, and based on past experience, I can expect to spend a lot of time on the couch trying to muddle through the lame daytime tv offerings.
Now, my idea of a perfect TV day would be for the SciFi channel to run a Battlestar Galactica season 1 marathon, followed by a season 2 marathon. That VCR still records, after all.
I have this weird Battlestar Galactica obsession lately. I want to watch the new episodes, but I have missed so many that I DON'T want to watch it and be lost the whole time. Weird, right?
One of the other things that must be done, and that I am dreading, is getting the Christmas decorations out. My tree is really looking sad, but I could not find one that I liked as much during the after-Christmas sales. This is the absolute last year I can use it, though. Lights are easy, at least I think they will be. Please let me have remembered to neatly coil the strands rather than just throwing them in a box like I did last year... oh please...
In any case, by Saturday I will have moved the furniture around, dug out the old mix CD from Geoff and Amy (I can't find your address!), and have managed to spear myself in the foot with broken glass decorations. Cocoa will be drunk with tons of marshmallows, and I will have placed the tin-foil star on top of the tree. If we are lucky, it will snow.
Double-posts
I had a strange thing happen with blogger earlier today. The "Holding down the fort" post appeared twice, so I deleted one. Then someone tells me tonight that they got a 404 when trying to get to it. The comments for that post are working now, but if it was from an RSS feed, maybe that's where things got weird....
My fingers are freezing.
One side effect of everyone leaving for break is that the labs suddenly become icy-cold. My fingers are freezing, therefore I must type to keep my fingers from becoming too cold to type later if it's needed.
I have seen only four faculty members in our hallways this morning. I have not yet braved the main office, as I know I do not have any mail yet today, and I am keeping one eye on the "ditto" process running on the server. My toes are getting cold too, so I will have to take that jaunt just to warm them up.
I think I may be reduced to using my laptop as a hand warmer here in about a minute or so...
I have seen only four faculty members in our hallways this morning. I have not yet braved the main office, as I know I do not have any mail yet today, and I am keeping one eye on the "ditto" process running on the server. My toes are getting cold too, so I will have to take that jaunt just to warm them up.
I think I may be reduced to using my laptop as a hand warmer here in about a minute or so...
Holding down the fort
Why am I at work on the Monday of Thanksgiving break?
Why, I am backing up the Mac server, of course.
Why are you backing up the Mac server?
Why, because I am paranoid, of course.
How long is this going to take?
All day, of course. And I am not backing up every single thing on the server, but rather what I need in case something were to happen and I had to switch out a drive or something (four drives in this baby. It was one of the last of the Quicksilver models, utter workhorse, dual 1.47 GHz G4s, 2 GB RAM, 750 GB of storage.) I also want to get student data backed up, as I don't even want to contemplate what would happen if one of those drives failed (last back up was not recent enough).
Actually, I am also moving data around right now, to make more efficient use of the storage I have. I would like to repartition one of the drives, but the shuffle of data has to come first. When I set up this machine two years ago, I planned for the future, but had no idea that my lab image would swell to the 29 GB mark. This left my boot drive uncomfortably full (I think I have about 10 GB left). I am planning on moving the radmind directory to another drive, leaving a symlink behind at the normal location.
So, the whole point of coming in today, when barely anyone is around, is to placate my inner pessimist. One copy is going home with me, the other will be on a separate drive in the machine.
Okay, that 37GBs is almost done copying. Time to backup the ArtIS drive...
Why, I am backing up the Mac server, of course.
Why are you backing up the Mac server?
Why, because I am paranoid, of course.
How long is this going to take?
All day, of course. And I am not backing up every single thing on the server, but rather what I need in case something were to happen and I had to switch out a drive or something (four drives in this baby. It was one of the last of the Quicksilver models, utter workhorse, dual 1.47 GHz G4s, 2 GB RAM, 750 GB of storage.) I also want to get student data backed up, as I don't even want to contemplate what would happen if one of those drives failed (last back up was not recent enough).
Actually, I am also moving data around right now, to make more efficient use of the storage I have. I would like to repartition one of the drives, but the shuffle of data has to come first. When I set up this machine two years ago, I planned for the future, but had no idea that my lab image would swell to the 29 GB mark. This left my boot drive uncomfortably full (I think I have about 10 GB left). I am planning on moving the radmind directory to another drive, leaving a symlink behind at the normal location.
So, the whole point of coming in today, when barely anyone is around, is to placate my inner pessimist. One copy is going home with me, the other will be on a separate drive in the machine.
Okay, that 37GBs is almost done copying. Time to backup the ArtIS drive...
Sunday, November 20, 2005
Disaster Movie Round-up
"The Poseidon Adventure" on NBC.
Because having a cruise ship turn upside down isn't exciting enough, let's throw some terrorists in the mix.
Worst. Dialog. Ever.
Skip this and see the original. Unless, of course, you want to make fun of this remake. I don't know what they spent on it, but whatever it was, it was too much.
The original rocks!
Footnote: If any of you South Park fans remember the "Succubus" episode, the song she sings, "There's got to be a morning after," came from the original "Poseidon Adventure". I still giggle every time I think of it...
Because having a cruise ship turn upside down isn't exciting enough, let's throw some terrorists in the mix.
Worst. Dialog. Ever.
Skip this and see the original. Unless, of course, you want to make fun of this remake. I don't know what they spent on it, but whatever it was, it was too much.
The original rocks!
Footnote: If any of you South Park fans remember the "Succubus" episode, the song she sings, "There's got to be a morning after," came from the original "Poseidon Adventure". I still giggle every time I think of it...
Let the fun begin.
I have decided that instead of sitting around with nothing to work on, I am going to start a couple of sewing projects in preparation for the holidays.
I am torn between starting projects for other people, or for myself. I am always making things for other people, and I do have a couple of gifts I would like to make. Nothing for my family, as I know what my sister LeAnn wants (I drew her name for Christmas), and I don't know if my mom would like anything homemade this year (she's not sure what she wants to do with the new addition yet). I just want something to do while watching TV as the weather gets colder.
I guess this means that I am bored.
I am torn between starting projects for other people, or for myself. I am always making things for other people, and I do have a couple of gifts I would like to make. Nothing for my family, as I know what my sister LeAnn wants (I drew her name for Christmas), and I don't know if my mom would like anything homemade this year (she's not sure what she wants to do with the new addition yet). I just want something to do while watching TV as the weather gets colder.
I guess this means that I am bored.
Saturday, November 19, 2005
List items accomplished...
Okay, a few anyway. I did six loads of laundry, which brought me just about to the finished stage. I had a full load of sweaters, which are now hanging all over the bathroom. Due to a miscalculation, I had only just enough laundry soap to do six loads, so the final three loads (all three of bedding, and extra blankets) have to wait until tomorrow.
After finishing the laundry (today's anyway), I grabbed a shower and then made up the menus and grocery list for the next week. Of course, I had planned a wonderful Thanksgiving day meal of pizza, until I remembered that it was in fact Thanksgiving, and not just Thursday. I scratched off the meals for that day, and the next, and revised my list.
At the store, I kept running into a friend nearly every lane, so it took about twice as long as normal, as we had to catch up on what has been going on lately (tornados and the like). She was in Minnesota at the time with her daughter's dance group, and happened to call the house sitter just as the warning was sounded.
What a difference a week makes.
Warm and stormy last Saturday, and cold and rainy today. I wonder what the weather is going to be like this week...
After finishing the laundry (today's anyway), I grabbed a shower and then made up the menus and grocery list for the next week. Of course, I had planned a wonderful Thanksgiving day meal of pizza, until I remembered that it was in fact Thanksgiving, and not just Thursday. I scratched off the meals for that day, and the next, and revised my list.
At the store, I kept running into a friend nearly every lane, so it took about twice as long as normal, as we had to catch up on what has been going on lately (tornados and the like). She was in Minnesota at the time with her daughter's dance group, and happened to call the house sitter just as the warning was sounded.
What a difference a week makes.
Warm and stormy last Saturday, and cold and rainy today. I wonder what the weather is going to be like this week...
Fall Cleaning
After a night of staying up waaayyy too late, I am just now getting started on my "to do" list for this weekend. I had planned on getting up early, but as we did not get home until 1:05 am this morning, I scratched that in favor of being rested. I don't think I even moved until 10, which is very, very late in the morning for me.
So, here is the wonderfully boring list for the weekend and my vacation:
1. Laundry - I need to find my sweaters and add them to the mix, as this week was COLD, and I froze at work.
2. Take stuff off of the walls in the bathroom and wash the walls.
3. Take the cans and bottles back.
4. Take the stuff off of the top of my kitchen cupboards and dust it. Wash walls.
5. Okay the rest of this also involves washing walls, window sills, and windows.
It is at this point that I almost wish that we were camping this weekend after all...
In any case, my mom is in town to help my sister Kim with a baby shower for one of Kim's friends. She wanted to know if we wanted to go to Sam's Club later, but I resisted the temptation. I have no room to be stocking up on anything. Maybe after I finish purging the cupboards. My kitchen is so small that I made half of my hall closet into a pantry.
Oops, I forgot to add
6. Grocery shopping
to the list.
In any case, nothing is going to get done unless I get off of my chair and get started.
So, here is the wonderfully boring list for the weekend and my vacation:
1. Laundry - I need to find my sweaters and add them to the mix, as this week was COLD, and I froze at work.
2. Take stuff off of the walls in the bathroom and wash the walls.
3. Take the cans and bottles back.
4. Take the stuff off of the top of my kitchen cupboards and dust it. Wash walls.
5. Okay the rest of this also involves washing walls, window sills, and windows.
It is at this point that I almost wish that we were camping this weekend after all...
In any case, my mom is in town to help my sister Kim with a baby shower for one of Kim's friends. She wanted to know if we wanted to go to Sam's Club later, but I resisted the temptation. I have no room to be stocking up on anything. Maybe after I finish purging the cupboards. My kitchen is so small that I made half of my hall closet into a pantry.
Oops, I forgot to add
6. Grocery shopping
to the list.
In any case, nothing is going to get done unless I get off of my chair and get started.
A boy, a cup, and a wand
Was it worth waiting in line for nearly an hour?
Aboslutely. Best Harry Potter movie yet.
The only low part was the couple behind us who talked a bit more than they should. You would have thought it was their living room rather than a sold-out theater... I wanted to turn around and offer to loan the girl my copy of the flipping book, just so she'd quit asking questions. The rest was very good.
Voldemort=scary in a way not easily defined.
I may have more later today, but for right now, I am exhausted.
Here's a hint: this movie felt shorter than the others, but it's longer.
'night all...
Aboslutely. Best Harry Potter movie yet.
The only low part was the couple behind us who talked a bit more than they should. You would have thought it was their living room rather than a sold-out theater... I wanted to turn around and offer to loan the girl my copy of the flipping book, just so she'd quit asking questions. The rest was very good.
Voldemort=scary in a way not easily defined.
I may have more later today, but for right now, I am exhausted.
Here's a hint: this movie felt shorter than the others, but it's longer.
'night all...
Friday, November 18, 2005
Waiting for Mr. Potter
I goofed. Big time.
Yesterday, I planned on getting our tickets for the new Harry Potter movie. We even nearly decided to get them last night while running errands, but I did not want to fight the normal evening rush of people at the box office. So, I decided to get them over lunch today.
Except I got to the theater and discovered that the box office did not open until 3 pm, and the doors were all locked (despite a sign saying that we could purchase tickets inside). So, I decided that we'd have to come back after work, get our tickets for the 6:40 show, and go eat dinner while we waited.
Right....
We got there at 5:05 pm, and all four early shows were sold out. The only tickets we could get were for the 10:05 show tonight, or wait until tomorrow afternoon. Unfortunately, we have plans for both tomorrow and Sunday afternoon, so I bought the 10:05 tickets.
Now it's just a matter of staying awake long enough to both remember that we have to leave at 8:45, and to be able to stay awake through the whole movie.
There is also that little niggling feeling in my brain that I am a BAD BAD BAD mother for taking my eleven year old to the 10:05 show. But then again I took him to the midnight release party at Hastings for the sixth book...
Yesterday, I planned on getting our tickets for the new Harry Potter movie. We even nearly decided to get them last night while running errands, but I did not want to fight the normal evening rush of people at the box office. So, I decided to get them over lunch today.
Except I got to the theater and discovered that the box office did not open until 3 pm, and the doors were all locked (despite a sign saying that we could purchase tickets inside). So, I decided that we'd have to come back after work, get our tickets for the 6:40 show, and go eat dinner while we waited.
Right....
We got there at 5:05 pm, and all four early shows were sold out. The only tickets we could get were for the 10:05 show tonight, or wait until tomorrow afternoon. Unfortunately, we have plans for both tomorrow and Sunday afternoon, so I bought the 10:05 tickets.
Now it's just a matter of staying awake long enough to both remember that we have to leave at 8:45, and to be able to stay awake through the whole movie.
There is also that little niggling feeling in my brain that I am a BAD BAD BAD mother for taking my eleven year old to the 10:05 show. But then again I took him to the midnight release party at Hastings for the sixth book...
Wednesday, November 16, 2005
Flex Frozen Fingers
Brrrr.....
It took 15 minutes to clear off my car and scrape the windows this morning. There aren't enough garages for every apartment to have one, and I ended up renting one without a garage. But, most of the year, that's okay, as I have the apartment with a unique floor plan which makes it look bigger than it is. On days like today, however, it is a pain in the...
In any case, I stuffed myself with more soup than I care to admit for both lunch and dinner. My toes are still cold, as are my fingers, but my mouth is suffering the effects of too-hot soup from last night. Ouch.
I am going to have to get up extremely early tomorrow morning, as it is LASER CUTTER SIGN UP DAY at the labs, and I will have somewhere between 20 and 30 students (or more) lined up waiting for the list to come out. Sometimes they get there an hour early. So, I have to make certain I am at work on time, so as to not incite panic.
Maybe I'll even make a nice breakfast for a change...
It took 15 minutes to clear off my car and scrape the windows this morning. There aren't enough garages for every apartment to have one, and I ended up renting one without a garage. But, most of the year, that's okay, as I have the apartment with a unique floor plan which makes it look bigger than it is. On days like today, however, it is a pain in the...
In any case, I stuffed myself with more soup than I care to admit for both lunch and dinner. My toes are still cold, as are my fingers, but my mouth is suffering the effects of too-hot soup from last night. Ouch.
I am going to have to get up extremely early tomorrow morning, as it is LASER CUTTER SIGN UP DAY at the labs, and I will have somewhere between 20 and 30 students (or more) lined up waiting for the list to come out. Sometimes they get there an hour early. So, I have to make certain I am at work on time, so as to not incite panic.
Maybe I'll even make a nice breakfast for a change...
Tuesday, November 15, 2005
A Mother's work is never done.
"Mom. Wake up."
"Whaa..." I rolled over to see my son standing by my bed, barely visible in the light from the hallway. The clock read 4:19 am. "What's going on?" I struggled to sit up, tangled in blankets.
"I don't feel so good..."
I instantly threw off the blankets, found my glasses and had the light on before he finished his sentence. A mother knows you have to move quickly when you hear those words, as they are usually followed by nothing good.
I ushered him into the bathroom, and had the seat up in the next 20 seconds.
"No, not like that," he said. "The other way..."
Oh, it suddenly becomes clear. I can fix this. I found the first aid kit, and we went to the kitchen to get a glass of water. I once again tried to teach him how to swallow a pill, but he couldn't do it. Finally, I crushed up the medicine, and mixed it with a spoonful of cottage cheese (I didn't have anything else that would work).
In less than five minutes, he was asleep again, with the hall light left on so he had a clear path to the bathroom.
I should have just stayed up.
I could not go back to sleep. I kept dozing with one ear tuned to the sound of feet hitting the floor. The light from the hall was too bright, so I got up and closed the door. Finally, about 5:30 or so, I started dreaming again.
I was late for work, or maybe I dreamed that I emailed my boss, and then forgot to call the school. I can't remember.
In any case, my dream was about how my day would go if he had to stay home from school. When the alarm went off at 6:10, I barely heard it. Just pressed "snooze" and didn't even bother to roll over. Finally, at 6:45, I decided that I had to get up, and check to see if my son could go to school.
He was perfectly fine, and anxious to get to school (he, unlike most kids, loves to go to school).
I walked around like a zombie for most of the day.
And tonight, right around 8:25, my son tells me again that he doesn't feel very good. He doesn't feel like he has to throw up, or "the Other", but he just doesn't feel right. No fever or anything, but he went to bed right after his bath, and read for just a few minutes before falling asleep.
I really, really, really hope that he isn't sick...
"Whaa..." I rolled over to see my son standing by my bed, barely visible in the light from the hallway. The clock read 4:19 am. "What's going on?" I struggled to sit up, tangled in blankets.
"I don't feel so good..."
I instantly threw off the blankets, found my glasses and had the light on before he finished his sentence. A mother knows you have to move quickly when you hear those words, as they are usually followed by nothing good.
I ushered him into the bathroom, and had the seat up in the next 20 seconds.
"No, not like that," he said. "The other way..."
Oh, it suddenly becomes clear. I can fix this. I found the first aid kit, and we went to the kitchen to get a glass of water. I once again tried to teach him how to swallow a pill, but he couldn't do it. Finally, I crushed up the medicine, and mixed it with a spoonful of cottage cheese (I didn't have anything else that would work).
In less than five minutes, he was asleep again, with the hall light left on so he had a clear path to the bathroom.
I should have just stayed up.
I could not go back to sleep. I kept dozing with one ear tuned to the sound of feet hitting the floor. The light from the hall was too bright, so I got up and closed the door. Finally, about 5:30 or so, I started dreaming again.
I was late for work, or maybe I dreamed that I emailed my boss, and then forgot to call the school. I can't remember.
In any case, my dream was about how my day would go if he had to stay home from school. When the alarm went off at 6:10, I barely heard it. Just pressed "snooze" and didn't even bother to roll over. Finally, at 6:45, I decided that I had to get up, and check to see if my son could go to school.
He was perfectly fine, and anxious to get to school (he, unlike most kids, loves to go to school).
I walked around like a zombie for most of the day.
And tonight, right around 8:25, my son tells me again that he doesn't feel very good. He doesn't feel like he has to throw up, or "the Other", but he just doesn't feel right. No fever or anything, but he went to bed right after his bath, and read for just a few minutes before falling asleep.
I really, really, really hope that he isn't sick...
Cold. Ice. Snow.
Well, it had to happen sometime.
It is snowing. Saturday, we had NINE tornados go through central Iowa. Today, we have lots of snow, slush, and a chill that just won't let up.
I am normally pretty adapted to the cold weather by this time of year. However, with the unseasonably warm weather, there hasn't been a chance to get used to it yet. My fingers are like ice, and the windows don't seem to be holding out the cold as well as they used to.
I made homemade vegetable beef soup tonight for supper. My son refuses to eat it, so he had ravioli. I ate way too much soup, which is okay, as the beef was fairly lean, and the soup is more vegetables than anything. It turned out really good this time, too. Which is good, since I will be eating it for the next month or so.
Like I said, it makes a large batch, and I am the only one here who will eat it.
In any case, I am not looking forward to tomorrow morning. I cannot find my gloves, which is weird, considering I wore them just last week. I also cannot find my son's gloves. He wore those last month when camping. He refuses to wear gloves or a hat to school. He will, however, wear the scarf I clumsily knitted for him. Weird.
In any case, I should have some that will do for tomorrow, if only I can remember what I did with them... I only have about 5 pairs around here somewhere...
It is snowing. Saturday, we had NINE tornados go through central Iowa. Today, we have lots of snow, slush, and a chill that just won't let up.
I am normally pretty adapted to the cold weather by this time of year. However, with the unseasonably warm weather, there hasn't been a chance to get used to it yet. My fingers are like ice, and the windows don't seem to be holding out the cold as well as they used to.
I made homemade vegetable beef soup tonight for supper. My son refuses to eat it, so he had ravioli. I ate way too much soup, which is okay, as the beef was fairly lean, and the soup is more vegetables than anything. It turned out really good this time, too. Which is good, since I will be eating it for the next month or so.
Like I said, it makes a large batch, and I am the only one here who will eat it.
In any case, I am not looking forward to tomorrow morning. I cannot find my gloves, which is weird, considering I wore them just last week. I also cannot find my son's gloves. He wore those last month when camping. He refuses to wear gloves or a hat to school. He will, however, wear the scarf I clumsily knitted for him. Weird.
In any case, I should have some that will do for tomorrow, if only I can remember what I did with them... I only have about 5 pairs around here somewhere...
Monday, November 14, 2005
This so totally could have been me...
(except my mom would never do something like this... thank god. But yeah, people wondered why I refused to get up to catch my sister's bouquet...)
BRIDE'S BOUQUET IS NO PRIZE FOR SINGLE GUEST AT WEDDING
DEAR ABBY: My widowed father recently married a woman I'll call "Millie." The wedding was held at Millie's home. Of the 20 or so guests in attendance, the only single adult was my younger sister, "Kim."
The ceremony was beautiful, the food was delicious, and everyone seemed to be enjoyed themselves when, out of nowhere, three of Millie's friends asked for everyone's attention. They then announced that instead of the bride tossing her bouquet, they had decided to just present it to Kim! Most of the guests laughed, and Kim played along, but I could tell she was upset. These friends went on to say something like, "Don't worry, Kim, you won't be single forever -- your turn will come someday!"
Abby, my sister is a brilliant, beautiful, very successful attorney in a well-known law firm in a large city. But because she doesn't have a man in her life, she was "singled" out and teased in front of a group comprised mostly of strangers. She held it together through the party, but wept openly to me afterward. She felt humiliated, and worse than that, like some kind of failure.
As it turns out, it was Millie's idea to give Kim the bouquet and make it a "funny" display. Kim was incredibly hurt and no longer wants much to do with our new stepmother. I don't want to get in the middle, but I feel if I told Millie why Kim is being distant, she'd most likely apologize.
Should I stick my nose in or leave it alone? Are we overreacting? Any advice would be appreciated. -- NOT AMUSED SISTER IN VERMONT
I think I'll pass this along to my sister, Kelly, who is probably next in line at the altar...
BRIDE'S BOUQUET IS NO PRIZE FOR SINGLE GUEST AT WEDDING
DEAR ABBY: My widowed father recently married a woman I'll call "Millie." The wedding was held at Millie's home. Of the 20 or so guests in attendance, the only single adult was my younger sister, "Kim."
The ceremony was beautiful, the food was delicious, and everyone seemed to be enjoyed themselves when, out of nowhere, three of Millie's friends asked for everyone's attention. They then announced that instead of the bride tossing her bouquet, they had decided to just present it to Kim! Most of the guests laughed, and Kim played along, but I could tell she was upset. These friends went on to say something like, "Don't worry, Kim, you won't be single forever -- your turn will come someday!"
Abby, my sister is a brilliant, beautiful, very successful attorney in a well-known law firm in a large city. But because she doesn't have a man in her life, she was "singled" out and teased in front of a group comprised mostly of strangers. She held it together through the party, but wept openly to me afterward. She felt humiliated, and worse than that, like some kind of failure.
As it turns out, it was Millie's idea to give Kim the bouquet and make it a "funny" display. Kim was incredibly hurt and no longer wants much to do with our new stepmother. I don't want to get in the middle, but I feel if I told Millie why Kim is being distant, she'd most likely apologize.
Should I stick my nose in or leave it alone? Are we overreacting? Any advice would be appreciated. -- NOT AMUSED SISTER IN VERMONT
I think I'll pass this along to my sister, Kelly, who is probably next in line at the altar...
Sunday, November 13, 2005
Dispatch from Tornado Alley
Wow.
First off, we're okay, and did not have any damage to the apartment building. In fact, the pots of dead flowers on my deck were not even moved or anything. All of this despite having a tornado touch down a mile or so north of where we live.
Ames Home Leveled By Tornado
Tornado Sirens Clear Stands At ISU
Residents Find Homes Destroyed, Belongings Scattered: At Least Eight Other Towns Hit
Tornado Kills 1 In Stratford: Tornadoes Touch Down In Central Iowa
Photos Note: The first few in this series were taken from my sister's neighborhood. Luckily, none of us were in town. We were in Manson celebrating my nephew's first birthday. It was hard at first, because we couldn't get any info on what areas were affected. Later, we called home and the answering machines were working, so we knew we at least had electricity.
We have an astounding group of meterologists working for KCCI, the CBS affiliate in Des Moines. Without them, we would have had a lot more people dead or seriously injured. These things were popping up frequently, and the guys stayed on the air, switching between live radar, webcams from SchoolNet, and the storm chaser trucks. Just great coverage, for hours.
More links:
Towns hit by tornadoes wake up to debris, disaster
Cyclone fans encounter the real thing before game Note: Some people asked me why the game went on. First of all, it would have been very bad to have all of those people trying to get out of town into an iffy weather or debris situation. The stadium had no damage, they had power, and the storms had passed. We really didn't need tens of thousands of people complicating traffic in town. Let them watch the game while the authorities assessed the situation in town. It ended up being the right decision. And we WON!
Woodward on Sunday: Church bells and chain saws
Stratford on Sunday: 20 percent of town displaced
Needless to say, everyone at my nephew's party was watching the situation closely. We had a bad moment when the inital storm track was shown for the one that hit Ames, as it pretty much showed a line going straight through my neighborhood. I couldn't breathe, and Kim and I just held hands while I tried not to cry. Then my son came in the room just as I was losing control, and started to get upset. That helped me calm down enough to try to think about what needed to happen next.
Of course, about this time, I started to crack jokes. "Well, at least I know where my insurance agent is..." (the next room), and "At least if this house is gone, I won't have to finish cleaning out that closet." Kim said I could stay with her, and I told her she could stay with me if either of our houses were gone. We went back to the party, and tried calling friends to see what happened. I called my lab monitor at work, and she told me they had watched it go past, and were still watching it. About half an hour later, after trying repeatedly to get through to a friend, I decided to call home, and got the answering machine. Kim tried after that, so we knew things were okay, but not the specifics.
Both of us just kept repeating how lucky we were to not have been there, and that the damage was not worse.
And I am not going to go see the damaged area in town. I have seen enough of that to last me a lifetime, having gone through a whole summer of clean-up when I was seven (Manson's F4). TV is bad enough without seeing it in real life. Plus, it is disrespectful to the people involved. What I will do is donate money if some sort of fund is set up for the family that lost their home in town. I don't think I know them personally, but I still want to help.
Again, this was the craziest thing... This is also the second tornado to hit Ames this fall. I just wonder what the rest of the year will bring...
First off, we're okay, and did not have any damage to the apartment building. In fact, the pots of dead flowers on my deck were not even moved or anything. All of this despite having a tornado touch down a mile or so north of where we live.
Ames Home Leveled By Tornado
Tornado Sirens Clear Stands At ISU
Residents Find Homes Destroyed, Belongings Scattered: At Least Eight Other Towns Hit
Tornado Kills 1 In Stratford: Tornadoes Touch Down In Central Iowa
Photos Note: The first few in this series were taken from my sister's neighborhood. Luckily, none of us were in town. We were in Manson celebrating my nephew's first birthday. It was hard at first, because we couldn't get any info on what areas were affected. Later, we called home and the answering machines were working, so we knew we at least had electricity.
We have an astounding group of meterologists working for KCCI, the CBS affiliate in Des Moines. Without them, we would have had a lot more people dead or seriously injured. These things were popping up frequently, and the guys stayed on the air, switching between live radar, webcams from SchoolNet, and the storm chaser trucks. Just great coverage, for hours.
More links:
Towns hit by tornadoes wake up to debris, disaster
Cyclone fans encounter the real thing before game Note: Some people asked me why the game went on. First of all, it would have been very bad to have all of those people trying to get out of town into an iffy weather or debris situation. The stadium had no damage, they had power, and the storms had passed. We really didn't need tens of thousands of people complicating traffic in town. Let them watch the game while the authorities assessed the situation in town. It ended up being the right decision. And we WON!
Woodward on Sunday: Church bells and chain saws
Stratford on Sunday: 20 percent of town displaced
Needless to say, everyone at my nephew's party was watching the situation closely. We had a bad moment when the inital storm track was shown for the one that hit Ames, as it pretty much showed a line going straight through my neighborhood. I couldn't breathe, and Kim and I just held hands while I tried not to cry. Then my son came in the room just as I was losing control, and started to get upset. That helped me calm down enough to try to think about what needed to happen next.
Of course, about this time, I started to crack jokes. "Well, at least I know where my insurance agent is..." (the next room), and "At least if this house is gone, I won't have to finish cleaning out that closet." Kim said I could stay with her, and I told her she could stay with me if either of our houses were gone. We went back to the party, and tried calling friends to see what happened. I called my lab monitor at work, and she told me they had watched it go past, and were still watching it. About half an hour later, after trying repeatedly to get through to a friend, I decided to call home, and got the answering machine. Kim tried after that, so we knew things were okay, but not the specifics.
Both of us just kept repeating how lucky we were to not have been there, and that the damage was not worse.
And I am not going to go see the damaged area in town. I have seen enough of that to last me a lifetime, having gone through a whole summer of clean-up when I was seven (Manson's F4). TV is bad enough without seeing it in real life. Plus, it is disrespectful to the people involved. What I will do is donate money if some sort of fund is set up for the family that lost their home in town. I don't think I know them personally, but I still want to help.
Again, this was the craziest thing... This is also the second tornado to hit Ames this fall. I just wonder what the rest of the year will bring...
Friday, November 11, 2005
Hey Troy, you missed it!
Apparently, just after Troy left the LAN party, the guys tripped a circuit. This led to a search for keys to the place across the hall, and about 10 minutes of confusion.
Then, they did it again.
Eventually, they strung more extension cords from the back, switched around more power strips, and we were in business. I settled in to watch "Battlestar Galactica, the Miniseries" on my laptop, and ate some of Cassie's birthday cake, while the guys shot each other and generally had a good time.
I never saw a pound of red licorice disappear so fast...
Then, they did it again.
Eventually, they strung more extension cords from the back, switched around more power strips, and we were in business. I settled in to watch "Battlestar Galactica, the Miniseries" on my laptop, and ate some of Cassie's birthday cake, while the guys shot each other and generally had a good time.
I never saw a pound of red licorice disappear so fast...
Thursday, November 10, 2005
So, What's YOUR pirate name?
My pirate name is:
Red Jenny Rackham
Passion is a big part of your life, which makes sense for a pirate. You have the good fortune of having a good name, since Rackham (pronounced RACKem, not rack-ham) is one of the coolest sounding surnames for a pirate. Arr!
Get your own pirate name from fidius.org.
Wednesday, November 09, 2005
Okay, so that probably wasn't interesting to anyone but me.
But this might be.
I posted the "request" sheet for DASH Movies and Popcorn this afternoon. Every semester, we have 24 hour labs during 10 days between the Wednesday before dead week, and the Wednesday of finals week. We pick three movies per night, and they are shown informally on the plasma screen in the fourth floor crit space, just outside the labs. We have a popcorn machine, and make free popcorn, and the movies are there for students to take a quick break and watch a bit of a favorite.
I take requests, because I never know what good movies the students will suggest that I may not have considered, or had forgotten about. I always pick out one key movie that kicks the whole thing off, and that forms the basis of my movie poster for the festival.
This year, I am having problems picking a main movie.
I usually pick something that has just been released on video, and that I happen to own. This year, I have a couple of different movies that I can choose from, but nothing that screams, "Pick me! Pick me!"
The poster has be done before Thanksgiving break, as DASH begins the Wednesday after we get back.
I already know what two of the nights will be: 80's night, because that is a tradition, and a massive movie marathon of a certain six-part movie saga whose final episode just came out on DVD (saving that for a Sunday).
Beyond that, I have no idea at this point. I think I am just going to have to try to watch as many new movies between now and then, and see if anything grabs me. Oh, and we may have to show the Battlestar Galactica mini-series, too.
Any suggestions from my massive pool of readers?
I posted the "request" sheet for DASH Movies and Popcorn this afternoon. Every semester, we have 24 hour labs during 10 days between the Wednesday before dead week, and the Wednesday of finals week. We pick three movies per night, and they are shown informally on the plasma screen in the fourth floor crit space, just outside the labs. We have a popcorn machine, and make free popcorn, and the movies are there for students to take a quick break and watch a bit of a favorite.
I take requests, because I never know what good movies the students will suggest that I may not have considered, or had forgotten about. I always pick out one key movie that kicks the whole thing off, and that forms the basis of my movie poster for the festival.
This year, I am having problems picking a main movie.
I usually pick something that has just been released on video, and that I happen to own. This year, I have a couple of different movies that I can choose from, but nothing that screams, "Pick me! Pick me!"
The poster has be done before Thanksgiving break, as DASH begins the Wednesday after we get back.
I already know what two of the nights will be: 80's night, because that is a tradition, and a massive movie marathon of a certain six-part movie saga whose final episode just came out on DVD (saving that for a Sunday).
Beyond that, I have no idea at this point. I think I am just going to have to try to watch as many new movies between now and then, and see if anything grabs me. Oh, and we may have to show the Battlestar Galactica mini-series, too.
Any suggestions from my massive pool of readers?
Interesting
I did laser cutter stats for the semester yesterday.
It is interesting to note that every available session was booked through the month of October.
Not just a couple of weeks. Every session, of every day.
November is shaping up to be a repeat...
It is interesting to note that every available session was booked through the month of October.
Not just a couple of weeks. Every session, of every day.
November is shaping up to be a repeat...
Tuesday, November 08, 2005
Accessibility Issue
So, it's voting day here in Ames, and I went to the Ames Tribune website to get some info. They had a link to the map of voting precincts, so I downloaded it to check that nothing had changed (this has happened to me before).
6.7 MB PDF file. Bad. Bad. Bad. You would think that it must be really high quality then. Nope. I had difficulty reading it, and zooming in just revealed a big mess. It looks like it was a lower quality JPEG that was PDFd because someone told the person they needed a PDF for people to download.
I am very disappointed. This is something that people need access to, and they have made it difficult for anyone on a dial-up connection to get, and difficult for anyone with vision problems to even see after they spend hours trying to download it. Honestly, they could have just shown this as a GIF in the browser at a higher quality, with a smaller file size.
6.7 MB PDF file. Bad. Bad. Bad. You would think that it must be really high quality then. Nope. I had difficulty reading it, and zooming in just revealed a big mess. It looks like it was a lower quality JPEG that was PDFd because someone told the person they needed a PDF for people to download.
I am very disappointed. This is something that people need access to, and they have made it difficult for anyone on a dial-up connection to get, and difficult for anyone with vision problems to even see after they spend hours trying to download it. Honestly, they could have just shown this as a GIF in the browser at a higher quality, with a smaller file size.
Monday, November 07, 2005
At times like these, I wish I were two people.
And so, in two weeks, we will embark on Thanksgiving break. What does this mean for me? Well, the labs are going to be closed, for one thing. My son will still be in school, so this is the perfect time to get a head start on my holiday baking.
Except I really, really need to diet. Badly. How does a girl gain 10 pounds in a little over two weeks??? I am ready to call the doctor and make an appointment. Seriously.
Oh wait, I know... it's all of the Halloween candy, and the Cheesecake Factory, and the not-eating-right-because-I-was-busy. This week will be different. I have made my menus for the week, and did the grocery shopping, so there is no good reason why I would have to give in and eat junk. No reason.
I am taking the rest of the leftover candy from work to our troop meeting tonight. Let the kids and their higher metabolism feast on the sugar laden stuff. Not me. I am turning over a new leaf! I am going to take the stairs at work (as long as it's only two flights), and will start walking in the evening after dinner. This trend to gain WILL be DEFEATED!!!!
Coincidentally, a couple of my friends have also said that they had recently put on weight, and then there is another, who stopped dieting, and did not gain back a single pound. Jealous!!!!!
Except I really, really need to diet. Badly. How does a girl gain 10 pounds in a little over two weeks??? I am ready to call the doctor and make an appointment. Seriously.
Oh wait, I know... it's all of the Halloween candy, and the Cheesecake Factory, and the not-eating-right-because-I-was-busy. This week will be different. I have made my menus for the week, and did the grocery shopping, so there is no good reason why I would have to give in and eat junk. No reason.
I am taking the rest of the leftover candy from work to our troop meeting tonight. Let the kids and their higher metabolism feast on the sugar laden stuff. Not me. I am turning over a new leaf! I am going to take the stairs at work (as long as it's only two flights), and will start walking in the evening after dinner. This trend to gain WILL be DEFEATED!!!!
Coincidentally, a couple of my friends have also said that they had recently put on weight, and then there is another, who stopped dieting, and did not gain back a single pound. Jealous!!!!!
Sunday, November 06, 2005
OMG, You CAN'T MISS THIS!!!
CBS, right now, "Catagory 7; The End of the World".
More crappy camera work that used to be cutting edge than you can shake a stick at.
Paris flattened by tornados, a hidden report that practically predicts the locations being hit by the severe weather, by-products of industry run amok...
Growing up in Tornado Alley...
What the HECK? Catagory 6 Tornado? Wouldn't that be an F6?
Anyway, as I was saying, growing up in Tornado Alley, I've been through an F4, and through my share of severe weather and tornado warnings, including a smaller funnel that I actually woke up to. Tornado movies always strike me as a little ridiculous...
In any case, a weather disaster movie at this time is distasteful, to say the least, what with Katrina, Rita, and Wilma.
And I just watched George Washinton's face fall off of Mount Rushmore.
What more could a girl want on a Sunday night?
update: Okay, put a bunch of bigwigs in evening dress, and have the tree frogs go crazy. Oh, poison tree frongs. On the food. What the HECK were the writers thinking? The pyramids are going to get it next. Ooooo goodie!
update #2: Okay, I get it. Storms, locusts, plague of locusts. Randy Quaid standing in the middle of a field saying somethings going to happen. More camera work that was immortalized by car commercials...
More crappy camera work that used to be cutting edge than you can shake a stick at.
Paris flattened by tornados, a hidden report that practically predicts the locations being hit by the severe weather, by-products of industry run amok...
Growing up in Tornado Alley...
What the HECK? Catagory 6 Tornado? Wouldn't that be an F6?
Anyway, as I was saying, growing up in Tornado Alley, I've been through an F4, and through my share of severe weather and tornado warnings, including a smaller funnel that I actually woke up to. Tornado movies always strike me as a little ridiculous...
In any case, a weather disaster movie at this time is distasteful, to say the least, what with Katrina, Rita, and Wilma.
And I just watched George Washinton's face fall off of Mount Rushmore.
What more could a girl want on a Sunday night?
update: Okay, put a bunch of bigwigs in evening dress, and have the tree frogs go crazy. Oh, poison tree frongs. On the food. What the HECK were the writers thinking? The pyramids are going to get it next. Ooooo goodie!
update #2: Okay, I get it. Storms, locusts, plague of locusts. Randy Quaid standing in the middle of a field saying somethings going to happen. More camera work that was immortalized by car commercials...
Saturday, November 05, 2005
Mooommmm, play with meeeeee????!?!?
My son is under the impression that I am dying to play video games that give me motion sickness. He is dying for someone to play Rogue Leader with him, so he can blow them to bits with his B-Wing. No matter how many times I tell him that I get migraines from playing games like that, he keeps asking.
I LOVE the fact that he wants to spend time with me. I know that these years/months are precious, and will be coming to an end soon. The teenage years are always at the back of my mind, when I know that I will be relegated to the role of food provider and parental oppressor. Don't get me wrong - I would love to play games with him. I just wish that he wanted to play something else, and would not ask at inopportune times (i.e. when in the midst of supper preparations, or in the bathroom).
This is why I wanted to take him to the train show today. I wanted us to do something that he liked and was interested in, but apparantly, his interests changed while I wasn't looking. Dumb Mom.
It's the age he's at. I've talked with his friends' parents, and it's pretty much the same story there. They fight with their friends, but get upset when you suggest not spending as much time with those friends. They snip at each other, and are exerting their independence fiercely. They talk back, and try to see how much they can get away with. If they still had recess, I am sure they'd be able to get this agression out during football or tag, but with the new middle school, they don't.
As for tonight, I am going to go start dinner, then I'll dig out the chess set, and the dominos, and see if he wants to play. It may not be Star Wars video games, but at least I won't get sick.
I LOVE the fact that he wants to spend time with me. I know that these years/months are precious, and will be coming to an end soon. The teenage years are always at the back of my mind, when I know that I will be relegated to the role of food provider and parental oppressor. Don't get me wrong - I would love to play games with him. I just wish that he wanted to play something else, and would not ask at inopportune times (i.e. when in the midst of supper preparations, or in the bathroom).
This is why I wanted to take him to the train show today. I wanted us to do something that he liked and was interested in, but apparantly, his interests changed while I wasn't looking. Dumb Mom.
It's the age he's at. I've talked with his friends' parents, and it's pretty much the same story there. They fight with their friends, but get upset when you suggest not spending as much time with those friends. They snip at each other, and are exerting their independence fiercely. They talk back, and try to see how much they can get away with. If they still had recess, I am sure they'd be able to get this agression out during football or tag, but with the new middle school, they don't.
As for tonight, I am going to go start dinner, then I'll dig out the chess set, and the dominos, and see if he wants to play. It may not be Star Wars video games, but at least I won't get sick.
This is going to be a loooong day.
My son has decided that he is tired. About an hour and a half ago, he sat on the couch, and pretty soon he was tucked up in a blanket, watching TV. This is not like him at all.
I went to the grocery store and got groceries. When I came home, he decided to take a bath. He's decided that he doesn't want to go anywhere today. At all.
Now, it's all well and fine to leave him at home when I go get groceries, but I needed to run to Target, as my shoes are falling apart. Too far, too long a time to be left at home by himself. We also have this thing for scouts tonight that we should go to, but if I can't get him out of the door with a promise of going to a train show, I doubt I will get him out of the door for anything else.
I hope he isn't getting sick, but at this point, with the way he is acting, that might be just what is happening.
LIke I said, this is going to be a long and boring day.
I went to the grocery store and got groceries. When I came home, he decided to take a bath. He's decided that he doesn't want to go anywhere today. At all.
Now, it's all well and fine to leave him at home when I go get groceries, but I needed to run to Target, as my shoes are falling apart. Too far, too long a time to be left at home by himself. We also have this thing for scouts tonight that we should go to, but if I can't get him out of the door with a promise of going to a train show, I doubt I will get him out of the door for anything else.
I hope he isn't getting sick, but at this point, with the way he is acting, that might be just what is happening.
LIke I said, this is going to be a long and boring day.
Snooze
Somehow, my plans to get up nice and early and clean house were transformed into pressing the snooze once, then accidentally turning off the alarm, because after all, it is Saturday.
I am going to finish my coffee, and get dressed and go to the grocery store. My cleaning weekend is quickly filling up with activities NOT related to cleaning, but I am going to muddle through somehow.
Why did I turn the stupid thing off????
I am going to finish my coffee, and get dressed and go to the grocery store. My cleaning weekend is quickly filling up with activities NOT related to cleaning, but I am going to muddle through somehow.
Why did I turn the stupid thing off????
Friday, November 04, 2005
Once again, I have too much stuff.
This weekend is hereby designated as "Throw out your crap!" weekend!!!
This means that all of those clothes that I thought I HAD to have, are going away to new homes. Actually, to one new home - the DUMPSTER. You may ask why I don't give it to Goodwill. One simple reason: if I bag it up for Goodwill, it will sit in my living room, waiting for me to have a moment to take it. Honestly, I would not want to inflict the sheer hideousness of my old clothes on ANYONE.
My goal is to reclaim my closet. Back in January, when my son had the chicken pox and was out of school for SIX DAYS, I went through the first round of cuts. So, it's not as bad as it could have been. I am going to get another shelf for the camping gear, which is out of control. We camp a lot. We've camped once a month since April (except I camped twice in April). Oh, and July, but that doesn't really count, as we camped for an entire week in June.
In any case, we have a lot of camping gear. It's hard to get to. I want to change that.
I also have a surprising amount of renaissance faire garb that has taken over part of the closet. And tons of shoes that I don't wear, and never will again, because they are ugly or uncomfortable.
This is just my closet, understand. The kitchen cupboards could be purged again, too. I clean out the 'frige once a week, so that's not a problem.
The big problem is my son's room.
He has too many toys, and insists that he needs to keep them ALL. His idea of cleaning his room is shoving everything to the sides, and under the bed in typical kid fashion. Unfortunately, this results in my never being able to open the side of the closet that has the shelf with his bins for clothes. I am always reaching blindly to put things away. I'd like to be able to open the doors.
So, bribery will be in full force tomorrow morning. We will be taking a large amount of toys to goodwill (even I don't throw away toys!). If things go well, there may be a trip to the train show in a nearby school. If not, well... there may still be a trip to the train show. I just want to see effort, and get rid of some stuff. It doesn't have to be perfect, it just has to be done.
This means that all of those clothes that I thought I HAD to have, are going away to new homes. Actually, to one new home - the DUMPSTER. You may ask why I don't give it to Goodwill. One simple reason: if I bag it up for Goodwill, it will sit in my living room, waiting for me to have a moment to take it. Honestly, I would not want to inflict the sheer hideousness of my old clothes on ANYONE.
My goal is to reclaim my closet. Back in January, when my son had the chicken pox and was out of school for SIX DAYS, I went through the first round of cuts. So, it's not as bad as it could have been. I am going to get another shelf for the camping gear, which is out of control. We camp a lot. We've camped once a month since April (except I camped twice in April). Oh, and July, but that doesn't really count, as we camped for an entire week in June.
In any case, we have a lot of camping gear. It's hard to get to. I want to change that.
I also have a surprising amount of renaissance faire garb that has taken over part of the closet. And tons of shoes that I don't wear, and never will again, because they are ugly or uncomfortable.
This is just my closet, understand. The kitchen cupboards could be purged again, too. I clean out the 'frige once a week, so that's not a problem.
The big problem is my son's room.
He has too many toys, and insists that he needs to keep them ALL. His idea of cleaning his room is shoving everything to the sides, and under the bed in typical kid fashion. Unfortunately, this results in my never being able to open the side of the closet that has the shelf with his bins for clothes. I am always reaching blindly to put things away. I'd like to be able to open the doors.
So, bribery will be in full force tomorrow morning. We will be taking a large amount of toys to goodwill (even I don't throw away toys!). If things go well, there may be a trip to the train show in a nearby school. If not, well... there may still be a trip to the train show. I just want to see effort, and get rid of some stuff. It doesn't have to be perfect, it just has to be done.
Thursday, November 03, 2005
Yes, I am getting older.
I fell asleep on the couch a bit before 7:30. I just woke up about 15 minutes ago. I will be going to bed for the night in about 30 minutes. When it is time to get up tomorrow morning, I will still hit the snooze at least twice, and will feel like I haven't had enough sleep. This is normal for me. The part about not feeling rested in the morning, anyway.
Wednesday, November 02, 2005
Ways to bug me:
1. In a communal laundry room, take up all three washers, then leave your clothes in for 45 minutes after they are done.
2. Put your empty laundry basket on top of one of the washers, so that others will think the washer has clothes in it, then just leave it.
Luckily, I only waited 20 minutes before looking into the washer with the basket on it. It's still going to take me all night to do three loads of laundry, but at least it is started.
2. Put your empty laundry basket on top of one of the washers, so that others will think the washer has clothes in it, then just leave it.
Luckily, I only waited 20 minutes before looking into the washer with the basket on it. It's still going to take me all night to do three loads of laundry, but at least it is started.
Way Cool!
It's not very often that I get a chance to do something cool with technology. Oh wait...
Okay, it's not very often that I get a chance to do something cool with technology that is outside of my field.
Tonight, our boy scout troop got a chance to visit the C6 Lab, on the Iowa State University campus, in Howe Hall. This guy was there, too! We had a chance to test a new fire safety training program that uses virtual reality. The kids had an absolute blast, and I think most of the adults had fun, too. I was particularly thrown by how fast fire can engulf a room, and many of the unsafe practices we saw in the model home opened my eyes as to what we can do to make our home safer. And --- no notion sickness this time!!!!
I am a fireman's daughter, and my dad taught fire safety in my hometown school quite frequently. There is a vast difference, however, between hearing how fast a fire can spread, and seeing how fast it can spread. Literally in seconds we went from pointing out the unattended food cooking in the kitchen, to having the room fill with black smoke. Yes, all computer generated, but it was still unsettling.
So, thanks, folks at the C6 Lab and the Ames Fire Department! I know that my son and I had a good time, and we walked away feeling we learned something. I am going to go remove my hat from the top of my halogen lamp now...
Okay, it's not very often that I get a chance to do something cool with technology that is outside of my field.
Tonight, our boy scout troop got a chance to visit the C6 Lab, on the Iowa State University campus, in Howe Hall. This guy was there, too! We had a chance to test a new fire safety training program that uses virtual reality. The kids had an absolute blast, and I think most of the adults had fun, too. I was particularly thrown by how fast fire can engulf a room, and many of the unsafe practices we saw in the model home opened my eyes as to what we can do to make our home safer. And --- no notion sickness this time!!!!
I am a fireman's daughter, and my dad taught fire safety in my hometown school quite frequently. There is a vast difference, however, between hearing how fast a fire can spread, and seeing how fast it can spread. Literally in seconds we went from pointing out the unattended food cooking in the kitchen, to having the room fill with black smoke. Yes, all computer generated, but it was still unsettling.
So, thanks, folks at the C6 Lab and the Ames Fire Department! I know that my son and I had a good time, and we walked away feeling we learned something. I am going to go remove my hat from the top of my halogen lamp now...
Tuesday, November 01, 2005
The end? Or the beginning...
Way back in time, in a Galaxy far, far away, a little girl saw a movie that reached out and grabbed her, and wouldn't let go. I was five when Star Wars came out, but I didn't see it until right before The Empire Strikes Back. This was back in the days before normal people had VCRs in their homes, and the best one could do was hope for a movie theatre to pick up an older film and run it for a special occasion.
The movie house in Pocahantas, Iowa, did just that in the run-up to the release of The Empire Strikes Back. I don't remember the drive to the theatre, which was 20 miles away, but I remember walking through the doors, into a sea of excited kids, and seeing those words appear on the screen, "A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away...".
For a least a year before the second movie, my best friend, Kim, and I had collected the Star Wars movie cards, clutching our quarters as we rode our bikes to the store, spending our allowance on bubble gum cards, carefully putting the cards in number order, in a shoebox we kept in Kim's closet (she didn't have younger siblings, so they were safe at her house). We played with her Star Wars action figures, rescued the galaxy, fell in love with Han Solo (we were both Princess Leia, so we had two Han Solos), and snuck her brother's Star Wars ships and other toys out of his room when he was gone.
The audible gasps from the audience when Luke found his uncle and aunt burned to death, and as Darth Vader struck down Obi-Wan were echoed by every kid in the theater. Many of us had been too young to see the movie when it first came out. We all knew the story, but seeing it was something entirely different.
My dad took us to see the second movie in Fort Dodge. Kim and I were so excited we could hardly sit still, while LeAnn was tagging along because the big girls were going. When the movie ended with Han Solo still frozen in carbonite, Kim and I cried the entire 30 minute drive home. My dad was at a loss as to how to console us. "It's only a movie," he explained.
But that's just it - it wasn't and never will be "only a movie."
Yes, the first two prequels were disappointing to many, if only because many of us who saw the earlier films as children expected more of the same, but with better special effects. But the point was, Star Wars was alive again. We knew as children that there was more to the story, and we wanted to see it, hear it, read it. It wasn't the only thing in our lives, but it was a common thread that linked the children we were to the adults we have become. And it links us with our own children, as they discover for themselves the stories of our childhood.
When I saw Revenge of the Sith, when it first came out, it was with my son and two of his friends. We waited eagerly for the movie to start, and sat in rapt attention, barely moving, for the entire film. We gasped when Anakin killed Mace Windu, and when he murdered the Jedi youth. We watched he became what he had to become, in order to fulfill his destiny. And as Luke and Leia were born, and Padme and the last human part of Anakin died, we cried.
But when Lord Vader arose, we cheered with the rest of the theater, for what is Star Wars without him? The villain who will become a hero in the end, to save the children that he did not know had survived until he met a boy named Luke Skywalker. In the end he finds the strength to kill the Emporer, and in doing so sacrifices himself, destroying the Sith.
Revenge of the Sith was released on DVD today. There will be no more Star Wars movies, or so we've been told. But this is a story that can never truly end, as long as there are children who pretend to be Princess Leia, Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, or Darth Vader.
The movie house in Pocahantas, Iowa, did just that in the run-up to the release of The Empire Strikes Back. I don't remember the drive to the theatre, which was 20 miles away, but I remember walking through the doors, into a sea of excited kids, and seeing those words appear on the screen, "A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away...".
For a least a year before the second movie, my best friend, Kim, and I had collected the Star Wars movie cards, clutching our quarters as we rode our bikes to the store, spending our allowance on bubble gum cards, carefully putting the cards in number order, in a shoebox we kept in Kim's closet (she didn't have younger siblings, so they were safe at her house). We played with her Star Wars action figures, rescued the galaxy, fell in love with Han Solo (we were both Princess Leia, so we had two Han Solos), and snuck her brother's Star Wars ships and other toys out of his room when he was gone.
The audible gasps from the audience when Luke found his uncle and aunt burned to death, and as Darth Vader struck down Obi-Wan were echoed by every kid in the theater. Many of us had been too young to see the movie when it first came out. We all knew the story, but seeing it was something entirely different.
My dad took us to see the second movie in Fort Dodge. Kim and I were so excited we could hardly sit still, while LeAnn was tagging along because the big girls were going. When the movie ended with Han Solo still frozen in carbonite, Kim and I cried the entire 30 minute drive home. My dad was at a loss as to how to console us. "It's only a movie," he explained.
But that's just it - it wasn't and never will be "only a movie."
Yes, the first two prequels were disappointing to many, if only because many of us who saw the earlier films as children expected more of the same, but with better special effects. But the point was, Star Wars was alive again. We knew as children that there was more to the story, and we wanted to see it, hear it, read it. It wasn't the only thing in our lives, but it was a common thread that linked the children we were to the adults we have become. And it links us with our own children, as they discover for themselves the stories of our childhood.
When I saw Revenge of the Sith, when it first came out, it was with my son and two of his friends. We waited eagerly for the movie to start, and sat in rapt attention, barely moving, for the entire film. We gasped when Anakin killed Mace Windu, and when he murdered the Jedi youth. We watched he became what he had to become, in order to fulfill his destiny. And as Luke and Leia were born, and Padme and the last human part of Anakin died, we cried.
But when Lord Vader arose, we cheered with the rest of the theater, for what is Star Wars without him? The villain who will become a hero in the end, to save the children that he did not know had survived until he met a boy named Luke Skywalker. In the end he finds the strength to kill the Emporer, and in doing so sacrifices himself, destroying the Sith.
Revenge of the Sith was released on DVD today. There will be no more Star Wars movies, or so we've been told. But this is a story that can never truly end, as long as there are children who pretend to be Princess Leia, Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, or Darth Vader.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)