I've encountered several people who pride themselves in their ability to throw things away. Being a lifelong packrat/family historian/boarderline hoarder some of these trashcan fillers outright horrify me.
One of the most painful things for me to find in an antique store are old pictures. Why didn't the family keep these treasures? Did they not care? Did they not know what to do with them? Was there even anyone left to pass the pictures to? How dreadful that my great grand children might possibly not appreciate the stack of old faces I have so carefully collected and charted on our family tree.
And then I remember there is a whole breed of people out there who have no space in their sparse lives for old things. If something is tattered it feels dirty. Who wants dirt and grime in their pristine homes?
Recently I've had to come in behind such a people in different situations. While coming in after a non-organized person who never throws anything away is a lot of work, there are many gems to be found in the depths. Perseverance pays off. Behind the tosser is... nothing. Absolutely nothing. It is sparse.
More often than not the sparseness reveals only what the tosser wants you to see. It's manipulative. It doesn't answer my question, it answers only what they want to reveal. When I seek coloring books I'm offered blocks; when I need wheels I'm offered pegs; when I hope for explanations I'm given emptiness. It's bleak.
Another trait I find with tossers is a lack of organization. It's easy to sort three items, it's overwhelming to deal with thirty. I know a woman who hates clutter so much that cleaning involves either tossing or hiding. When visiting her son's home she tried to put dishes away, driving her daughter-in-law insane because the small plates and cups and bowls were UNDER the larger items. WHO DOES THAT? At first the daughter-in-law wondered if it was an intentional act to alienate her but no, it was done in other places in other ways. Then DIL started to look around the in-law's house. It was neat and tidy but not organized. Drawers and cabinets revealed a mishmash of disjointed items. I know one woman who can't handle seeing dirty dishes so much that she actually throws away dishes. My inner cheapskate is outright astonished at such an act!
I know that not all tossers are unorganized but I'm finding more and more the two traits go hand in hand.
My beloved sister-in-law and I had a conversation around this topic yesterday. In describing my style of cleaning and organization, "My office may look like a tribe of rapid monkeys were set loose but all of my drawers and cabinets are very orderly." Even as a kid when my mom stood in the doorway proclaiming my room looked like a pigsty and pondering which are clean clothes how I ever find anything - trust me, I knew. I have a process and don't fuck with it. My layers of clutter are merely waiting patiently to be organized.
I'm sure somewhere between clutter-waiting-for-organization and bleak-sparseness is a happy medium. I'm quite happy in my cluster of stuff, just don't ever tell me if I haven't touched it in three months I don't need it.
Showing posts with label work. Show all posts
Showing posts with label work. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 17, 2015
Wednesday, May 07, 2014
I am still alive
Everyday I open my computer I think "I really should post something on my blog" and then catch up on Facebook and play a few games and before I know it time has slipped away from me. Actually my TV and computer time have become grossly shortened. I miss it, that's for sure, but life got busy. Don't worry, though, I've had a camera capturing much of it.
Work has been crazy busy for me. Last week was our annual auction which always sucks the life out of me. The very next day I jumped into the finishing touches of our new website. What should have been a couple of days worth of work has turned into over a week. A lot of my progress has been hampered by my learning curve. I'm having fun and definitely got the hang of it, but it's hard to stay on task when there are so many cool possibilities!
On the home front life is even crazier. We have so much work that needs to be done for our house and only so much time and help to get it accomplished. In March we had four trees dropped. Instead of letting the cutter haul away the debris we kept it. I wanted firewood and mulch. The drawback is that the piles are moving very slowly. My brother and his family descended on my house one weekend to haul the wood to one central location in the yard and run the limbs through the chipper/shredder. Now it's May and the city has cited me for the bigass mess in my yard - not like I haven't been working on it since March, though. I've been out there every weekend puttering away. Half of my woodchip pile has been transferred to the front yard to kill the grass for a large flower garden. The awesome part of that is the woody scent fills the air and is absolutely wonderful. It's definitely much nicer than the nasty bagged crap the neighbor put out. We were gagging on that for weeks.
My stacked wood pile wasn't far enough off the ground for the city's regulations so that has been torn down and raised. I actually knocked that out in one day on my own. There's still another pile of even larger logs that still need to be split. They are too heavy for me to wrestle so I need my sons and a rented log splitter to converge at my house in the next couple of days.
There's light at the end of the tunnel and it will be great once it's all done. This definitely took 3 times as long as expected. Oh well.
We've also been wrestling my husband's worsening issues with his legs. He has been suffering severe swelling and sores below the knees. After several visits to the doctor I finally asked about compression socks. We were sent to a medical supply/pharmacy who then sent us to an orthotic supplier. The lady who met us there took one look at his legs and said, "lemphadema". This was later confirmed and diagnosed by his doctor. Basically he has had an injury to the lymph nodes behind his knees, his was years of wear and tear but for many people it comes from chemotherapy. He requires wraps like ace bandages to bring down the swelling. Finally it came down far enough that he was fitted for compression garments, not a sock, but a velcro locking system that goes up each leg.
None of this is ideal and we have had to shift a lot in our lives to accommodate what is now a real disability. His mom stayed with us for several weeks to drive him to and from appointments and treatment sessions. He has lost nearly all ability to drive except short distances. He needs help getting dressed and undressed, especially when wearing his compression garments. It is time consuming but there is also light at the end of this tunnel. He will never be cured of his lymphadema but now we know how to control it. Our biggest hurdle is getting the gross ulcers on his legs to heal. Last week I had the doctor prescribe silvadine and immediately, I mean within hours, we saw improvement. That shit is MAGIC. It's frustrating that I have to lead his doctor around by the nose but I haven't been wrong yet. I learned from the lady at the orthic office that most doctors are uninformed about lymphadema. Crazy but solutions are coming.
The happy part of my life is that I now live significantly closer to my grandchildren. The daycare center is just around the corner from my house. If it's even two miles away I would be surprised. Later this week... well tomorrow... I will be picking up my two beautiful grandbabies to spend a few hours playing at my house. In a few short months my daughter's baby (it's a boy!) will get to join the fun. We are impatiently awaiting his arrival in mid-August.
I have many many stories to share so maybe my hiatus will have been a good thing!
I wonder what I will post tomorrow?
Work has been crazy busy for me. Last week was our annual auction which always sucks the life out of me. The very next day I jumped into the finishing touches of our new website. What should have been a couple of days worth of work has turned into over a week. A lot of my progress has been hampered by my learning curve. I'm having fun and definitely got the hang of it, but it's hard to stay on task when there are so many cool possibilities!
On the home front life is even crazier. We have so much work that needs to be done for our house and only so much time and help to get it accomplished. In March we had four trees dropped. Instead of letting the cutter haul away the debris we kept it. I wanted firewood and mulch. The drawback is that the piles are moving very slowly. My brother and his family descended on my house one weekend to haul the wood to one central location in the yard and run the limbs through the chipper/shredder. Now it's May and the city has cited me for the bigass mess in my yard - not like I haven't been working on it since March, though. I've been out there every weekend puttering away. Half of my woodchip pile has been transferred to the front yard to kill the grass for a large flower garden. The awesome part of that is the woody scent fills the air and is absolutely wonderful. It's definitely much nicer than the nasty bagged crap the neighbor put out. We were gagging on that for weeks.
My stacked wood pile wasn't far enough off the ground for the city's regulations so that has been torn down and raised. I actually knocked that out in one day on my own. There's still another pile of even larger logs that still need to be split. They are too heavy for me to wrestle so I need my sons and a rented log splitter to converge at my house in the next couple of days.
There's light at the end of the tunnel and it will be great once it's all done. This definitely took 3 times as long as expected. Oh well.
We've also been wrestling my husband's worsening issues with his legs. He has been suffering severe swelling and sores below the knees. After several visits to the doctor I finally asked about compression socks. We were sent to a medical supply/pharmacy who then sent us to an orthotic supplier. The lady who met us there took one look at his legs and said, "lemphadema". This was later confirmed and diagnosed by his doctor. Basically he has had an injury to the lymph nodes behind his knees, his was years of wear and tear but for many people it comes from chemotherapy. He requires wraps like ace bandages to bring down the swelling. Finally it came down far enough that he was fitted for compression garments, not a sock, but a velcro locking system that goes up each leg.
None of this is ideal and we have had to shift a lot in our lives to accommodate what is now a real disability. His mom stayed with us for several weeks to drive him to and from appointments and treatment sessions. He has lost nearly all ability to drive except short distances. He needs help getting dressed and undressed, especially when wearing his compression garments. It is time consuming but there is also light at the end of this tunnel. He will never be cured of his lymphadema but now we know how to control it. Our biggest hurdle is getting the gross ulcers on his legs to heal. Last week I had the doctor prescribe silvadine and immediately, I mean within hours, we saw improvement. That shit is MAGIC. It's frustrating that I have to lead his doctor around by the nose but I haven't been wrong yet. I learned from the lady at the orthic office that most doctors are uninformed about lymphadema. Crazy but solutions are coming.
The happy part of my life is that I now live significantly closer to my grandchildren. The daycare center is just around the corner from my house. If it's even two miles away I would be surprised. Later this week... well tomorrow... I will be picking up my two beautiful grandbabies to spend a few hours playing at my house. In a few short months my daughter's baby (it's a boy!) will get to join the fun. We are impatiently awaiting his arrival in mid-August.
I have many many stories to share so maybe my hiatus will have been a good thing!
I wonder what I will post tomorrow?
Friday, August 02, 2013
Friday Fragments - August 2, 2013
It's been a while since I've done this and it looks like Mrs 4's isn't hosting at the moment. So I'll just frag here.
Let's see, since my last fragment back in... March? I have bought and moved into a house. Big ass ordeal but I love my new home.
We finally rolled out the database at work that was supposed to roll out last September, then October, then December, then January. hahahaha. June 1st! It was not smooth, AT ALL. We are still mopping up the fallout. Which by the way, I closed on my house June 13th. So my stress levels were astronomic as you can imagine.
My kid is forced to change high schools as a result of this move. Unhappy and excited all rolled into one. He is hoping to run into old friends from when we lived here 7 years ago.
I'm getting a second grandbaby!!!!!! A girl is expected in November and we will share middle names. That makes me ridiculously happy. So in the middle of moving, hottest day of the year, sweating like a dog, I'm crying happy tears on the sidewalk where they decided to share this news. Buttheads.
Recently we spent a weekend with my college roommate who I haven't seen for a while. It was a great time to catch up, hang out, and relax. It was a mini vacation that I very truly needed. Our husbands hit it off so I hope to have more frequent encounters. Even though I live literally two blocks away from her dad's house it is likely she will take up my offer to stay at my house. Dad's gets crowded with other family members and this would save her a hotel stay. This thought excites me to no end.
So, what's new with you? Any big plans to finish out the summer?
Let's see, since my last fragment back in... March? I have bought and moved into a house. Big ass ordeal but I love my new home.
We finally rolled out the database at work that was supposed to roll out last September, then October, then December, then January. hahahaha. June 1st! It was not smooth, AT ALL. We are still mopping up the fallout. Which by the way, I closed on my house June 13th. So my stress levels were astronomic as you can imagine.
My kid is forced to change high schools as a result of this move. Unhappy and excited all rolled into one. He is hoping to run into old friends from when we lived here 7 years ago.
I'm getting a second grandbaby!!!!!! A girl is expected in November and we will share middle names. That makes me ridiculously happy. So in the middle of moving, hottest day of the year, sweating like a dog, I'm crying happy tears on the sidewalk where they decided to share this news. Buttheads.
Recently we spent a weekend with my college roommate who I haven't seen for a while. It was a great time to catch up, hang out, and relax. It was a mini vacation that I very truly needed. Our husbands hit it off so I hope to have more frequent encounters. Even though I live literally two blocks away from her dad's house it is likely she will take up my offer to stay at my house. Dad's gets crowded with other family members and this would save her a hotel stay. This thought excites me to no end.
So, what's new with you? Any big plans to finish out the summer?
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
House Hunting
Last week was the bigass auction for work. And we are finally bearing down on a rollout date for our new database (you know, the one that was supposed to be released last September???). Needless to say when I get home I'm exhausted. So it seemed like a good time to look for a new place to live. Don't you think that was a good idea? It certainly diverts my attention away from the chaos at work!
This house hunting process is really draining. Maybe if I enjoyed shopping more this would be not quite so painful. Hubby and I stood in the appliance store last week and were discussing the different features. Finally, I gave up and said, "I'm going to pull a dude-move. As long as the refrigerator can keep my beer cold and ice cream frozen and that the oven can cook my frozen pizza, I really don't give a rat's ass." This is pretty much my attitude about buying a house.
Oh okay, maybe I have a few more opinions about the biggest purchase of my life. I love houses and have some firm opinions about style, layout, room sizes, and decor. So tromping through houses is interesting as I like seeing the inside of different houses and that may be the only thing that keeps me sane through this process.
On our first day out, the last house, the one thrown in as an after-thought, was the one we fell in love with. It didn't meet several of the must-haves on our lists but we both really, really liked it. It definitely helped us narrow down some of the other features we feel is necessary in a house. On our second tour of the house we discovered an electric issue and decided to keep looking.
Our next journey took us through fourteen different properties. Again, we found an awesome house. It had all of the must-haves and then some. We agreed, let's put an offer on it. The same day our bid was submitted we found out that the house is being put up for a bulk sale. I don't fully understand what or why that is, but in the end that house could come back as a possibility for us but we will be pitted against other people who have put offers on that house and it will be like a silent auction.
Well hell...
We left the offer on the table, but we haven't stopped looking. Clearly something amazing and awesome is still waiting for us. I'm getting a little weary of this process and we really haven't gone through very many properties.
One positive thing that has come out of this process is that despite a few angry exchanges between The Husband and myself, we actually agree on quite a bit about housing options. We really are good roommates.
This house hunting process is really draining. Maybe if I enjoyed shopping more this would be not quite so painful. Hubby and I stood in the appliance store last week and were discussing the different features. Finally, I gave up and said, "I'm going to pull a dude-move. As long as the refrigerator can keep my beer cold and ice cream frozen and that the oven can cook my frozen pizza, I really don't give a rat's ass." This is pretty much my attitude about buying a house.
Oh okay, maybe I have a few more opinions about the biggest purchase of my life. I love houses and have some firm opinions about style, layout, room sizes, and decor. So tromping through houses is interesting as I like seeing the inside of different houses and that may be the only thing that keeps me sane through this process.
On our first day out, the last house, the one thrown in as an after-thought, was the one we fell in love with. It didn't meet several of the must-haves on our lists but we both really, really liked it. It definitely helped us narrow down some of the other features we feel is necessary in a house. On our second tour of the house we discovered an electric issue and decided to keep looking.
Our next journey took us through fourteen different properties. Again, we found an awesome house. It had all of the must-haves and then some. We agreed, let's put an offer on it. The same day our bid was submitted we found out that the house is being put up for a bulk sale. I don't fully understand what or why that is, but in the end that house could come back as a possibility for us but we will be pitted against other people who have put offers on that house and it will be like a silent auction.
Well hell...
We left the offer on the table, but we haven't stopped looking. Clearly something amazing and awesome is still waiting for us. I'm getting a little weary of this process and we really haven't gone through very many properties.
One positive thing that has come out of this process is that despite a few angry exchanges between The Husband and myself, we actually agree on quite a bit about housing options. We really are good roommates.
Friday, March 01, 2013
Friday Fragments - March 1, 2013
It's snowing!!!! ...still
I live in St. Louis, Missouri on the eastern edge of the state approximately 300 miles from Kansas City on the western edge. Last week a big snow storm came through, but we didn't have nearly as much snow as KC. The heavy part was centered over Kansas City and when it pushed east it hit Columbia at the center of the state and veered north. If it were a hurricane we only got the outer rings whereas KC and Columbia got the eye.
A second storm came into the state on Monday. The eye veered north again but we also had different temperatures so KC had snow, lots and lots of snow on top of what was still on the ground, and we had rain. Lots and lots of rain. Everyone pondered what our Tuesday morning would have looked like had it been snow. Then the colder temps blew in and what had been drizzle turned into very light snow. Fortunately, nothing stuck. And then another drizzle type snow on Wednesday, actually there was a burst of big fluffy flakes, still nothing significant stuck. I walked out of work yesterday and it was still drizzle type snow. This morning? BIG flakes, sticking. And it's predicted to do this all day with another storm coming in on Monday night. I'm starting to wonder if we'll ever see the sun!
******
Last Friday (after two modified work days due to the snow) a few coworkers gathered for happy hour. The food was so-so and the service was crappy. The neighboring tables were extremely boisterous and then the mariachi band stood next to our table most of the night. It was impossible to talk. BLAH! Definitely not going there again.
******
On Saturday we gathered with friends outside of town at a little brewery for dinner. It was the absolute opposite experience of the night before. The food was exquisite, the service was attentive, and we were able to hold a full conversation! I also ran into my ex's sister-in-law. It was funny since we were both so far away from home. She was there with friends, staying at a B&B for a scrapbooking weekend. After dinner my group moved to the beir garten behind the parking lot. There was a fire pit and more beer. Since we were the only patrons there we hogged the fire and had plenty of laughs.
I've decided that fire pits are incredibly relaxing. The only thing that could ever top that relaxation is sitting on a floaty in the middle of a serene lake.
*******
On Wednesday I took a day off work. Hubby and I attended to some necessary financial business and then finally took advantage of the free movie tickets we got back in December. I don't know if we'll ever participate in the Cans Film Festival again. This was a program collecting cans of food for a local food pantry and for every 10-15 cans you bring in you get a certificate to a local movie theater. We got four tickets. The last time we did this we missed the deadline to use the tickets because of work schedules. Well this time we made a genuine effort, but damn, there are a lot of hoops to jump through. They can only be used Monday - Thursday, before 5pm, not on a holiday, and then we found out not for any movie that was released less than two weeks! Oh, and the expiration date is March 7th. Isn't that insane?
We'll donate our food through the Boy Scouts. Screw the film festival.
We did get to watch one movie, Identity Thief, and we laughed our butts off. There wasn't any toilet humor and it wasn't laden with bad language but it wasn't squeaky clean either, a couple of F bombs. Hubby didn't like the drug lord, feeling it was unnecessary, but he did add to the complications of bringing in the credit card thief. I liked the ending - I won't go on about it so I don't give it away.
I live in St. Louis, Missouri on the eastern edge of the state approximately 300 miles from Kansas City on the western edge. Last week a big snow storm came through, but we didn't have nearly as much snow as KC. The heavy part was centered over Kansas City and when it pushed east it hit Columbia at the center of the state and veered north. If it were a hurricane we only got the outer rings whereas KC and Columbia got the eye.
A second storm came into the state on Monday. The eye veered north again but we also had different temperatures so KC had snow, lots and lots of snow on top of what was still on the ground, and we had rain. Lots and lots of rain. Everyone pondered what our Tuesday morning would have looked like had it been snow. Then the colder temps blew in and what had been drizzle turned into very light snow. Fortunately, nothing stuck. And then another drizzle type snow on Wednesday, actually there was a burst of big fluffy flakes, still nothing significant stuck. I walked out of work yesterday and it was still drizzle type snow. This morning? BIG flakes, sticking. And it's predicted to do this all day with another storm coming in on Monday night. I'm starting to wonder if we'll ever see the sun!
******
Last Friday (after two modified work days due to the snow) a few coworkers gathered for happy hour. The food was so-so and the service was crappy. The neighboring tables were extremely boisterous and then the mariachi band stood next to our table most of the night. It was impossible to talk. BLAH! Definitely not going there again.
******
On Saturday we gathered with friends outside of town at a little brewery for dinner. It was the absolute opposite experience of the night before. The food was exquisite, the service was attentive, and we were able to hold a full conversation! I also ran into my ex's sister-in-law. It was funny since we were both so far away from home. She was there with friends, staying at a B&B for a scrapbooking weekend. After dinner my group moved to the beir garten behind the parking lot. There was a fire pit and more beer. Since we were the only patrons there we hogged the fire and had plenty of laughs.
I've decided that fire pits are incredibly relaxing. The only thing that could ever top that relaxation is sitting on a floaty in the middle of a serene lake.
*******
On Wednesday I took a day off work. Hubby and I attended to some necessary financial business and then finally took advantage of the free movie tickets we got back in December. I don't know if we'll ever participate in the Cans Film Festival again. This was a program collecting cans of food for a local food pantry and for every 10-15 cans you bring in you get a certificate to a local movie theater. We got four tickets. The last time we did this we missed the deadline to use the tickets because of work schedules. Well this time we made a genuine effort, but damn, there are a lot of hoops to jump through. They can only be used Monday - Thursday, before 5pm, not on a holiday, and then we found out not for any movie that was released less than two weeks! Oh, and the expiration date is March 7th. Isn't that insane?
We'll donate our food through the Boy Scouts. Screw the film festival.
We did get to watch one movie, Identity Thief, and we laughed our butts off. There wasn't any toilet humor and it wasn't laden with bad language but it wasn't squeaky clean either, a couple of F bombs. Hubby didn't like the drug lord, feeling it was unnecessary, but he did add to the complications of bringing in the credit card thief. I liked the ending - I won't go on about it so I don't give it away.
Saturday, February 23, 2013
Friday Fragments - February 22, 2013
For months I've been whining and bellyaching about how busy I am. Each day brought more tasks and the end of the previous tasks kept creeping further away. My stress levels were increasing and it was getting dangerous for my health. Then, my God-send of a supervisor stepped in. She helped me break down these overwhelming projects into smaller parts. Of course no one is taking any of these smaller parts away from me, they all remain mine, but there is something about looking at your big projects in little pieces. Oddly enough I'm getting a lot knocked out too. Maybe since I'm not meandering around not sure where to start I can now be productive. Whatever it is, my stress levels are dropping.
*****
We spent last weekend at my brother's house. We took my son who was fresh from the dentist's office with two pulled molars. Our expectation was that he would be laid up all weekend feeling like crap. Instead, he sat at the kitchen table most of the time (whining about his inability to eat anything substantial) while 4/5th's of their children suffered their own maladies. Three had fevers, one of which had two puking incidents, the fourth had an asthma attack, while the healthy kid escaped the house for a slumber party.
I felt bad for sticking around, but the next day my beautiful, smart, sassy, fabulous, generous sister-in-law -- did I slather on enough praise? (she reads this so I have to really extoll her virtues) -- offered to do our taxes. (And really, it was an AWESOME offer) It could have gone a lot faster, she is a brilliant wiz afterall, but my spousal unit had to make the process slower so he could understand what was going on. So our messy taxes are out of the way and we got to spend some quality time with my brother's family, I can't even begin to express the value of that one.
*****
I'm gearing up for the Oscars Sunday night. I have it recorded and hope to see Lincoln and Argo win a few awards. The other nominees I haven't seen yet so it's hard to root for them.
*****
We spent last weekend at my brother's house. We took my son who was fresh from the dentist's office with two pulled molars. Our expectation was that he would be laid up all weekend feeling like crap. Instead, he sat at the kitchen table most of the time (whining about his inability to eat anything substantial) while 4/5th's of their children suffered their own maladies. Three had fevers, one of which had two puking incidents, the fourth had an asthma attack, while the healthy kid escaped the house for a slumber party.
I felt bad for sticking around, but the next day my beautiful, smart, sassy, fabulous, generous sister-in-law -- did I slather on enough praise? (she reads this so I have to really extoll her virtues) -- offered to do our taxes. (And really, it was an AWESOME offer) It could have gone a lot faster, she is a brilliant wiz afterall, but my spousal unit had to make the process slower so he could understand what was going on. So our messy taxes are out of the way and we got to spend some quality time with my brother's family, I can't even begin to express the value of that one.
*****
I'm gearing up for the Oscars Sunday night. I have it recorded and hope to see Lincoln and Argo win a few awards. The other nominees I haven't seen yet so it's hard to root for them.
Friday, January 11, 2013
Friday Fragments - January 11, 2013
Okay, has everyone successfully transitioned to writing and typing 2013 instead of 2012? I'm doing okay so far, but of course I haven't had to write a check either. So we'll see how true this stands in a couple days.
Yesterday was the grand announcement of this year's Oscar Nominees.... AND I MISSED IT! I watch the news in the morning so I always hear when they make the announcement but yesterday I was busy watching Hello Dolly. grrrrr And then I spent all day with Hello Dolly humming through my head. While I was in bad mood. It's really a bad combination and will probably shade my review of it.
The movies nominated for best picture, actor, actress, supporting actor, supporting actress, and animated feature are as follows (in no specific order and several received multiple nominations, but I'll only list them once):
Armour
Argo
Life of Pi
Lincoln
Beast of the Southern Wild
Silver Linings Playbook
Django Unchained
Zero Dark Thirty
Les Miserables
The Master
Flight
The Impossible
Brave
Frankenweenie
ParaNorman
The Pirates! Band of Misfits
Wreck-It Ralph
The Sessions
I've only seen three so far.
Bad parenting admission: I like to scare the everliving shit out of my children. This is the stand-in-a-dark-corner-and-jump-out-at-them-screaming-BOOOO type of scaring. I'm sure it grew out of peek-a-boo when they squealed with delight as babies and then spiraled horribly out of control. It's an on-going game of gotcha, and yes, they get me plenty of times. An easy kill is quietly standing at the bathroom door and smile when someone opens it. You have to be super stealth quiet to pull that off, but that's not so hard if someone is finishing a shower, just be patient and the pay off is glorious. A few weeks ago, instead of standing at the bathroom door I hid behind The Teenager's bedroom door. And I had to wait a mighty long time because he decided to venture into the kitchen and lollygag. I was waiting so long that I was nearly about to burst into giggles and give myself away. But I got him and he responded with a fabulous high pitched yelp. So satisfying! And then there was this morning... oh this one will be hard to live down and I'm sure payback will be grand. I was just getting out of bed when I heard him come down to the basement (where I sleep). I hurried over to the laundry room door and stood in the dark. In the basement that terrifies my fifteen year old because he's convinced it's haunted and I can't really dispute that claim with mysteriously swinging doors and weird sounds that emit from exactly where I chose to stand. I didn't have to do a single thing, not even say "boo". And to see him jump out of his skin, stomp the floor ten times, and come up for air, was almost... ALMOST... pathetic. He didn't laugh; I had really rattled him and it was very early in the morning. But I'm sure he's plotting. Not that he has to work very hard at it, I am, after all, incredibly easy to startle.
As I said, yesterday was not really a good day for me so I insisted that my coworkers go out for Mexican. It was a brilliant move. Four of us crowded in a booth at a modern looking taco shop, laughing as if we were tipping back margaritas. It was cathartic and definitely made the rest of the day go smoother. I declared that Mexican food is happy food. By the way, in the same conversation we decided that Chinese food is comfort food. Do with that what you will, but on this day I needed a boost of happiness. It worked.
Yesterday was the grand announcement of this year's Oscar Nominees.... AND I MISSED IT! I watch the news in the morning so I always hear when they make the announcement but yesterday I was busy watching Hello Dolly. grrrrr And then I spent all day with Hello Dolly humming through my head. While I was in bad mood. It's really a bad combination and will probably shade my review of it.
The movies nominated for best picture, actor, actress, supporting actor, supporting actress, and animated feature are as follows (in no specific order and several received multiple nominations, but I'll only list them once):
Armour
Argo
Life of Pi
Lincoln
Beast of the Southern Wild
Silver Linings Playbook
Django Unchained
Zero Dark Thirty
Les Miserables
The Master
Flight
The Impossible
Brave
Frankenweenie
ParaNorman
The Pirates! Band of Misfits
Wreck-It Ralph
The Sessions
I've only seen three so far.
Bad parenting admission: I like to scare the everliving shit out of my children. This is the stand-in-a-dark-corner-and-jump-out-at-them-screaming-BOOOO type of scaring. I'm sure it grew out of peek-a-boo when they squealed with delight as babies and then spiraled horribly out of control. It's an on-going game of gotcha, and yes, they get me plenty of times. An easy kill is quietly standing at the bathroom door and smile when someone opens it. You have to be super stealth quiet to pull that off, but that's not so hard if someone is finishing a shower, just be patient and the pay off is glorious. A few weeks ago, instead of standing at the bathroom door I hid behind The Teenager's bedroom door. And I had to wait a mighty long time because he decided to venture into the kitchen and lollygag. I was waiting so long that I was nearly about to burst into giggles and give myself away. But I got him and he responded with a fabulous high pitched yelp. So satisfying! And then there was this morning... oh this one will be hard to live down and I'm sure payback will be grand. I was just getting out of bed when I heard him come down to the basement (where I sleep). I hurried over to the laundry room door and stood in the dark. In the basement that terrifies my fifteen year old because he's convinced it's haunted and I can't really dispute that claim with mysteriously swinging doors and weird sounds that emit from exactly where I chose to stand. I didn't have to do a single thing, not even say "boo". And to see him jump out of his skin, stomp the floor ten times, and come up for air, was almost... ALMOST... pathetic. He didn't laugh; I had really rattled him and it was very early in the morning. But I'm sure he's plotting. Not that he has to work very hard at it, I am, after all, incredibly easy to startle.
As I said, yesterday was not really a good day for me so I insisted that my coworkers go out for Mexican. It was a brilliant move. Four of us crowded in a booth at a modern looking taco shop, laughing as if we were tipping back margaritas. It was cathartic and definitely made the rest of the day go smoother. I declared that Mexican food is happy food. By the way, in the same conversation we decided that Chinese food is comfort food. Do with that what you will, but on this day I needed a boost of happiness. It worked.
Friday, January 04, 2013
Friday Fragments - January 4, 2013
Whew, the whirl wind of the holidays is finally over and now we can recuperate. I hope everyone had a splendid time... and if not that you find a way to make up for it.
New Year's Eve was a spectacular party with friends. It's been a very long time, too long, since I've laughed like that. Laughter is truly good for the soul.
The party's host has opened their home to us quite a bit over the years. We felt bad for all the times they paid for firewood. They didn't believe us that there was wood to be had, so one day we came across a GIGANTIC pile free for the taking. So we took. And delivered. It was several weeks ago and said it was an early Christmas present. Monday night we had the opportunity to stand around the fire pit, in the freezing cold.
Between the smoke, yelling over the crowd, and laughing I sounded like a very sick seal the next morning. And smelled like a walking campfire... one of my most favorite scents EVER.
It was hard getting back into the swing of things. Even though I really haven't been away from work more than a few days, our office has been topsy turvey for the last three weeks. Today was the first day I really felt like it was back to normal. My supervisor reviewed all of my current projects and pointed out how much I've got going on. I guess that might be part of the stress I'm suffering that is now exhibiting as annoying dry skin patches the dermatologist prescribed an expensive oil to heal!
Watching Diners Drive Ins and Dives we saw a recipe for chicken confit (I always thought it was "comfy" and yes, I did take French in high school). It's an old method where you cure the meat with salt and then cook it low and slow in oil. The TV show then skillet fried the meat, which is what we did. It was amazing. The bones fell off the breast, completely clean of meat. We had three breasts left over (because we always cook extra for left overs) and I very easily shredded them for fajitas. We will definitely be doing this again! I did a little research on confit cooking and it can be used for all sorts of meat which we will be trying as well.
Today I'm going to suggest a movie to avoid - Killer Joe. I have a very warped sense of humor, enjoy some really sick entertainment, and am very hard to offend. This movie crossed every line and I was left disgusted. Even hubby was asking WTF. I'm pretty sure somebody will pick it up, like we did, and think the description sounds interesting. WALK ON BY. You have been warned. If your husband insists on watching it (because advice of some insane blogger is no reason to impact your household) take up knitting or scrubbing the crud behind the bathroom sink knobs. Anything. And by all means DO NOT let kids watch it.
Here's to more posting, more reading, more commenting! Happy New Year!!!!!!
New Year's Eve was a spectacular party with friends. It's been a very long time, too long, since I've laughed like that. Laughter is truly good for the soul.
The party's host has opened their home to us quite a bit over the years. We felt bad for all the times they paid for firewood. They didn't believe us that there was wood to be had, so one day we came across a GIGANTIC pile free for the taking. So we took. And delivered. It was several weeks ago and said it was an early Christmas present. Monday night we had the opportunity to stand around the fire pit, in the freezing cold.
Between the smoke, yelling over the crowd, and laughing I sounded like a very sick seal the next morning. And smelled like a walking campfire... one of my most favorite scents EVER.
It was hard getting back into the swing of things. Even though I really haven't been away from work more than a few days, our office has been topsy turvey for the last three weeks. Today was the first day I really felt like it was back to normal. My supervisor reviewed all of my current projects and pointed out how much I've got going on. I guess that might be part of the stress I'm suffering that is now exhibiting as annoying dry skin patches the dermatologist prescribed an expensive oil to heal!
Watching Diners Drive Ins and Dives we saw a recipe for chicken confit (I always thought it was "comfy" and yes, I did take French in high school). It's an old method where you cure the meat with salt and then cook it low and slow in oil. The TV show then skillet fried the meat, which is what we did. It was amazing. The bones fell off the breast, completely clean of meat. We had three breasts left over (because we always cook extra for left overs) and I very easily shredded them for fajitas. We will definitely be doing this again! I did a little research on confit cooking and it can be used for all sorts of meat which we will be trying as well.
Today I'm going to suggest a movie to avoid - Killer Joe. I have a very warped sense of humor, enjoy some really sick entertainment, and am very hard to offend. This movie crossed every line and I was left disgusted. Even hubby was asking WTF. I'm pretty sure somebody will pick it up, like we did, and think the description sounds interesting. WALK ON BY. You have been warned. If your husband insists on watching it (because advice of some insane blogger is no reason to impact your household) take up knitting or scrubbing the crud behind the bathroom sink knobs. Anything. And by all means DO NOT let kids watch it.
Here's to more posting, more reading, more commenting! Happy New Year!!!!!!
Sunday, December 23, 2012
Friday Fragments - December 21, 2012
Aha! We survived the Mayan apocalypse. So, are you disappointed or relieved? Personally, I think we missed a golden opportunity to consume massive amounts of Mexican food. We thought it was a grand idea at work but we had a whole buffet of food left over from the potluck the day before. Maybe on Wednesday when we return we'll celebrate the Mayans.
Last weekend my older son got married. It was a beautiful wedding and a very fun reception.
After much coaxing my daughter got the teenager on the dance floor.
Of course the star of the show was my grandson, the ring bearer
He promptly passed out
Daddy posing by him
Because our groom had been a ring bearer 20 years ago and also passed out at the reception
Movie suggestion for the Christmas Season - The Bishop's Wife. I see it's scheduled to play a couple of times on TCM today (Sunday) at 7pm and midnight. I thought it was a sweet film that captured the Christmas spirit very well. Please make a point of looking for it.
My plan for the weekend is to make cookies!!!! Hubby doesn't want me to go overboard, except of course, to make plenty of peanut butter. I figured I will make the batters and probably use only half of each, freezing the rest. Then I can have fresh baked cookies later on. We'll see. I might just go overboard after all.
May everyone have a very merry Christmas!
Last weekend my older son got married. It was a beautiful wedding and a very fun reception.
After much coaxing my daughter got the teenager on the dance floor.
Of course the star of the show was my grandson, the ring bearer
He promptly passed out
Daddy posing by him
Movie suggestion for the Christmas Season - The Bishop's Wife. I see it's scheduled to play a couple of times on TCM today (Sunday) at 7pm and midnight. I thought it was a sweet film that captured the Christmas spirit very well. Please make a point of looking for it.
My plan for the weekend is to make cookies!!!! Hubby doesn't want me to go overboard, except of course, to make plenty of peanut butter. I figured I will make the batters and probably use only half of each, freezing the rest. Then I can have fresh baked cookies later on. We'll see. I might just go overboard after all.
May everyone have a very merry Christmas!
Friday, November 09, 2012
Friday Fragments - November 9, 2012
I completed my video class and I'm rather pleased with the outcome. I kept in mind that the goal was the learning process, not so much the final product so I didn't have over-the-top expectations. I think that lack of needing perfection made it better. Yes, there are all sorts of flaws, but those mistakes were a necessary part of the learning process. I will post a link to it probably in a few weeks. In the meantime, new video opportunities have popped up. I will definitely be able to apply my newly learned skills right away.
In a perfect world I could launch into those new projects, but other ones have to be completed first. We have a new logo at work and that means the web mistress has to reconfigure the web page accordingly. Some people are under the impression that the change is as simple as "dropping in" the new logo.... uh no. Our web page is old school html coding and while I hold my own doing this, I'm not quick about it. The whole header has to be re-done, requiring me to slap on my graphic designer hat then flip back to web master to make it fit. The part that has been most challenging is screwing with the new color palate. Before I left work today I sent off what I believe will be the final version. Hopefully everyone who needs to have a voice in this will approve it. I'm ready to move onto other activities.
Ready to talk movies? It's been a while since I've posted about my journey through watching all of the oscar nominated films.
First, my confession... I don't like musicals. Of course there are always exceptions like Wizard of Oz, I mean who can resist Somewhere Over the Rainbow???? And I really like the Lollypop Guild. Oh hell, I love all of it. I also can't stop singing through Mama Mia and Muriel's Wedding (waiting for me on DVR to watch tomorrow morning), but neither of these are oscar worthy movies and honestly the stories are rather weak. Anyone who knows me understands my love for those movies has to do with ABBA, not storyline. But other musical movies? Some can be a challenge for me. So for me to find ones that are better than bearable is almost exciting.
Gigi (1958) was downright pleasant. I'm not too wild about the premise - a young Parisian girl coming of age and being taught to attract a man with money. Yet, with Gigi skipping around and singing her heart out, I actually had fun watching it.
Even more fun was The Unsinkable Molly Brown (1964). I wouldn't mind watching that a few more times. Molly was sassy and a real go-getter. She had more than a few lessons to learn, and some the hard way, but she took them head-on and without looking back. And remember, she was a survivor of the Titanic. I'm pretty sure the makers of Titanic saw this movie when they wrote Molly's character. This one is highly recommended!
Cat Ballou (1965) wasn't exactly a musical, as in the characters didn't burst into song and dance, instead there were two guys with guitars strolling through town singing her story. And it was a pretty shitty story with an upbeat tempo. Her father was wronged and died so she wanted to get revenge by holding up a train. It has a good twist at the end, but I don't see how this was nomination worthy (won best actor).
All That Jazz (1979) belongs on the stage, not the screen. It was an artsy piece about theater and this guy's relationship with his wife. The story jumped around and had a spooky ghost-chick as his conscience? I really did not like it at all and it had a dreadful ending.
For non-musical movies I watched Judgment at Nuremberg (1961). It was about the war crimes tribunal of the Nazis, specifically the judges who sentenced people to death. This was more of the caliber of movie one would expect for oscar nominations. It dealt with difficult topics, people's histories, and personal growth. I liked it and think it's worthy of recommending. You may want to remember that I'm a history junkie and usually liked the movies shown in history class.
Now a side-note to my movie watching hobby - I do not like Bette Davis. Her characters are shallow and her voice grates. I've seen four or five of her movies and just do not get her fame. It seems more constructed than anything.
Movies have been a pleasant distraction this week. My ex's father went into hospice last week and then passed away on Monday. It's been a tough time for my family as this gentle man touched all of our lives. He was a fabulous grandfather to my children, ensuring they knew they were loved and adored. My mom was long-time friends with him and I have always felt kinship with him. I may have divorced his son, but I definitely did not divorce the whole family. Yesterday was the funeral and it was a difficult good-bye. I have so much more I could write, a whole eulogy has rambled through my head, but I'm not ready.
Again we are reminded to tell those around us how much we love and appreciate them, to take time to enjoy what life puts in front of us, to make an effort to be pleasant, find ways to see the silver lining, laugh, love, and most of all - trust God's wisdom.
In a perfect world I could launch into those new projects, but other ones have to be completed first. We have a new logo at work and that means the web mistress has to reconfigure the web page accordingly. Some people are under the impression that the change is as simple as "dropping in" the new logo.... uh no. Our web page is old school html coding and while I hold my own doing this, I'm not quick about it. The whole header has to be re-done, requiring me to slap on my graphic designer hat then flip back to web master to make it fit. The part that has been most challenging is screwing with the new color palate. Before I left work today I sent off what I believe will be the final version. Hopefully everyone who needs to have a voice in this will approve it. I'm ready to move onto other activities.
Ready to talk movies? It's been a while since I've posted about my journey through watching all of the oscar nominated films.
First, my confession... I don't like musicals. Of course there are always exceptions like Wizard of Oz, I mean who can resist Somewhere Over the Rainbow???? And I really like the Lollypop Guild. Oh hell, I love all of it. I also can't stop singing through Mama Mia and Muriel's Wedding (waiting for me on DVR to watch tomorrow morning), but neither of these are oscar worthy movies and honestly the stories are rather weak. Anyone who knows me understands my love for those movies has to do with ABBA, not storyline. But other musical movies? Some can be a challenge for me. So for me to find ones that are better than bearable is almost exciting.
Gigi (1958) was downright pleasant. I'm not too wild about the premise - a young Parisian girl coming of age and being taught to attract a man with money. Yet, with Gigi skipping around and singing her heart out, I actually had fun watching it.
Even more fun was The Unsinkable Molly Brown (1964). I wouldn't mind watching that a few more times. Molly was sassy and a real go-getter. She had more than a few lessons to learn, and some the hard way, but she took them head-on and without looking back. And remember, she was a survivor of the Titanic. I'm pretty sure the makers of Titanic saw this movie when they wrote Molly's character. This one is highly recommended!
Cat Ballou (1965) wasn't exactly a musical, as in the characters didn't burst into song and dance, instead there were two guys with guitars strolling through town singing her story. And it was a pretty shitty story with an upbeat tempo. Her father was wronged and died so she wanted to get revenge by holding up a train. It has a good twist at the end, but I don't see how this was nomination worthy (won best actor).
All That Jazz (1979) belongs on the stage, not the screen. It was an artsy piece about theater and this guy's relationship with his wife. The story jumped around and had a spooky ghost-chick as his conscience? I really did not like it at all and it had a dreadful ending.
For non-musical movies I watched Judgment at Nuremberg (1961). It was about the war crimes tribunal of the Nazis, specifically the judges who sentenced people to death. This was more of the caliber of movie one would expect for oscar nominations. It dealt with difficult topics, people's histories, and personal growth. I liked it and think it's worthy of recommending. You may want to remember that I'm a history junkie and usually liked the movies shown in history class.
Now a side-note to my movie watching hobby - I do not like Bette Davis. Her characters are shallow and her voice grates. I've seen four or five of her movies and just do not get her fame. It seems more constructed than anything.
Movies have been a pleasant distraction this week. My ex's father went into hospice last week and then passed away on Monday. It's been a tough time for my family as this gentle man touched all of our lives. He was a fabulous grandfather to my children, ensuring they knew they were loved and adored. My mom was long-time friends with him and I have always felt kinship with him. I may have divorced his son, but I definitely did not divorce the whole family. Yesterday was the funeral and it was a difficult good-bye. I have so much more I could write, a whole eulogy has rambled through my head, but I'm not ready.
Again we are reminded to tell those around us how much we love and appreciate them, to take time to enjoy what life puts in front of us, to make an effort to be pleasant, find ways to see the silver lining, laugh, love, and most of all - trust God's wisdom.
Friday, October 05, 2012
Friday Fragments - October 5, 2012
So I got thrown a curve ball earlier this week - a five week video course starting.. today. I'm a little miffed over the communication and approval in my office over this, but it's an incredible opportunity for me and our agency. Every Friday for five weeks I attend an all day session working on compiling and editing a 3 minute video. It is sponsored by our local PBS station and will be published on their website.
Today, was our introduction class. This morning was mostly a waste of time for me as it was "introduction to the macintosh computer". uh yeah, I don't exactly need a refresher course in THAT. But I behaved as my classmates learned basic navigation. On the upside, I got a tour of their facilities, including their on-air studios.
Oscar Movie recommendation this week: The Mirror has Two Faces (1996). Robert Redford and Barbara Streisand in a quirky but sweet love story. This is totally a chick flick as Barbara transforms from frumpy to gorgeous. So if you're not a chick flick fan then skip it, but I liked it.
1
Today, was our introduction class. This morning was mostly a waste of time for me as it was "introduction to the macintosh computer". uh yeah, I don't exactly need a refresher course in THAT. But I behaved as my classmates learned basic navigation. On the upside, I got a tour of their facilities, including their on-air studios.
Oscar Movie recommendation this week: The Mirror has Two Faces (1996). Robert Redford and Barbara Streisand in a quirky but sweet love story. This is totally a chick flick as Barbara transforms from frumpy to gorgeous. So if you're not a chick flick fan then skip it, but I liked it.
Friday, August 31, 2012
Friday Fragments - August 31, 2012
I'm baaaaaaack!!!!
I took a wee little Blogcation as I ironed out crap at home. I think this happened last August too. Not that anything has settled down, I just missed you so much and had to get back in the pool!
I took a wee little Blogcation as I ironed out crap at home. I think this happened last August too. Not that anything has settled down, I just missed you so much and had to get back in the pool!
******
While we were apart you missed my grandbaby's first birthday. Yes, he is one whole year old. Not at all possible, is it?
Need a good laugh? Here he is with his cake
******
My youngest finally got his driver's permit!!!! He hasn't been behind the wheel yet, which I'm sure is simply killing him. Getting that stupid permit has been sheer torture. He has had the book to study for the test since his birthday in May. Finally, two weeks ago, he announced he was ready for the test. Hubby took him up for the test and he totally nailed it. I think he missed two questions (see what studying can do??? - oh wait, he's not reading this, but yeah, that's the moral of the story - study). So they go up to the desk with birth certificate in hand and nooooo it's not good enough to simply know ones social security number, this particular office insists upon seeing the card. Guess who can't find the SS card? Moi. We turned the house inside out looking for it. I know I had it, I remember taking it to the tax prep office last spring and I think I made a photo copy of it for his work permit. WHERE IS IT????
I never did find it. So I finally look up the social security administration online to find out what I have to do to replace a lost card. I gathered up the necessary paperwork, made sure I went overboard and got extra items on the list just in case, took an hour off work, grabbed the kid and headed to the local SS office. We waltzed in, took a number and before I could sit down for what I was sure was going to be the most ridiculously long wait imaginable, I was called to the window. Badda - bing- badda - boom, we were out of there WITH a temporary card. A-MAZING!
******
And in other kid news, we will be spending this weekend moving my daughter into her new apartment. This will be the first time she won't have extra roommates other than her boyfriend so it's an exciting time for her. I hope this means a little tranquility in their lives! They certainly need it.
******
As I write this we're keeping an eye on the sky. Big ugly clouds have already rolled into town, the remnants of Hurricane Isaac have reached St. Louis. We're hoping for a good soaking rain after a summer of drought, but it's more likely there will be lots of flooding and probably a few rounds of tornados. It's kind of weird to be in the middle of the country and have to deal with a hurricane. Several others have made this route, including Katrina.
******
Work is absolutely crazy right now. We are about to roll out a new database. If you've never suffered that fate, let me tell you it is downright miserable. Especially for your IT department. Big boss took pity on me and my partner in crime and sent us out of the office last Thursay for a day at the ballpark. We sat ten rows behind the dugout, in the sun. Fabulous day! St. Louis Cardinals beat the Houston Astros 11-5 (if I happened to remember the score incorrectly, sorry. Bottom line - we won).Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Take Your Son To Work Day
For two days this was a common sight at my workbench:
The guts of computers attract an obnoxious amount of dust, so he was filthy by the end of the day.
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