Archive for May 1-7, 2000Musings of My Mind
Sunday, May 7, 2000
Slow Day
Today was a slow day here in my little corner of Paradise. I woke up fairly early and made coffee and blueberry muffins for Brian and me for breakfast. Brian makes better coffee but mine will do when I'm trying to let him sleep in a bit. (Although I had had a nap yesterday afternoon, he didn't and, I think, he needed sometime to sleep in and recover from the night before and my tossing and turning.)
Ordinarily with a permanent, you should wait two days to wash your hair but my hairdresser said it would be okay for me to wash mine today. Apparently it has something to do with whether or not the curl "took"-- there is no question that the curl took so it could (and did) handle the shampoo today. Now, I just need it to relax a bit! (Its always something, isn't it?) Anyway, after I showered and shampooed my hair, it was off to the grocery store for the first three days' supplies. I used to buy a week and sometimes even two weeks' of food at one time and then, I met Brian! Apparently, he has always been used to going a lot more frequently and has since re-trained me quite successfully.
After I paid some bills, around noon or so I left to go see "Erin Brockovich"-- I won't use the nickname for the movie that everyone else has given it but, it is well deserved at any rate. Its a good movie but, it was just Julia Roberts portraying a person-- I don't see the Oscar quality, sorry.
I've now made dinner and cleaned up the dishes and the day is almost done. Hope you had a good one, too.
Saturday, May 6, 2000One of Seven
In the land according to Brian, one of the Seven Dwarfs came to our house this morning: "Grumpy"! I didn't sleep well last night with perm rods in my hair and, as a result, I woke up a little on the grumpy side of life. Well, excuse me! Okay, so I took a nap this afternoon (2-1/2 hours!) and I am feeling much more refreshed today. My perm, for what its worth, came out terrifically and I have a full head of curls for only having gotten a half perm!!
The balance of the day . . .
. . . I waited until after my nap to review Barbara Thompson's new business pages for her. Considering the way that my mood was described, this is probably a good thing! Now the only problem is that PacBell mail is down (again) so I can't get an email to her about my review unless I re-format it and send it in Yahoo! email-- not my idea of a good time!
**********
Other than that, I don't plan to do much today at all-- I was going to go for a bike ride but voted that down after I got up from my nap. I'll cook dinner for Brian later (sausage and pasta) and then, do some work on my cross-stitch. For the most part, this needs to be a relaxing day/evening for me, I think.Tomorrow I may go see "The Green Mile" but am not sure because of the times that it is showing-- I don't like going out late without Brian and don't want him to miss dinner by going to a 5:30 show, either. That one's still up in the air, I'd say.
Perhaps more later but, in the meantime, have a great evening!
Friday, May 5, 2000Its worth it, really!!
I've just spent the last three and a half hours getting half a permanent done on my hair! I get what is called an "Air Oxidation" perm so I've still go the rods in my hair and, even though my hair has been rinsed, the fragrance is still with us. Actually, it'll be with us for about a week-- "Lucky Brian", eh? Because my hair is long, my hairdresser suggested that I only do the top half of my head that shows-- which makes sense. Its also less wrapping for her and less painful for me-- I have to sleep in these rods!!
The biggest problem is that, at the present time, my eyeglasses are perched precariously on my nose so that I can see the keyboard and screen to put up this post-- that's dedication, isn't it? Okay, so I also got lucky and started to write my post at work today . . . that part to follow.
First time in over a week!
I suppose you could say that there's a first time for everything . . . eventually. I haven't had time in over a week to start writing my post at work. Today's a bit different . . . I'm doing some websurfing and debating with Robert Bruce Thompson on email. (We're debating but agreeing at the same time-- that's a first!)
I've heard a lot about NetZero and am hoping that they have some means of free access in Brazil so that my sister could have unlimited email/web access when they go back. So many people have suggested that they use NetZero when they go back-- I don't think they realize that it is rare that net access is free in third world countries! Well, I've sent an email inquiring as to whether they have access available in Brazil. We'll see what I get a response-- maybe something that'll be useful.
**********
My glasses keep slipping so that must be the signal to put this up, knowing that tomorrow I'll be able to post without precariously balanced glasses! Have a good night!
Thursday, May 4, 2000Memory Lane
Remember last year's garden and how big the zucchini plant (we told you) got but never yielded any zucchini? Remember we told you that we went to Donner Summit and Lake Tahoe for our anniversary weekend last year? Remember when Brian and I went camping in Ventana Wilderness and told you about our hike? Remember when we went camping at Caswell and told you about our campsite? Remember when we went to Caswell State Park to fish and we told you that Brian caught a striped bass? Well, finally, here are the pictures!!
And look at the size of that zucchini plant!! The leaves and blossoms were huge but the zucchinis? No more than three or four inches!! It was really disheartening!
Although I'd been through Donner Summit on my way into California, I'd never stopped there. Naturally, last year's anniversary was on Memorial Day weekend so we took a 'venture up to the upper part of Northern California to see what we could see!
This picture was taken on our hike at Pfeiffer State Park (where we are going next month). Brian is hiding inside the stump of a redwood tree!
This picture was taken on the trail behind the Ventana Campgrounds where we stay in July of 1999. We had fun on this hike and Brian had fun playing "monkey"!
This is our campsite at Caswell State Park from our October camping trip. Behind those bushes is the river but, as you can see, we couldn't fish from our campsite.
This is Brian with his striped bass! I know he had fun catching it and, like we told you at that time, he put up quite a fight for a medium-sized fish!
Now wasn't that worth it? Aren't you glad we now have a digital camera? No more months-n-months waiting for pictures to be posted! Okay, so its almost a year-- our anniversary is on the 30th of this month!**********
And, after all of that, I can't remember anything else to put up about today-- It has been busy at work and I've been forgetful everywhere else (or could you tell?)!More later, I'm sure . . . I'm going to go do dishes and try to remember what else I was going to tell you about . . . hopefully.
Wednesday, May 3, 2000Not as bad as expected . . .
Thank you all-- it could've been a lot worse but, you've all been relative kind, considering what you could've said to me about my little Adobe challenge. I appreciate that . . . or its entirely possible you all sent your comments to Tom as suggested-- I'm sure he's still trying to figure that one out! Anyway, thanks to all who assisted or otherwise in my embarrassment.
Kudo on the Job
Occasionally I get emails from the guys in the field or the guys in inside sales for getting a document done or a contract processed in a timely fashion. Today, I had an extra nice one: The AVP and I were talking about a matter with a sales rep and he mentioned that "Bob" was going to be sending me a vendor profile to fill out for a new customer for a semi-large order. I told him that I already had the profile in process of completion and hoped to have it done by COB on Friday if not sooner. After I informed the AVP that I'd already told Bob this in an email, there was dead silence on the line. "'John'?" I said. "You are so fast at that . . . thank you!! That just surprises me!" To which I replied that I wouldn't have thought about not processing it when I received it-- what would I gain but more stress by sitting on it for two days? It was nice to receive an unexpected kudo from him.
To be honest, I really like working with this region. My tenure with them is supposed to be temporary, until someone is hired in the time zone that will handle the North- and Southeast. I don't want to move there but I do like working with John and his reps so, maybe he could make an adjustment on time zone requirements and ask for me anyway? Who knows? Of course, they have to hire someone there before he needs to worry about how the new person is going to handle him and his reps. Oh, well, time will tell. If I were to be assigned the territory permanently, it may require travel there once in awhile which I could handle, too-- all the more frequent flyer miles for me!
**********
I've had my weekly "chat" with my sister and all is well in Michigan. Well, let me qualify that: its well considering that it is Michigan! I made some updates and adjustments to my other sister's website last night. My post additional-mile-bike ride (I'm over 7 miles now!) soaking bath and I'm ready for "How To" night!
Hope you have a good one, too!
Tuesday, May 2, 2000
(Further Update)You know it had to happen!
I received this email from Keri Beland today:
I've also been having problems with Acrobat. As a matter of fact, mine is with the filter for placing them on the web. I was on the phone with theseOh, Keri, dear Keri-- in this respect, I do hope I am alone.
guys for 45 minutes and, just like you, hung up the phone!Sorry to hear you're having troubles too, but you're not alone! <G>
Keri M. Beland
Publication's EditorThe Adobe Acrobat had been installed on our administrator's system. Nina sits in the double-wide cubicle next to mine. I started to call Adobe from my phone and then realized that I would have to go to her system to do any work that they may have for suggestions to cure the problem so I moved to her cubicle.
I called Adobe and, after haranguing them for leaving me on hold for SOOOO long yesterday, we finally (Jeremy, from Customer Service-- and I use the term loosely-- and I) got down to business.
In an admittedly indignant voice, I said to Jeremy: "I've installed and uninstalled and re-installed five or six times now and, when I go to change the security password, it won't do anything. I'm getting really sick of it because it requires me to register the WHOLE thing every time I go to re-intsall the program. "
Jeremy responds with: "It won't do anything? Will it let you put the cursor in the password box so that the cursor is flashing at you."
"Yes," I respond. "Well, let's see . . . " he says and we continue with another five or so minutes of "try this" and "try that" and "try another thing". I'm getting very frustrated by this time, needless to say.
"Well, Marcia, you may have a valid problem with a defective software package there." Jeremy snickered to himself, "I hate to say it but it happens so rarely that we do tend to put customers through the wringer to find it out."
"Well, now what do we do?" I said to him as I looked down at the keyboard in satisfaction at the fact that, Yes, I was right!! Suddenly, my eyes caught something: The "Num Lock" light was not lit!! Oh, NO!!!! I hit the Num Lock button and typed the numeric password we had chosen. It inserted !!!!!
I was floored-- I always keep my Num Lock on and, for the life of me, can't figure out why anyone else wouldn't keep it on!! Nina had betrayed me!! All I could say at this point was: "Oh, NOOOooooooo!!!!!" to which Jeremy replied "What?"
Have you ever had a "customer service" (and again, I am using the term very loosely!) representative LAUGH AT YOU??????? REALLY LOUDLY, TOO!!!!!!! Well, I made Jeremy's day, for sure!
But, no, Keri, I really hope that you don't have the same problem-- PLEASE check the Num Lock key before you call Adobe Customer Service again!!!!
(In response to the above, please feel free to email Tom!)
[From what I understand, this is the misguided theme for today, right?]
So after that . . .
EVERYthing was uphill from there! I've become inundated with contracts and Non-Disclosure Agreements today and, no, I'm not complaining although I did stay later at work today.
**********
Frankly, after the morning and day I've had, I've completely forgotten everything else I was going to post here today. Sorry, it has been that kind of day!!Maybe more later . . . I'm making veal parmesan for dinner!
It was delish . . . thanks!
In further thought and retrospective, yes, I know that I'm going to get a lot of grief about the Num Lock situation, above. The worst part is that I used to be a sysadmin, sort of, for the law firm that I worked for in SanFrancisco. This was back in the days when you had to manipulate autoexec.bat files to get the computer to start a "menu" program. I used to do this!! I've gotten out of touch with reality or . . . I'm now a Senior Contracts Negotiator, not accustomed to doing my own (or anyone else's) software applications start-up. With the money that I'm making and the challenge that I'm feeling, I'm really glad to be doing what I do now. I'm sure there are sysadmins all over the world that'll sleep better knowing that their jobs are very secure as long as I'm in the world!
Bicycling
I think I'm getting obsessive about bicycling . . . is that possible? Is that bad? I got home from work tonight-- late after stopping at the grocery store-- changed clothes and jumped on my bike doing 6+ miles before I came in to make dinner. I really am enjoying it-- there's a part of me that would die of shock if I let it know that I just said that ("NO, I wouldn't--" "YES, you would!!" {SLAP!!} "Ouch, that really hurt!!" "Too bad, now shut-up!!") but, I am really having a good time at this thing. The only time I stopped was at two intersections for a traffic light (one) and an ambulance (two)-- no more "rests" so it must be getting easier! If I have time tomorrow night, I'm going to add another mile or so to my route. Its also chat-with-my-sister night so I don't know if I'll have time but . . . maybe.
Well, I'm going to sign off for the night . . . have a good one!
Monday, May 1, 2000Right Direction!!
Yippee!! I have a total weight loss of 6.7 pounds!! This is VERY good!! I lost a bunch more tonight and, I'm right on track for the "one-pound-per-week" thang even though it seemed like it wasn't going to work. Hopefully, I'm past the point of muscle-equals-more-than-fat-cells-in-weight now-- that isn't fun but, if I can just have it be an equal loss of fat to muscle gain, I'll be happy. I've done a total of 29 miles on my bicycle this week and that is truly excellent-- Especially for ME!!!!
Work Stuff . . .
Well, it has to come eventually, you know. Work is work. I'm having a hard-time making the new Adobe Acrobat installation work-- it doesn't want to accept the passwords that I need to input to "lock-up" a document. I spent 25 minutes on hold today and decided that I was too angry after wasting that much time on hold to ask any questions without getting hung up on by them. I'll try again tomorrow morning and, I will be mentioning that it wouldn't be so bad to be 25 minutes on hold if it were their nickle but since it isn't a toll free number, the least they could do is speed up the pick-up time when its my nickle!!!
I was sent home from the office with a new HP 720 Printer-- its to complete the ensemble of the laptop needs scanner/fax/printer/copier for working at home. Nice machine-- I have one at work, too. It did require some re-arrangement of the equipment at my desk but, it works.
*********
Nothing else much o report-- that's a good thing, trust me! Have a good night!!
Archive
