Saturday, January 29, 2000

The Beginning

I'm not used to writing in the beginning of the day. But, if I have time to post any other time, it'll be after Pat and Nathan leave tonight.  They have already planned to make it an early night-- they're going to watch two of Pat's three grandkids overnight so they need to pick them up from her son's house so that her son and his wife and other child can drive to Monterey.  Why do they "need" to drive to Monterey, you ask?  Because they're going whale watching on Sunday morning!  Only in California, huh?  I'm jealous but our weekend is too full already-- When Brian read my post last night, he looked at me and said "See you Sunday, honey!" which is about right.  Not what I planned for originally but . . . the best laid plans of mice and women, eh?

I've got to stop at my office and transfer a document to my desktop so that I can work on it.  The security of our network doesn't allow me to access any documents that are anywhere on any server.  When I need to work on a document, I need to make sure that I've copied it to my desktop before I leave and, while I saw the file folder sitting on my desktop last night before I left the office, I didn't see that it was a "shortcut" instead of a copy so I can't get to the document that I need to work on today.  What joy!

Left Overs

I forgot to mention yesterday that when I left my office a little early (3:15), I did it because I had to get my driver's license renewed.  I don't like having to go in to the office to get my license renewed because that means they get toooooooo current of a picture on my license.  Some people, those with perfect driving records, have pictures on their licenses that are 20 years old but, I keep having to go in to do my renewals.  According to the letter that I received notifying me that I had to get my license renewed, I had a "good" driving record which I thought meant that I only had to take the question/answer test.  It turns out I only had to pay $15 in cash (almost didn't have the bills!) and take an eye test.

A couple of things to note:  1)  Did you ever notice how reliant we are on plastic?  I fully expected that the State of California, Department of Motor Vehicles, would be able to take Master Card, VISA, American Express, my ATM debit card-- something!!  Nope, they take cash or checks and that is it! Scrambling to find the "wallet check" that Brian and I each carry (we pay bills on Quicken so we don't have a checkbook that we carry), when the man told me it was $15, I thought "Wasn't that a 20-dollar bill I just saw . . . ?"  Sheesh!!  2)  No, I do not have a perfect driving record; I was surprised, when I received the letter, that I didn't have to post bond to get my license renewed!  My last speeding ticket was removed from my record in September of 1999 so that right NOW, my driving record is "clean".   3) The other day, when I told you that I had a 6 mile/minute commute two-thirds of which is on backstreets, did you do the math?  In order for me to do that, for the mile and a half that I am on SR237, where the speed limit is 55, I'm NOT doing 55!!!  4)  Brian and I have been married for less than two years at which time, I had to pay the $15 to get my name changed on my driver's license.  Why couldn't they renew it then?  "Well, you don't know", they said, "You may have to post bond to get it renewed in the next two years!!!"

And on that note, I'm off to get my day completely stalled out . . . shower, then pedicure (somehow I'm supposed to move after my feet are massaged!), then a nail fill, then hair trim, then marinara sauce to make, then that contract that needs to be re-drafted, then Pat & Nathan and then, maybe more here!

Have a good one!

Here we are . . .

Sometime on either Friday or Saturday, I'm thinking instead of "TBD", I should put something like: "TBDIIWAW" for "To Be Determined If It Was A Week".  MAN-O-MAN, this was a week, wasn't it??  Lots of stuff happening at work that, of course, I can't talk about but, I've brought work home and this weekend appears to be a major happening for the two days that lie ahead: I've got work to do; I've got my manicure/pedicure and haircut (My hairdresser is back from maternity leave!!); I'm making my marinara sauce-- you should see me throw it at pasta!!-- our friends, Nathan and Pat are coming over as a belated birthday celebration for Nathan; the Super Bowl is on Sunday; my favorite clothing store is closing on Sunday; and my ring is ready to be picked up at the jewelers!!  Yeesh!!  We are going to be busy!!   Well, I am anyway and Brian is going to clean on Saturday-- don't know if he's made any plans for Sunday or not . . . I am just hoping to catch him at home some time in the next two days!!

Indirect Editors

The Spoelhofs in Brasil website, as announced yesterday, has been launched and, my niece, Faye, has cruised through finding MANY non-linking "Back" and "Home" pages.  That must be one of those "long fingernail" things-- I really did put a "." in but somehow it came out a "/" so none of the links went where they were supposed to go.  The links are fixed now and, because of our Webalizer log we were able to see that Sue and Bill got to see their website, in addition to many of the readers of this page linking over (thank YOU very much!!)!! They went to the home of some friends in Flint, Michigan, and Brian tells me that someone from an ISP in Flint, Michigan, logged on so, it is nice that they are able to see what has been done so far.  I am figuring that once they see the website, they'll be able to figure out what else they'd like to put into it.  It must be difficult to "see" the Internet in one's mind's eye when one has only seen the Internet a few times on borrowed systems.  (More on this later . . . )

Many thanks to Bob Thompson, too, for making me aware of a possible problem:  Amazon.com is laying claim to many things with the word "Amazon" in them and suing the individuals even if the individuals have used the word "Amazon" in many things for many years before Amazon.com was an entity.  Now that their website is up and operating, that is something to consider-- although they've called their monthly update "Amazon Update" for 20 or more years, this is the Internet where intellectual property can be complicated, and expensive, to question.  Brian notes that the word "Amazon" has been around for many, many thousands of years (in one language or another) so he doesn't think its fair that Amazon.com lays claim to it.

Considering that we're talking about missionaries, my guess is that rather than take a chance on being sued, Bill and Sue will probably, at least for purposes of their website, change the name of the updates that are posted.  It is better and certainly less expensive to "switch than fight" in this case.  Thanks for the input, Bob!

Door Stop, Anyone?

(This is how Brian refers to Bill and Sue's computer.)  I have made a couple of references in the past about Sue not being able to see the Internet and, for awhile, I thought it was their ISP but, when I offered to upgrade her to the same ISP that my other sister in Michigan is on, she said it wouldn't do any good.  I couldn't figure out why until recently: somehow it came up (and I'm not even sure who it was that told me) but, Sue and Bill are the proud owners of a 10-year old Mac!!  Now, you know why Brian refers to it as a Door Stop!

Well, there are several angles here:  I might be able to get a computer at a discounted price through work when they go to sell "old" models that aren't really old but are in good condition-- 2 years old is "out-of-step" in Silicon Valley but not in Michigan or Brasil!  There are other possibilities, too, including a corporate donation of some sort.  There's a church that is one of their sponsoring churches that's been promising them a new computer, too, but so far, there's been nothing.  We're trying to figure something out . . . ;>) things are in process and we will keep you informed.

More Later?

Maybe, you never know . . . I've got some work to do and then, I'm going to be getting kinda tired so we'll see.

Announcing . . .

The newest website from Dutch Girl Productions has been launched as of this evening: The Spoelhofs in Brasil is alive and well, thank you very much!  Granted, it is still a little thin at this point but, you know what?  Its more than they had a week ago!  My sister, Susan and her "Missionary Man", Bill, are very happy and excited at the prospects that this website will hopefully bring their way.  I encourage you, no matter your religious affiliation, to check it out and re-visit them at least once a month for updates as they happen.  There are going to be other things that are added as time goes on like "The Amazon Update" and a "Special Needs" list for the new church among other items of interest.  I will be continuing to be the webmaster for the site so if you have any ideas or suggestions or comments or questions, please feel free to contact me.

BTW . . .

I'm sure you've figured it out:  Yes, indeed, this was again another day . . . see, this is not that tough, is it?

Every now and then . . .

Brian will complain about his commute and, he has very good reason to be unhappy about it.  Before we met, he was driving about two miles, creeping for the next ten miles through the toll plaza and across the Dumbarton Bridge, then, a short mile to his office-- the light where he had to turn left, however, was timed in favor of the on-coming traffic because it fed into one of the main Bay Area Sun Microsystems' campuses.  He would wait . . . and wait . . . and wait . . . for the light to change and, then, finally he would be at work.  When we met and began commuting together, we had a straight shot up Highway 101 in the carpool lane and 12 miles later, he was there.  Now, he has to go through at least one major construction zone (which gives him entertainment and, with the way that he watches the construction crews, causes me concern that he's not watching traffic) and, some 25 miles later (or maybe more), VOILA, he's there.

Me?  I drive 6 miles, more than two-thirds of which is on back-streets and a mile and a half on State Route 237 and I'm there.  On a heavy traffic day, it takes me ten minutes to get to work-- usually, I'm there in under six minutes . . . in Bay Area Traffic Circles, that's considered an enviably excellent commute!  I know it and I'm thoroughly enjoying it all times, too!  BTW, I take the same backroads, etc., home but it does take me longer-- usually about 15 minutes while Brian is . . . ?  Oh, he's stuck sitting on Interstate 880 waiting to go through the interchange where the construction is again.  Need I say more?

**********

Well, all of that said, even tho it doesn't seem like that much, I think I'm done for the night.  I've got to do the dishes (Brian cooked) and, Brian is reading the new website and has questions that apparently need clarification.  My guess is, we should all be watched for a couple of days as changes will be continuously occurring!

(TBD)

Okay, as you will have noticed, I have deemed that a "Day" has happened.  How about that for a decision?  And they said it couldn't be done!  Well, actually, Bo said it couldn't be done or that I may end up with writer's block by staring at the "TBD" every night.  All I could think of was "Me?  Run out of words?"  Yeah, right and donkeys fly, too!  No, I'm joking-- I've run out of words a couple of times . . . you could ask Brian . . . I'm sure he could remember if its ever happened.  Sure . . . right.

I've actually had it happen one time and it was horrifying-- I stared at a blank WHITE Word document page for days!  It was horrible but, the background here is pastel yellow so, as usual, my hope spirngs eternal but not to the point where I'm going to be changing it from "TBD" to "No Update Yet" (You're safe, Jim . . .).

"Working for the Weekend"

Well, it is hump-day afterall!  Actually, it is still kinda slow at work.  The director of the department is on "vacation" although from what I can tell, she's called in every day and I know she generated a format document yesterday and she is expected in the office tomorrow to sign some forms.  Different people have different ideas and definitions for vacation, don't they?  Hmmm, personally, I like mine better.  I think her idea involves a little too much work for me.

Our idea of a vacation showed up at Brian's office today-- the tickets for the plays to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival have arrived!!  Yippee!!  Now it feels like we're going to have a vacation!!

Because its Wednesday, its "How-To" night on PBS but, I'm fairly disappointed-- they've replaced Jacques Torres with a boring Italian woman who can't cook anything but pasta (and how many ways can you throw sauce onto penne pasta?) and, frankly, after Jacques & Julia, there's nothing to watch until This Old House comes on.

As usual, on Wednesday, my sister and I had our chat session and for the first time in a long time, she's feeling fairly well, all things considered.  Karen, my sister in Michigan, is the one who has been sick with a cold and the flu but, she seems to over it for the most part.

**********
Tonight, I'll be doing some more work on the website for my sister.  Its actually kinda fun, but I think I may have mentioned that.  Brian's been out to Register.com or wherever to set up the alias and, hopefully, it'll be visible by Saturday-ish to my sister so she can see what I've done so far.  Of course, she'll have to go to a library or to my other sister's because Sue's computer can't handle it but, that's another story.

More later, if time permits or if I get any jokes worth passing on . . . G'night!

New Format or Could You Guess?

Well, let's be real-- I'm still having a problem with writing "2000" so I figure if I do it all at once, once a week, I won't have to think about it until the following week.  And, no, I haven't decided if there's going to be a tomorrow so, YES, it is "To Be Determined"-- that is not an error!  Dave Farquhar, the man with the most-difficult web site to get enter, has "placeholder" politely typed into his dates; Jim Crider has "No update yet" which, offers hope springing eternal that he'll have a tomorrow.  Others have nothing or asterisks or whatever but, I've decided that since I post at night, I'm going to determine that night whether or not there has been a day.

I'm sorry??  What was that??  Did I hear you questioning my FEMALE logic??  Don't go there, okay?  Many have tried and, frankly, we all get lost so don't bother!  Let's see how this goes for awhile and we'll go on, okay?  Okay!!

Phenomenal Women of the Web

In Delanae Crider's posting on Friday, she mentions a new website that she's been to that requires "membership" for women to join.  Don't get your shorts in a knot, Bob, there's also a Phenomenal Men of the Web so no one is taking sides, okay?  Anyway, they have the "Aristic Expression" decal that's in the upper right corner of this page and the regular PWOTW logo that's in the bottom of the page.  They also have these seals that describe emotions, etc., and other than the fact they are "pretty" but other than that, I haven't figured out the purpose of the seals.  You can use them but you have to link them ALL back to the PWOTW website which is fine, too.  I haven't had a chance to read many of the websites that are linked but, it proves to be a challenge since there are almost 6,000 approved and connected.

Work?

Monstrously busy and boring all at the same time . . . I don't know quite how that works out but it should be interesting.  Fall out from the sales conference is that one of the Area Vice Presidents (hereinafter known as "AVPs") called to inform me that it didn't matter if I met ALL of the sales reps and AVPs-- I met him and he's the one that's important so . . . Yeah, right-- somehow I'll have to figure out how to remember that, won't I?  Actually, Howard is one of the nicer and supportive people at that level. There is still a bit of a cowboy mentality at this company so when you can find someone who knows the purpose and worth of a contract as a condition of sale, it is important to keep him friendly!

**********
I'm going to do some work on my sister's website-- mostly been converting .gif files to .jpg-- you have to know that .gifs aren't going to happen unless they HAVE to happen on that website, just like here!  ;>)

More later or as the keyboard moves me . . .

Survived!

Today was my adventure into San Francisco for the sales convention.  The convention has been going on since Friday night but I was only required to attend today because the balance of the meetings were not for contracts professionals, of course, but sales people.  That makes sense without even having to think about it too much, doesn't it?

Why "Survived" then, you ask?  Because I live and work in Sunnyvale and really don't like having to go into the City for anything unless I have to (which this was one of those "HAVE TOs") and its 50 miles of driving in bad traffic (and I was only the passenger!) and its 50 miles of driving in bad traffic with the rain coming DOWN (really, REALLY) HARD!!  I am such a whiner, aren't I?  I drove with my boss to the sales meeting because two people make a "carpool" here.  If I hadn't ridden with her, she wouldn't have made it there until around 10 or 11.  She started out from South San Jose at 6:40, picked me up at 7:40 and we arrived in San Francisco at 9:10.  The WHOLE trip shouldn't have (and wouldn't have) taken more than an hour on a DRY, rainLESS day.

I like San Francisco well enough as a tourist spot is concerned.  Brian and I took my sister and her husband there when they were here last April (and we will do the same this year if my other sister comes to visit) and, I believe it was a rainy day then, too but, it didn't seem to be as bad in driving time or traffic.  I don't know why people can't drive in excessive weather conditions-- the drivers were the same in Cincinnati (when I lived there) and in Dallas (when I lived there).  Hey!!  I just got it-- every time I moved, the same people moved to the same location so all of the drivers that can't drive in excessive weather conditions in Cincinnati and Dallas, are now trying (and still failing MISERABLY) to drive in excessive weather conditions HERE!!!

There were excessive weather conditions in Michigan but there weren't NEARLY as many people so it didn't matter that no one could drive-- there wasn't much to drive to anyway . . . Man!  My sisters aren't going to like that comment!!

Contact

So, the part that was fun and interesting about today was meeting the people behind the voices on the telephone-- I got to meet a lot of the sales reps that I've worked with so far and all of the Area Vice Presidents.  These things are always soooooo big and no matter how they print the name badges, the lettering is never big enough to read when someone is walking around a room or up and down aisles.  Invariably, you get the first name read and, as the person is moving down the aisleway, wonder if that's So-n-So from the Rosemont office.  At one point, my manager said to me "Was that Keith Mason?", one of the reps I'd been dealing with a lot lately and I had to reply "Nope, that was Keith Kranski or something that started with a K on his first name-- he was moving too fast!"

Oh, well, it is still fun to play the "Oh, So That's What You Look Like" game and, try to remember their face until the next phone call that the person makes to you and trying to remember the face again.  Talk about "First Contact"!!

And speaking of that . . .

I am the first and last when it comes to homage paid to William Shatner-- I have always enjoyed EVERYTHING he's ever done with two exceptions: 1) His recordings of his "singing" and 2) the Priceline.Com commercials where he is "singing".  Everything else I can live with but, Man-o-Man, those Priceline.Com commercials have got to go!!

**********

Well, as mentioned last night, I've got the first drafts in of the stuff for my sister's website and I'm going to start putting something together or at least, trying to put something together.  By any chance, if you've seen any websites for mission work that you thought were really cool, pass them on or if you have any ideas for what you'd like to see incorporated into a website of that nature, please let me know-- input and ideas are always welcome!

Have a good night . . .

One more thing to add . . .

10 WAYS TO KNOW IF YOU HAVE PMS

1.  Everyone around you has an attitude problem.
2.  You're adding chocolate chips to your cheese omelet.
3.  The dryer has shrunk every last pair of your jeans.
4.  Your husband is suddenly agreeing to everything you say.
5.  You're using your cellular phone to dial up every bumper sticker that says: "How's my driving-call 1-800-***-****."
6.  Everyone's head looks like an invitation to batting practice.
7.  You're convinced there's a God and he's male. 9.  You're sure that everyone is scheming to drive you crazy.
10.  The ibuprofen bottle is empty and you bought it yesterday.

TOP TEN THINGS ONLY WOMEN UNDERSTAND

10.  Cats' (or dogs') facial expressions.
9.  The need for the same type of shoes in different colors.
8.  Why bean sprouts aren't just weeds.
7.  Fat clothes.
6.  Taking a car trip without trying to beat your best time.
5.  The difference between beige, ecru, cream, off-white, and eggshell.
4.  Cutting your bangs to make them grow.
3.  Eyelash curlers.
2.  The inaccuracy of every bathroom scale ever made.

AND, the Number One thing only women understand:

1.  OTHER WOMEN

Well, it went . . .

Remember back a few months ago when Brian, my husband, published pictures of his desk and everyone in The Gang gave him a ton of harrassment because it was so neat?  Well, I offered to let him take pictures of my desk if he wanted to say that he was faking it before and my desk was really his desk.  My desk is horrible MOST of the time which isn't good because my desk is in the living room.  Up until today, while my desk and printer and scanner were in the living room, the files that I use to pay bills and keep track of other household papers are in his office.  I've had a cubby hole in the hutch of his desk to chuck things into in the past few months but getting time to actually file things?  Hah!!  That would require him leaving the front of the computer and we all know how difficult that would be!!

Well, today, we moved one of the two-drawer files out to my desk, along with the contents of both of the two-drawers because things needed to be archived to the garage.  That created an even more lovely little mess for me to work with than I had already created of my own accord.  Somehow, I was silly enough to think that this was a short project, probably no more than an hour or two and then we could finish on re-arranging the living room and I could put up my post before the crack-o-midnight . . . HAH!  (I, apparently, am a foolish, foolish woman!)

I worked and I slaved and hours later-- four in this case, Brian came out of the office where he was working on his area and said, "Hey, Babe, you're making some real progress here!"  "I am?" I said, "Where?  Tell me one place WHERE?"  How is this progress?  I couldn't see it and I was quite disbelieving another two hours went by and the more hanging file folders I made, the more I needed to make and the more that couldn't be filed until the hanging file folders were made!  Where was progress made??

Well, I have to admit, after three more hours, I was finally finished.  All of the hanging files were made up and organized by billing and household and miscellaneous writing stuff that's separated still further.  There's also a tub of information (literally a small plastic tub) under my desk that you can see just a bit of on the left of side my desk that's part of the reference material I use for writing; the cords running up the front of my desk in the picture on the left are for my laptop from work.  It is amazing how many notebooks I have notes for stories written in and never finished the thoughts or never transcribed them further.  I will and, now that they're out of the hiding places that they were in, they probably will be easier to remember to work on as I go through the box . . . I'll keep you posted on that but it should work pretty good now.

Things my husband doesn't know . . .

That sounds like its made for a script to a soap opera, doesn't it?  ;>)  Well, unfortunately-- no, let me correct that, FORTUNATELY, I am painfully aware that I am very fortunate not to have that kind of life.  Well, fortunately, I don't have that much stuff to worry about but, I found something when I was working my way through the contents of the two-drawer files.  I don't know if Brian's ever seen it or thought about it-- what I found, that is-- he's never said one way or ther other.  This "IT" that I found was an old address book containing the names and phone numbers of most of the men that I dated before I met him.  I didn't know it was there-- Brian's been sitting in the office where the book was sitting for all of this time.

Brian and I have been married almost two years and not once have I ever said "Gee, I wonder what happened to So-n-So?"  Reality is, I don't know and I don't care.  I shredded the address book when Brian was in the garage building something . . . I didn't have to do it that way (there was enough trash leaving the apartment, he'd never have found it) but, it was more for symbolic purposes:  I've got the Best Man in the world-- Yes, I realize that for the most part, every woman thinks she has the best man in the world as her husband in one form or another-- I really DO know that I am the luckiest woman in the world to realize that my husband is the Best Man in the world.  Unfortunately, some women never realize and more unfortunately, some women aren't married to their Best Man in the world and for their individual reasons, will stay in the marriage despite their unhappiness.

New Developments

In a few weeks, this website will be developing a break-off website.  My sister, Susan, and her husband could use some additional exposure.  The mission project that they are developing with two other couples for Bauru, Brazil, needs some more financial support and, if they have a website to link into the ABWE, maybe they'd have a better shot at raising that support.  I'll be doing the majority of the website work based from the presentation that they are currently making in their sponsoring churches and Brian will do the majority of the off-site alias work, etc., along with the graphics bit cuz that's one of the things he's good at.  I'll also keep up the monthly reports that they file with those who support them and basically, doing the webmaster work for them.  I think it should be fun and am really looking forward to being able to help them out.  Stay tuned . . . I'll have a link when its all ready to launch!!

Current "Musings"

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