Archive for , 2000Musings of My Mind
Whoops!
I didn't forget-- I remembered! Y'know how I know that I remembered? Cuz I remembered last night as I was about to fall asleep and, frankly, I wasn't gonna get out of bed at that point! So, sorry that I missed posting yesterday. Its probably at least partially attributable to the fact that not much happened. I went for a bike ride when I got up and then, spent the rest of the day catching up on magazines. I've got more to catch up on when Brian and I go camping but I went through the stack of Sunset that had accumulated. I also hit The English Home which I have raved about before but am now thoroughly convinced that Brian and I have to move to England at some point in the very near future or at least by the time we retire!!
As advertised, I did watch Arlington Road on Saturday night but it was too hauntingly weird, especially for me. Tim Robbins is a particularly disturbing person (or at least, the roles that he plays are) and this role was as usual.
Last night, Brian took the night off and we played Trivial Pursuit: How and who set the record for having four strike-outs in an inning? That was a question and they swear that its true. I've mentioned before about the inaccuracies that I've found in their new "Millennium" edition but it is quite annoying. Brian got the question that read something like: "What is the record number of strike-outs in an inning?" Looking at it from the perspective of 6-outs per inning, the UNlikelihood that at some point in history two pitchers didn't strike out 6 batters in one inning is fairly low so it has to be that one pitcher struck-out four batters but how and when?
Let me know if you figure that one out, okay?
I will not archive today's post until tomorrow since I'm a little messed up on my weekend/weekday thing anyway.
Saturday, May 27, 2000Last night . . .
. . . after I signed off from my post, I went in and watched one of the movies that I'd bought from the previous weekend's shopping trips: "Instinct". This movie stars Anthony Hopkins and Cuba Gooding Jr. In my humble opinion, as good as Gooding was in "Jerry Maguire", he was much better in this film. It was a very powerful role for him which is a good thing to see for an African American actor in his age bracket-- the Ossie Davis' and Morgan Freeman's get these roles but they've been around forever. To see a younger man of excellent acting calibre land a role like this is indeed exciting. Anyway, I digress: it was an excellent movie but then, it had Anthony Hopkins in it, so it would have to be a good movie, eh?
Fishing . . . Again!
Although I was looking forward to going fishing with my friend, Irma, I ended up going fishing by myself again. The humorous part of it is that I've heard of people talking about "Stevens Creek Dam" for years but didn't know where it was so I never thought about it. Where we normally go fishing, at Lake Chabot, it is 35 miles to drive there-- the Dam is located five to six miles away depending on which spot you go to! Its almost embarrassing that I never found it before this time!!
Anyway, I went out this morning at a decent hour (6:30-ish) and watched everyone around me catching fish. It was soon determined, by those around me that were catching fish, that my leader line wasn't long enough so I made a longer one. Then it was decided that I wasn't getting out far enough so I tore my set up down and put on another weight. I went a little further so I put another weight on and went a little further still. Then it was decided that my 10-pound line could be seen by the fish and that's why I wasn't getting any hits. The people around me had 4-pound line on which is what I normally use for a leader.
On my way home, I went to Fisherman's Warehouse (you'll remember me talking about them from October) and got the line on my reel changed out to 6-pound line and got a set-up for a bass rig (which also hit at the dam) and a stamp for a second rod. Brian isn't fishing these days anyway so I'm going to use his line for trout fishing and mine for bass fishing and see what happens. I don't know that I'm going out tomorrow but I am going to go out again this weekend.
I did catch a wonderful sunburn again-- I was only out for four hours!! If I could catch on my line what I catch on my skin, we'd be set for a year with fish!! Oh, well, Al the Aloe plant doesn't mind sacrificing a branch or two for the betterment of my skin, thank you very much!
Tonight's Agenda
I've gotta make a run to the grocery store cuz we're fresh out of popsicles! They are the one thing that I can eat and only knock off a point-a-piece for on my diet-- this is a good thing! I don't know what I'll make for dinner cuz its kinda hot and Brian doesn't eat very much when its warm-- mostly snacky-types of foods. I'm going to watch "Arlington Road", another purchase from last weekend so I'll let you know how that is tomorrow. (I'm not a huge fan of Tim Robinson so if I like, I'll be surprised!! Why did I buy it? Cuz it was on sale, of course!
Have a good one!
Friday, May 26, 2000Change of plans . . . again!
My friend, Irma, called me today to tell me that she again had to postpone our fishing plans. Her mother has a friend that is seriously ill (and we are all hoping everything goes well for her and her friend recuperates) and lives up in Napa. Irma is going to drive her mother to see her friend tomorrow instead; obviously this is a priority so, no matter-- we'll make it another time!
Actually, a woman I work with has told me that she and her family are going fishing at Stevens Creek Dam tomorrow. I've been told about this on more than one occasion-- its supposed to be good fishing there. Brian and I just discovered how really close this is to where we live: bicycling distance! Of course, I have to prepare myself for hills better than I am right now but, I could potentially be finding myself cycling my way to fishing later this summer!
At any rate, I'm thinking that I'll wander out to the Dam after we wake up tomorrow and see if I can't catch a couple of fish . . . who knows: I could get lucky!
Other than that . . .
I have to prepare for the camping trip this weekend which means dragging some menu ideas out of Brian so I can start planning. That won't be easy-- it never is! Of course I'm going to get some fishing in somewhere and a movie if I'm lucky-- MI:2 starts this weekend so that could be fun.
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Don't know when this will be published. Brian's just told me that PBI says there are problems with the DSL. We'll see . . . and see ya, too!
Thursday, May 25, 2000"Cycling"
I learned tonight on my bike ride that I'm not calling what I do by its correct name: I'm not going for a "bike ride"-- I'm cycling! Sounds entirely different, doesn't it? There are two routes that I've been taking on the rides the last few weeks; tonight I chose to do one that I hadn't done any other time this week. On one of the main drags, I was riding and a woman on a skinny-tired bicycle passed me-- big surprise! On her way by, she said "Hello" and I huffed-n-puffed my way through a "Hi" back at her. At the next intersection, she bicycled up and stopped while I hung back, slowly moving toward the intersection, trying to not stop . . . my timing was perfect and, as I passed, she congratulated me for my timing. She stuck by me, the obviously slower of the two of us, until the next intersection where I turn right (about a 1/2 mile up the road). We had a nice little chat-- I was actually surprised that I was able to talk and ride at the same time! That's the first time that anyone has spoken with me, let alone cycled along side me when I've been cycling (See-- I can do the lingo!).
Why is it?
I get home on Thursday nights and I'm just beat six ways from Sunday!! I'm tired, every muscle in my body hurts and the last thing that I want to do is anything besides sleep!! Oh, yeah, its thatbeing busy thing, huh? I've been so busy that I am finding myself again falling behind in my correspondence. I owe my friend, Pat, an email and at least four or five other people again! I can't help it-- I try but I can't keep up so just bear with me, 'kay, folks? 'Kay!!
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Speaking of that correspondence, I'm going to try to catch up on some of it again. Have a good evening whatever you do . . . enjoy!
Wednesday, May 24, 2000Speedy Gonzalez?
From John Doucette:
So you passed another cyclist. Good for you. Should we call you Speedy now? But watch out, next time it will be your turn again and it will be some senior citizen who will pass you. All competitiveness side, as long as you are having fun and reaping the benefits of regular exercise, that is all that counts. I do know how much fun it is to pass people. To my own detriment I tend to chase people down just so I can pass them.I don't think so, Tim-- er, John!I am far from ready to answer to any nicknames regarding speed--when I get a little more consistent, okay, we'll talk but . . . in the meantime, I don't think so!Yeah, but I do have fun!!The Saga Continues
Well, there is a conference call with the VP that wants to start negotiations all over again. The director of the department is going to get on the phone and tell him everything we can't do (because he didn't believe it coming from lowly-little-ol' me) of what he wants. It should be an interesting call, indeed.
Other than that . . .
I found out tonight that the little girl across the way is named "Ying" but her American name is "Clara"-- pretty name because it is the root of my mother's name (Clarice) so I'm already going to be partial to her! She's a cute little kid and her mother seems to be very nice, as well. The two of them were coming back from a walk so I brought them a couple of popsicles and introduced myself. They are from China, having just moved here in the last week or two-- jet lag can be killer, huh?
As I mentioned, the auction on the PBS station is over but tonight is the final Michael J. Fox episode of Spin City and, even though I didn't watch it regularly, I did watch it and besides, its Michael J. Fox! Did he ever do anything badly? At any rate, I plan to miss an hour of "How To" night watching the final MJF episode.
I hope that whatever you do, you have a good time at it, too!
Tuesday, May 23, 2000
(Later Update)Thanks . . .
. . . to everyone who sent notes of condolence to Brian and me. Your kindnesses are genuinely appreciated.
I did it!
I made myself take a 15 minute break at one point so I could answer some email that I'd been intending to respond to for days!! I'm really enjoying being this busy-- I hope it can last!! I spoke with the AVP tonight (his time) at length about the different deals that are happening and he seems to be very pleased with my work. I'm glad cuz I am really enjoying working with his team, too!
We've got a customer (a VP) that's gone off the deep end of a power trip-- his minion negotiated the deal, which the VP apparently decided he didn't like so he's going to start the negotiation all over again. I explained away several of his suggested document changes today based on the fact that the detail he's questioning has already been dealt with and understood by the peon so the term in the agreement is not going to change. At this point, we're all so disgusted with this company (who shall remain nameless) that the only thing we want to do is go in and rip out the software!! (Yes, that's right: they gave them the software without a contract in place!!!) BUT, we're going to try to make the deal come together SOMEHOW tomorrow-- I'll keep you posted on this one.
Other than that . . .
I went to work, worked HARD all day, came home, went for a bike ride-- my "usual" distance now-- made dinner, am about to take a bath and then . . . well, since the auction on the public television station I watch is finished (I never found my luggage!), there's nothing to watch on television. Brian's suggested that we take a break, since it is fairly cool tonight (as compared to recent evenings), to play a game of some sort. Its been awhile and, when its hot like its been here, its hard to concentrate on much of any game!
I think that sounds like a plan, don't you?
New Neighbors . . .
. . . across the courtyard, there is a new family that has moved in to an apartment. There's a Mommy and a Daddy and a little girl who appears to be about 4 years old. This little girl, whom I have not yet had the pleasure of meeting, per se face to face, has the most wonderfully infectious giggle!!!! I've got to make a point of saying "Hello" to them one night when they are coming home (they all ride together in and out during the week, carpooling to jobs and school/daycare). "Gigglers" are fun to have around!!
Bike Ride Comment
Usually, partly because I'm out of shape and partly because I've got mountain bike tires on my bicycle, the people on the skinny-tired bikes (probably similar to John Doucette's style of bicycle!) are always tearing by me in the Bike Lane. It gets old after awhile, y'know? But tonight, for the first time ever, I got to pass someone-- an adult riding a similarly tired bicycle!! She looked younger than me, too!! I was soooo proud of myself!!! Its the simple things in life that make you feel good, y'know?
Strange but true and I had to tell ya!!
Have a great one!
Monday, May 22, 2000Cherubic
I've only been a part of the Bilbrey clan for a short almost two year period of time. In that short period of time, I've met some pretty wonderful people both related by blood and related by bond of friendship. The Bilbreys as a whole have been wonderful to me with the most wonderful, of course, being my husband. Along with him, came a bonding bundle of family love that is the strongest I've felt in a long time.
The matriarch of the Family Bilbrey was Brian's grandmother. I didn't know her for very long but one of my favorite memories of her will be her face: small and round, eyes tearing with joy and a twinkle in them caused by the broad, truly happy smile. Mimoo, Brian's grandmother, passed on during the early morning hours today. She was a very special, wonderful woman with a cherubic face-- those adjectives are often over-used but that's the only way that I ever knew her: special . . . wonderful . . . happy . . . twinkling . . . and cherubic. That's the way that I will remember her . . . always. I loved you, too, Mimoo and I will miss you very much.
Busy Day
It was an incredibly busy day for me today at work-- I intended to write about three or four emails but never had the time (so if you were expecting one from me, hold on-- its coming!). New deals coming up, negotiations going on and, things that we thought were a "done deal" are apparently being un-done, as we speak (or as I write as the case may be!). Tomorrow appears to be more of the same but, again, believe me when I say that I'm not complaining! I like being too busy to remember what I was working on 20 minutes ago!
More to come . . .
. . . as the week progresses. Sorry this is so short but I think my husband has a video waiting for me.
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