Archive of Marcia's Musings November 12-18, 2001
Sunday, November 18, 2001
Nothing Major Happening Here
That's probably a good thing. I've spent the vast majority of the last 24 hours scanning, cropping and re-saving photos to the point where my right arm hurts and I have no strength left in it to lift anything heavy. Hmmmm, that wasn't the smartest thing but, oh, well-- it'll get over it and, in the interim, I'll do fewer scans, crops and re-saves during the course of the week so that it isn't sore.
Tonight we're going to our neighbors' house for dinner-- Angela & William and their kids are going to Vegas next week and we're watching the dogs. Yes, these would be the Irish Setter (Dora "I'm-a-cute-little-redhead-aren't-I?") and half wolf/half German Shepherd (Jillie-the-Terrible). The way we figure it is that if they bark at us and try to bite us, they don't get fed so they're going to be really really nice to us next week. Maybe it'll stick and they'll be nice to us after the family gets back home-- yes, it is a dream but it could happen.
Anyway, other than that, nothing major happening here . . . Grocery store and Costco runs are done-- we're ready for Thanksgiving and much of Christmas, too.
Have a nice evening!
Saturday, November 17, 2001Here I am Already!
Well, that's because I've got the first of what looks like five loads of laundry started-- oh, joy! I started thinking that what I would do is show you every now and then one of the things that I'm working on as part of my "hobbies list". Since I can't show you any of the ornaments until my Christmas 2001 page goes up and, I can't show you any of the gifts that I've made until they are unwrapped on Christmas Day (however, I will take pictures before both of those are sent), I thought I'd show you another of the pictures from the family album.
Obviously, it wouldn't be fair to show pictures of my siblings without their consent (unless they are in a picture that has me contained in it) but, I can show you gratuitous pictures of me, right? Right!
Well, here I am somewhere under 5 years old-- I don't remember when and the photo isn't dated-- in the raspberry patch. This particular raspberry search of mine appears to be voluntary as opposed to the imposed labor of the strawberry fields which, coincidentally, there are no pictures of in the album. Hmmm, I find that somewhat suspicious, don't you? My parents never took any pictures of us laboriously working the strawberries-- sounds more than just a little suspicious to me.
Anyway, perhaps more as the day progresses and hopefully, gets much more exciting for all of us.
No Cell Repeaters
My cousin, Barb, who was here just a few weeks ago if you'll recall, called me this morning on her fiance's (Yes, she's become engaged since returning home!!!) cell phone. Did I mention that Barb lives in Podunk, Michigan?? Well, okay, there isn't really a town called "Podunk" but there could be-- trust me on that one, okay?-- and there aren't any really good cell repeaters in her neck of the woods (literally, in her case). So after two phone calls in which we were attempting to re-enact the opening segment of "Six Million Dollar Man", they finally parked under a cell tower and we were able to talk without interruption until Leon (the aforementioned fiance) decided that he wanted to test out the theory of working cell repeaters and started driving away from the tower. Needless to say, within thirty seconds Barb and I were no longer talking. Oh, well-- I got my point across: there's a quilting pattern that I needed her to send me so I can make up another Christmas present and, now, she'll send it out today!
Have a good one!
Friday, November 16, 2001Not Much New
Well, there is really not much new to report. Plans for the weekend are laundry and more laundry and, oh, yes, then there's the laundry. Yeesh!! You would think that with the two of us it wouldn't get this bad but, because of the fact that the laundry only gets done once a week and then, of course, things get in the way on our schedules and . . . one thing and another and we've got six loads of laundry to do!! So laundry and "hobbying" is about all I'll be doing tomorrow.
Sunday will be the usual Costco run with an eye on Thanksgiving Day preparations along with a grocery store run for the same purpose. Talk about exciting!!
Who knows: something exciting could happen during the laundry tomorrow and I'll have something worthy of posting for you!!
For tonight, however, that is all . . .
Have a nice evening!
Thursday, November 15, 2001Clean Plate
Although I'm not talking about food, I could be. Nope, actually, I'm talking about the fact that everything that is on my desk is out to other people for review. That, of course, means that next week, when we are short-staffed and there is only myself and one other negotiator in the office and we're covering for all of the other negotiators that are out of the office on vacation, all hell will break loose! I'm covering the entire east coast next week although my manager is available for assistance.
By the way, did I mention that I'm cooking Thanksgiving Dinner next week? Actually, it is going to just be my in-laws and Brian and I and maybe Trish but definitely Dennis (my mother-in-law's siblings but only Dennis has firmed up) so, it isn't going to be a huge group of people. I like that it is going to be very family-oriented-- of course, it helps that I like my husband's family-- cuz holidays are for families.
Geek Alert
Okay, I know-- before my eyes glaze over as a result of writing this, I have to tell you about my new Epson 890 printer. Brian bought it for me a few weeks ago and, it comes with new photo software. Unfortunately, the photo software comes with no books but, not to worry, the company that makes it (ArcSoft) has the manuals on their website!! Too cool!! I went over to it today and printed all of the manuals that I would need off of it. Pretty cool, huh?
And I survived without glazing over!!!
Laddie & Mom
My friend, Myrna, is coming over tonight and bringing her "son", Laddie, with her. I haven't seen Laddie in so long and, yes, it'll be great to see Myrna, too. Myrna has to come by to pick something up from me so I had to link it with a visit from the Ladster, don'tcha know? When I get home from work, I'm immediately going to get on my cycle so that I'm finished with that by the time that they arrive.
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All of the fun furry guests and Myrna have left-- what a cutie!! Anyway, the night is fading quickly and, of course, there are things to do and . . . well, okay there aren't any places to be but, I've got things I want to get done!!
Have a nice evening!
Wednesday, November 14, 2001Things to do, People to chat with?!?!?
I got busy when I got home from work, see? I had a chat with my sister tonight-- we used to use ICQ but since she grades papers while we talk, it is easier if we actually talk. We had dinner and then I had to watch Enterprise which I really do enjoy a great deal and then it was "How To" night on PBS. While I was doing all of the above, except the talking with my sister bit, I was cross-stitching and, at last, I am nearing the lettering stage of the process!!! I'm thinking of making it a wall hanging but can't seem to decide . . . I was telling Leah that I think that one of the reasons that I don't finish this is because I can't decide how to finish this project!!
At any rate, scanning continues and, since my system has been rebuilt, I have a new photo-editor to learn-- tons of fun and joy (I am just not that geeky, ya know?)!
For what's left of it, have a nice evening!
Tuesday, November 13, 2001The Beat Goes On . . . Somehow . . .
(From Monday that I forgot to post . . . )Here's a first for you: I'm in a down-mood. I don't get "down" very often but, between not feeling well and having a LOT of bad dreams lately when I sleep, I am not feeling very well. I hate when this happens and am, at the same time, grateful that it doesn't happen very often.
Yesterday, while napping, I had a dream that my mother and I were attending a special seating of a play at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. We had bought really expensive seats so that she could really enjoy it-- close up and personal! The only problem: my mother stood me up. Of course, one reason that my mother may have stood me up is because she died 15 years ago.
Talk about totally depressing dreams!!
So that was then . . .
. . . and this is now. I'm feeling much better and meant to post the above yesterday but forgot about it in my nauseated state. I must be feeling better if only because I had no weird/bad dreams last night and slept quite soundly after napping in the afternoon when I got home from work. I was supposed to have a dentist appointment to clean my teeth but decided I didn't need to have them cleaned so badly that I couldn't reschedule because of not feeling well.
Work Continues
I've now got an 11 page project list-- that is a record for me!! Man, it sure explains the exhaustion felt at the end of the day, doesn' it? We make up our project lists on a weekly basis and update old stuff and add new stuff.
So we had our regional "team" meeting and, I showed up with my 11-page project list. My northeast counterpart, who claims to be swamped and in need of assistance, showed up with his as well. It was a grand total of 3-1/2 pages. Confidentially, I asked my manager who really needed help if his was 7-1/2 pages shorter than mine? She laughed but got my point, nonetheless.
Changes are happening again to my region: The _*BIG*_ deal that I worked at the end of last month that had me taking calls at 7am was in the "Northeast" region. Since I work the "Southeast" region, and I am considered to be a member of the "Eastern Region Team", I am being taken off of Canada and put into Northeast, still in addition to the Southeast.
By the end of the staff meeting, my manager had me passing things back to the person who had Canada before-- I don't get to finish working on the fun ones, either!! Oh, well, it also got the point across to the guy in the northeast and that's what really counts.
A First for Me!!
Today, I had another first happen: I received a dozen roses from a customer!! I have never received any kind of "Thank You" expression from a customer ever before today!! Coincidentally, our CFO was in her office, parallel to mine, when they arrived and she was waiting and watching to see what was in the box and who they were sent by!! I was so surprised-- I thought the customer asked for my address because he needed to send me the contract!!
When I phoned to thank the customer for the roses, he said he hoped they made up for the "abuse" inflicted since he knows that their legal people can be hard on software vendors. Wow!! I didn't even think it was that hard of a negotiation-- their people were okay but my sales rep kept me in the dark much of the time!!
Situations can be completely surprising sometimes, eh?
Work-Out Update
Okay, I've lost weight (somehow) this past week-- I didn't go to Weight Watchers last week because, with Grammy's passing, I began to re-live the "food is comfort, comfort is food" philosophy of life. I buckled down for the rest of the week and, even when I didn't feel well, I still stuck to my points-- I didn't exercise, at all, but I stuck to my points! Well, apparently that pays off enough and, when I came home, I had a ride on my bike to make me feel better yet about another weight loss. I'm going to start riding my bike at night which makes it easier for me since the mornings are cold and difficult to get out of a snuggly-warm bed. While I was riding tonight, I was watching the news and had started a load of laundry-- worked out pretty well.
Photo Update
In addition to sewing and cross-stitch (I am determined to finish that damned pillow!!), I'm working on scanning my family's album into my computer. From there, I'll print the pictures out and arrange them the way that I want them, maybe even doing some fancy lay-outs, etc.
Wanna know what my parents looked like when they graduated from high school? Well, that's them!! This is actually a lot of fun and, hopefully, it will remain so for me. I tend to get bored on these kinds of projects fairly easily. The biggest point is to get the pictures all scanned and burned to CDs for my siblings-- I think we're the only ones with a scanner and a CD burner so it'll help us all a lot if we're able to complete this part of the project.
The second half of the project is something that I've been even worse at: maintaining a photo album of pictures that have been accumulating for the past four or five years-- not good!! I've got a file storage box about half full of photos that need to go into albums. Now, that's a daunting task!
Speaking of which, I'd better get to it!
Have a nice evening!
Monday, November 12, 2001Its Official
I'm sick-- I came home from work today and I'm just chillin' (literally in my case) on the sofa. More later if I feel better (which I am a little) and am so inclined.
Have a nicer evening than me!
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