Archive of Marcia's Musings September 24-30, 2001Sunday, September 30, 2001
85 To Go!!
Well, here it is-- the end of another month. That's it though, ya know? Only 85 more shopping days until Christmas!! Less than 60 days until I can decorate the house with decorations that are Christmas-like in nature!! Yippee!! For those of you waiting to see pictures of the interior of the house, that'll probably when you get to see it: on my 2001 Christmas page.
Restful and Quiet
I did have a phone call yesterday from the office-- a document that had been changed came in with an order; the document had been revised and the Revenue Account Manager called to confirm the changes so that the product could be shipped. I called her again later in the afternoon to make sure that we had everything done and we did so, there'll just be some loose ends tomorrow morning to deal with but, hopefully, not too many.
The Usual Plan
We're going to make our Costco run this morning, followed by the grocery store run. I heard a news story last week where a woman in Georgia is trying to organize a "Shop for America" today. Since I heard the original story, I haven't been able to confirm it so, because I don't want to miss an opportunity to be patriotic, I'm going shopping this afternoon. I need a replacement pair of brown pumps and, frankly, I'd like a pair of brown boots that I could wear with jeans, etc.
I think the idea of shopping to show your support for America is good since the stores are located in America even if some of the goods may have been made over-seas. The only goods I'll be avoiding today are those made in Afghanistan so I should have a pretty successful day!
More of the Same
Then, upon my return, I'll be doing more of the same that I've been doing: working on my Christmas ornaments. Should be continued fun-- I'm working on the ones that need to be painted at this point but it is relaxing and unstressful work.
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I probably won't be back but I want to thank you for coming by-- I've checked my stats and they are not as high as last month (lots of webcrawlers last month!) but they are more than double of what they were a year ago. As always, I appreciate the friends made through the thoughts projected on this page and am grateful for you coming by to visit.Have a nice day, evening and Sunday (or Monday if you're past the International Dateline).
Saturday, September 29, 2001Oy, What a Day!!
So yesterday-- you know, the day that was eaten by locusts-- was...well, consumed by locusts!! I have never had that busy of a quarter-close day in my tenure at the company. I loved it-- I was having a lot of fun!!
I got to work at 7 and by 7:30, I was on a conference call with my manager and a sales rep closing out a deal with a customer whose business is considered extremely tenous these days and that leads me to believe that there is hope for this economy that we're caught "down" in right now. (Sorry, I know that's vague but that's all I can tell you for now-- we're in black-out period.)
That was Number 1-- by noon, there were three more and, after that, there were another three. I closed four or five big deals by the time that our Director got wind of it. She forwarded an email sent by a sales rep thanking me for my work to the General Counsel-- oh, yeah, that is what is called "visibility" telling the General Counsel that I was "awesome"-- her word, not mine!! Wow!!
I helped with another couple of agreements, crafting language, etc., for other negotiators as well as making copies when necessary or whatever it took to get the deal done. For me, I was having a blast-- I love to keep busy and if I get lucky and get my adrenalin going on top of it, I'm having a Good Time!! (Yes, but you knew that I was a Sick Puppy!!!!)
Toward the end of the day, we hauled out the wine and while it wasn't one of our official wine-tasting celebrations, all of us negotiators sat around and hashed out the day that had just happened. By 7:30pm I was home and talking a mile-a-minute telling Brian about my day-- whew!! To help me unwind-- yes, I needed that just a bit-- we watched a movie-- "Excalibur"?? It was about King Arthur, that much I know even if I don't know the name of it. Lots of English actors that we recognized (Richard from "Keeping Up Appearances", Liam Neeson-- too fun!!)
Today, we're going out for lunch with Brian's parents and Grammy after they come by to see the house-- this is their first visit here since they weren't able to make the Open House. I think its been more than a couple of months since we've seen them-- way, WAY too long, indeed!! That's the problem with summers-- you just get too busy doing stuff!!
Anyway, more perhaps later-- right now, I'm thinking it'll be a relaxing day around the Bilbrey Belfry but I'll let you know if that changes!
Have a nice day!
Friday, September 28, 2001This day was eaten by locusts . . . giant, time-eating locusts.
Thursday, September 27, 2001Fromage Scale??
Yeah, it was a little cheesey last night but it was still good and it was still Gene Roddenberry's dream. The graphics get better with each generation even if the story doesn't and, in this day and age of supposed enlightenment, Scott Bakula's character ("Jonathan Archer") could end up being the womanizing example that "James T. Kirk" didn't need.
I liked it and while some have already been critical of the relationship that is apparently being developed between the Vulcan and the "Cowboy" (Commander Tucker), I found the character "Hoshi" to be the most annoying little wimp in a space suit!! Requesting a seatbelt, indeed!!! In Kirk's day, the crew had to fake it while the camera tumbled-- she ought to be considering herself lucky that she doesn't have to figure out how to do two things at the same time!! She probably couldn't handle it!! Yeesh!!
So, yes, overall I liked it and I will be watching it, if I can remember on Sunday nights from here out-- its "How To" night on PBS on Wednesdays and yesterday was the exception to my viewing Enterprise on Wednesday evening rather than the rule.
Late Post, if Any Tonight . . .
This evening we're having my direct boss's husband over for dinner. Judy has already been transferred to Maryland but Jim had to stay behind to close off some consulting work that he had going. I'm told that he's a good cook and knows how to make a well-balanced meal, I thought it would be nice to have him over while she was away.
As a result, there may not be a post up tonight or, if there is, it'll be late so you're warned, okay?
Good-- (check that off my list) now, get on with your day and make it a good one!!
Wednesday, September 26, 2001
PM UpdateNot PBS?!?!?
Its been less than 12 hours since my last update so not much has happened. I did do something unusual last night: I watched "commercial" television!! "Dharma & Greg", because it reminded us so much of ourselves, has always been a favorite television show so I was quite delighted in the season premier last night. Jenna Elfman ("Dharma") is terribly . . . cute, although I'm not sure that's the look she was going for as a goal in her acting career.
I followed that up with a dose of "Spin City" which featured Michael J. Fox who has acquired a few new habits to "hide" his condition. He's still talented-- of course-- and a joy and pleasure to watch for a man who has apparently liberally drank Dick Clark's Fountain of Youth.
So that's how I spent my evening-- thrilling, huh?
Tonight, is the premier of the next "Star Trek" series-- I've had this one marked on the calendar for months!! Should be fun!!
Problem Resolved!!
Ever since we've lived here, I've been cowering in a corner of the tub/shower because, the window is in the tub/shower and faces the street-- a busy street-- and although the window is made from frosted glass, you can still see everything from outside!! I'm sure the neighbors have many other things to do and look at and the drivers/passengers of the cars going by don't realize what's happening in the window until they are past but, there are the pedestrians. Because school has started, the pedestrian traffic has picked up-- a lot!! Since I'm alone in the house when I take my shower most mornings, my imagination has gotten the better of me on several occasions to the point where I really dreaded taking a shower.
We've been putting our Thinking Caps on day after day trying to mastermind an idea for solving the problem but, last night, Brian finally found the cure!! We've now got a tension rod hanging a double-thick curtain inside the window. The frame of the window is made from bath tiles so there was no way to hang a normal curtain rod-- the tension rod is perfect.
Yeesh, now I'm sure I won't feel nearly as nervous about taking my shower!! What a relief!!
Speaking of which-- I'd better get to it!
Have a great day!
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Nice Guy!!I had a negotiation with a customer today that was so nice and friendly and cooperative-- it was absolutely refreshing!! Needless to say, the document is ready for execution and the deal is done.
I spoke with the sales rep (David) after the call to let him inow that everything was finished. I remarked to him that the negotiator for their side was sooooo nice. David told me that the guy, when you meet him in person, tries to posture himself like a tough guy but, apparently, he doesn't succeed very well at that. I can tell ya that the "Tough Guy" never came out on my call-- not even a little bit!!
Why can't they all be like that?
I've Got the Fever!!
What fever? The Star Trek fever-- Enterprise is scheduled to start tonight and I'm getting more and more excited as time approaches.
In fact, this post is short because of it-- have a nice evening!!
Tuesday, September 25, 2001Tuesmonday
Ya see, its like this: Tuesdays are like Mondays to me. On Tuesday morning, I'm on my "old" schedule because I have to leave work "early"-- 4:30pm so I can be at Weight Watchers at 5. It is my choice to attend this meeting so I feel I should appropriately feel guilty about leaving working early by going into work early. (No, Ann, Catholics do not have a corner on the market of guilt-- protestants can dish it up for themselves, too, and quite well and in large portions!) So because I'm on my old schedule, I forgot to do a post in the morning-- sorry! I'm usually in too much of a fog, even after a half cup of coffee, to make much sense anyway-- you'd all go around scratching your head, wondering how I hold a job if I wrote too early in the morning. I just have to be a bit careful on some days . . . like Tuesmondays.
Good and Not So Good
I think I forgot to mention in my post on Sunday that I tried on some jeans that I hadn't been able to wear for nearly three years and -- ta-da-- they fit!!! I was quite happy, needless to say and, it saves us some money as I was about to go out and buy a pair of jeans in what I thought was my "current" size-- but it turned out not to be!! Yes, that's the Good News.
The Bad News, however, is that tonight, I gained seven-tenths of a pound but, I was wearing a pair of stretch jeans and a long knit (heavier than a t-shirt) shirt. It could've been the clothes-- next week will tell.
Well, you've gotta switch from summer to winter clothes at some point!!
Web Search Results
Again, we go back to the old addage of: Remember to use quotation marks around search items!
1. email addresses of fishing companies in trinidad - Ya see? I know for a fact that I have never once discussed this topic. Ah, but the words "fishing", "companies", "email", "addresses" and certainly, "of" have appeared in my posts at some point. (I seriously doubt that I've ever spoken of "Trinidad" but I'll check that for you later, 'kay?) ;>)
2. hair perm pictures - Who would be stupid enough to permit that? Yeesh, I make sure that I don't get home until after dark so the neighbors don't see me-- I'm quite certain I won't be putting any pictures on my website!!
3. my toe is broken - How many times have I said that?!??!? Oh, yeah-- Thousands of times!!!
4. psychic and ashland oregon - Somehow I think the experience of Ashland, Oregon's Shakespeare Festival is greatly improved if you actually go there. Seeing a play psychicly cannot be nearly as enjoyable.
5. acrylic nail rash - No, honey, that isn't a rash from the acrylics-- its a rash from the BAD way that they've been put on you. Find another manicurist!! (In the San Jose, California area, call Linda or Lisa!!)
6. wifey - Nope, he's never called me that, to my knowledge, without the letters "poo" behind it and even that, he won't admit!!
7. fritz 6 - Who is that? For that matter, who are "fritz 1", "fritz 2", "fritz 3", "fritz 4", and "fritz 5"? Are there any more fritzes??
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Speaking of fritzes, I think I'm going to claim that my keyboard has decided to go on the fritz.*********
Two weeks ago today, our world and our lives changed. Always remember-- never forget.
As I said then, have a peaceful and prayerful evening.
Monday, September 24, 2001
PM UpdateNot Paying Attention . . . Again!!
Yeah, well, what can I say-- I haven't had nearly enough coffee yet!! I just realized what time it is and I have to put up a post-- oh, well!
Last week, unobserved by me, was the second anniversary of my posting on this electronic journal occurred. Yeah, I know-- we'll get a cake for the occasion next time, okay?
In the meantime, it is now my turn in the bathroom and since I forgot to do anything sooner, you'll have to suffice with reading last night's post, if you haven't already.
More to come . . .
It started out with a customer sending me a document-- not that unusual except that everytime they send me a document, they change the language back to what it was before I changed it the last time. The problem with that is that while I give an explanation of why I'm changing the language, they offer no explanation as to why they are changing the language back to the original language. "Because" is not a valid reason in negotiating a software license!! So I spent the next hour on the phone with the sales rep going through the agreement and letting him know what we couldn't accept (again) and why we couldn't accept it. He won't let me contact the customer directly but needs the deal done this week-- whether that will happen remains to be seen, I'd say!
From there, the day just got worse: next on the agenda was a two-hour conference call with a customer. Not that bad except that these people have the same basic method of negotiating-- not telling me why they're making changes. So I spend the next grueling two hours grilling them on their use of the software-- they finally asked me why I'm asking all of the questions and I simply told them "Because it is my job to try to get you this software-- as a result, I need to understand what you're going to do with it so that I can write the document that will let you get the software!" Their response: "Ahhh, we thought you were trying to be nosy!" ARGH!!!! I need facts!!! How many times have I told this attorney "Tell me what you need if you take out the 'Site' definition-- I can't re-write the document unless you tell me what you need"?? (That's a rhetorical question, okay?)
And its only Monday . . . I can hardly wait!!
Huh?
Ya know? You can lose your car keys . . . you can lose your umbrella but, as Leah and I were just discussing tonight, how do you lose a person? Then, of course, there is the thought that the last person on this entire earth that I would really, really, REALLY want to keep track of is bin Laden!! I would, if I were the "Host Country"-- make damn sure that I knew where that
terroristsorry-- alleged terrorist was at all times. Somehow, Afghanistan has managed to lose him. Is anyone else surprised? Does anyone actually believe that? Maybe its like a "Where's Waldo?" game that they plan with him and, somehow, they forgot what to look for?? Oh, for crying out loud!!!!**********
Its raining outside!! I'm excited-- I love the smell of freshly fallen rain!! That's the way to end this post and start my own, nice evening! You go find your way to do that "Have a nice evening" thing, too, 'kay? 'Kay!! Cool!!
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