I am hoping I have time to write and post this. I am admittedly a little nervous but it’s something that needs to be done. You see, I need to pack up my laptop and turn it over to someone overnight. I know, you would think I was sending my child away for the first time. But I’ll be without my laptop!
A friend of mine offered to reinstall my iTunes library from my iPod. If you don’t know a while back there was a thunderstorm that crashed my old desktop computer downstairs and I never was able to recover my entire iTunes library. I still had everything on the iPod itself but if I sync’d my iPod to the iTunes I would lose a lot of music. It was really generous of him to offer. He said it was no big deal, that he had done it before and asked if I could bring my laptop Friday and he could do it over the weekend. My face paled, my eyebrows came together and I was a little stunned. “You want to keep my laptop all weekend?”
Obviously, he read my devastation at such an idea and quickly asked if I could bring it the next day and he could have it back to me the following. Relief washed over me. “Yes, that would be good. You sure it isn’t too much trouble?”
It wasn’t and I’m rushing now to write this up so I’ll have it posted in case something happens while my laptop is gone. (What could happen, it’s perfectly safe.)
So this may be short but to the point. I need to copy this over into BlogSpot, set it to publish and pack up my laptop.
To keep my mind off not having my laptop, I will think about all the new music I’ll be able to add once I get it back.
TT
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Nature's spectator
We had a rain storm the other night. It might have been early morning. I’m not sure the exact time but it was during the night and it woke me as I slept. It was raining very hard. The kind of rain that wakes you up and you fall back asleep. Then it wakes you again and you know it must be hours later. It was really quite pleasant.
When I got up in the morning I went outside. It had stopped raining but the sky was entirely one shade of matte grey. There wasn’t a variance anywhere in the sky that I could see and I looked. I looked to where the sky met the top of the trees and there was a minuscule amount of movement. The trees were throwing off any tiny drops lingering from those uppermost soft parts of their leafy fringe. It was as if they needed to put themselves back in order without drawing attention to their actions. The birds were mostly quiet. You could hear a single call, then another solitary try left unanswered. There was a slightly cooler feel to the skin. A shift so slight it would go unnoticed unless it decided to become more pronounced.
I wanted to stay nature’s spectator. I wanted to notice more of what the uncontrollable had to offer. Show me more of this. I wanted to see, hear and feel more of this.
And while I waited for more, a bright yellow VW bug (old school-not new) proudly chugged and puffed its lawn mower engine on my street in front of me and all of nature. I had to grin.
I went inside wondering if it would clear and the sun would come out. If bright yellow is any indication, I think it might.
TT
When I got up in the morning I went outside. It had stopped raining but the sky was entirely one shade of matte grey. There wasn’t a variance anywhere in the sky that I could see and I looked. I looked to where the sky met the top of the trees and there was a minuscule amount of movement. The trees were throwing off any tiny drops lingering from those uppermost soft parts of their leafy fringe. It was as if they needed to put themselves back in order without drawing attention to their actions. The birds were mostly quiet. You could hear a single call, then another solitary try left unanswered. There was a slightly cooler feel to the skin. A shift so slight it would go unnoticed unless it decided to become more pronounced.
I wanted to stay nature’s spectator. I wanted to notice more of what the uncontrollable had to offer. Show me more of this. I wanted to see, hear and feel more of this.
And while I waited for more, a bright yellow VW bug (old school-not new) proudly chugged and puffed its lawn mower engine on my street in front of me and all of nature. I had to grin.
I went inside wondering if it would clear and the sun would come out. If bright yellow is any indication, I think it might.
TT
Monday, October 5, 2009
Sticking power
It is an anniversary date for me today at the place I work. I’m not big on celebrating anniversaries at work. The reason I bring it up is…I’m not sure the reason I am bringing it up. Really, I’m not sure. That is a plainly honest statement. I guess I should stay factual.
I started working there 11 years ago today. I saw an ad in the newspaper talking about a company that would soon have a campus close to my house. It sounded like a good place to work so I mailed a resume. Yes, I mailed it. I wasn’t working at the time but I also wasn’t supposed to be working and I wasn’t even looking. Well, let me explain.
I had very recently quit a job I had held for 14 years with another big company. I had never really liked the job but at the time I felt it was something I needed to do. I didn’t think I would be able to find anything better or comparable and when things were tough at work, I worked harder and pushed through. I did well but finally got to such a sad, frustrated point with the job that Jay told me to just quit. I remember a lovely Sunday afternoon after spending the weekend at the coast (if you don’t know it’s my personal escape, heaven, paradise – you need to know that now). Even there, the place that normally refreshes me, I had a horrible melt down as we were leaving because I knew I had to go back to work the next morning. Now don’t get me wrong, there weren’t people or persons making it bad for me there. It was the job itself. I went in that next morning and gave two weeks notice. I had no other job lined up and the intention was that I wasn’t going to look but just take time off. (They owed me a month vacation…I know - old habits die hard – see post Doing the math).
It was about a month from the time I had quit, mailed a resume and started where I work now. Oh well, so much for taking time off and not working. The difference was how much I disliked my old job was the equivalent of how much I like the one I have now. Instead of dreading 14 years, I can’t believe it has been 11 - it has gone that well.
But I am still not sure the reason for mentioning it. I’m not crazy about the idea that they will say something at work about it, like I’ve done something out of the ordinary instead of just doing what I’m supposed to do all this time. I guess it’s necessary to have landmarks? I seem to stick no matter what?
Maybe I mention it not because of how long or how many years I’ve been here or there. I was at my previous job 14 years and it doesn’t seem so entirely commendable since I was so miserable. Maybe the reason I mentioned it is not about the length of time I’ve been there, but how much I appreciate having a place I enjoy spending most of my waking hours.
So, staying factual, it is an anniversary date for me today. To me it isn't about years.
TT
I started working there 11 years ago today. I saw an ad in the newspaper talking about a company that would soon have a campus close to my house. It sounded like a good place to work so I mailed a resume. Yes, I mailed it. I wasn’t working at the time but I also wasn’t supposed to be working and I wasn’t even looking. Well, let me explain.
I had very recently quit a job I had held for 14 years with another big company. I had never really liked the job but at the time I felt it was something I needed to do. I didn’t think I would be able to find anything better or comparable and when things were tough at work, I worked harder and pushed through. I did well but finally got to such a sad, frustrated point with the job that Jay told me to just quit. I remember a lovely Sunday afternoon after spending the weekend at the coast (if you don’t know it’s my personal escape, heaven, paradise – you need to know that now). Even there, the place that normally refreshes me, I had a horrible melt down as we were leaving because I knew I had to go back to work the next morning. Now don’t get me wrong, there weren’t people or persons making it bad for me there. It was the job itself. I went in that next morning and gave two weeks notice. I had no other job lined up and the intention was that I wasn’t going to look but just take time off. (They owed me a month vacation…I know - old habits die hard – see post Doing the math).
It was about a month from the time I had quit, mailed a resume and started where I work now. Oh well, so much for taking time off and not working. The difference was how much I disliked my old job was the equivalent of how much I like the one I have now. Instead of dreading 14 years, I can’t believe it has been 11 - it has gone that well.
But I am still not sure the reason for mentioning it. I’m not crazy about the idea that they will say something at work about it, like I’ve done something out of the ordinary instead of just doing what I’m supposed to do all this time. I guess it’s necessary to have landmarks? I seem to stick no matter what?
Maybe I mention it not because of how long or how many years I’ve been here or there. I was at my previous job 14 years and it doesn’t seem so entirely commendable since I was so miserable. Maybe the reason I mentioned it is not about the length of time I’ve been there, but how much I appreciate having a place I enjoy spending most of my waking hours.
So, staying factual, it is an anniversary date for me today. To me it isn't about years.
TT
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Just housework
The order of the day seemed to be housekeeping. It certainly wasn’t flashy, glamorous or fascinating. Not the kind of thing you anxiously wait to relate to friends when you get back to work on Monday.
“How was your weekend?”
“It was fabulous.”
“Really, what did you do?” They wait expectantly to hear of the wonderful outings you may have experienced so they might share in the possibility of doing them too.
“I cleaned up!”
“Oh,” they say dully as they turn and walk away.
I imagine they can only think I am crazy (which they should have know already) or am the messiest, slob ever to be so excited about picking up. But that conversation won’t happen, thank goodness. If the conversation comes up about the weekend I will probably say, nothing special…or have to think because I usually can’t remember…yeah, that exciting most of the time.
So the work on picking up things around the house really wasn’t too bad if not flashy or exciting. I will spare you the details of the fabulous cleaners I used on the tiles or the time spent mopping the floors. I won’t go into the amount of dust that collects in small amounts of time and the oddly deformed, shriveled thing I found behind the sofa (I don’t think it was ever alive, but still).
It’s amazing the amount of time can go into something as mundane as cleaning up. You think you are going to breeze right through something as simple as vacuuming and you find yourself almost to the end of the day scrubbing random spots not just on the area you were vacuuming but on all rooms with carpeting. You mosey through the house with a scowl and a spray bottle of carpet cleaner ready to draw on all unsuspecting stains. “You’ve lived here too long. Get out of town by sundown, there is a new sheriff in town.” Luckily most vanished by the end of the day and the cleaner was holstered to use another day.
So not very exciting but sometimes that’s okay. Actually it’s very okay because at the end of the day, when all things are wiped clean and in order, I find the ability to hear the words that are sometimes more important than flashy, glamorous, or fascinating. It’s not even a matter of hearing the words, but feeling them. And that’s what happened when all things cleaning were done.
I could hear and feel the words comforting, soothing and calming. Maybe not as much fun as the other words but it had a way of coming from around and within. It was a feeling of balance and unexpected relief.
Wow. A little elbow grease and I sound like I’ve been to a day-spa. I saved a fortune in fees and the house is cleaned too! If anyone asks about my weekend...No, I don't think so, better to stick with nothing special.
TT
“How was your weekend?”
“It was fabulous.”
“Really, what did you do?” They wait expectantly to hear of the wonderful outings you may have experienced so they might share in the possibility of doing them too.
“I cleaned up!”
“Oh,” they say dully as they turn and walk away.
I imagine they can only think I am crazy (which they should have know already) or am the messiest, slob ever to be so excited about picking up. But that conversation won’t happen, thank goodness. If the conversation comes up about the weekend I will probably say, nothing special…or have to think because I usually can’t remember…yeah, that exciting most of the time.
So the work on picking up things around the house really wasn’t too bad if not flashy or exciting. I will spare you the details of the fabulous cleaners I used on the tiles or the time spent mopping the floors. I won’t go into the amount of dust that collects in small amounts of time and the oddly deformed, shriveled thing I found behind the sofa (I don’t think it was ever alive, but still).
It’s amazing the amount of time can go into something as mundane as cleaning up. You think you are going to breeze right through something as simple as vacuuming and you find yourself almost to the end of the day scrubbing random spots not just on the area you were vacuuming but on all rooms with carpeting. You mosey through the house with a scowl and a spray bottle of carpet cleaner ready to draw on all unsuspecting stains. “You’ve lived here too long. Get out of town by sundown, there is a new sheriff in town.” Luckily most vanished by the end of the day and the cleaner was holstered to use another day.
So not very exciting but sometimes that’s okay. Actually it’s very okay because at the end of the day, when all things are wiped clean and in order, I find the ability to hear the words that are sometimes more important than flashy, glamorous, or fascinating. It’s not even a matter of hearing the words, but feeling them. And that’s what happened when all things cleaning were done.
I could hear and feel the words comforting, soothing and calming. Maybe not as much fun as the other words but it had a way of coming from around and within. It was a feeling of balance and unexpected relief.
Wow. A little elbow grease and I sound like I’ve been to a day-spa. I saved a fortune in fees and the house is cleaned too! If anyone asks about my weekend...No, I don't think so, better to stick with nothing special.
TT
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Doing the math
I work for a company that is set up for associates to accumulate vacation time monthly. Depending on the years of service you have with the company determines how much time you accumulate each month. Your number of hours then goes into your bank on the first day of each month. You are allowed to accumulate so many hours (also depending on your years of service) into your bank with a maximum amount. If you go over the maximum amount at any first of the month you will not accumulate your monthly hours and will stay at the maximum allotted amount.
How’s that for a math problem? It’s my math problem. It just past the first of the month and I need to take a look at reducing my vacation bank. I am close to the maximum hours so I won’t accumulate my total allotted hours if I don’t take time off and reduce my vacation bank before the end of October. I don’t think I can explain this without using real numbers. I never liked math problems and this one is no different.
I am allowed a maximum of 322 vacation hours. I currently have 316.50 vacation hours in my bank. I will accumulate 15.20 hours on 11/1 giving me a total of 332.10 hours; only I won’t accumulate that since it will put me over my maximum. I will only have 322.00 hours on 11/1 if I don’t take 10.10 hours by 10/31 and reduce my bank from 316.50 to 306.40 so I can accumulate the full 15.20 and have a bank of 322 without losing 10.10 hours. Got it so far? (Or have I already made a math error—please let me know before 10/31).
Okay – if what I have said above is correct and I take a minimum of 10.10 hours off in October I will have 322.00 hours in my vacation bank on 11/1. Not good. No…not good to have the maximum 322.00 hours in my bank on 11/1! That means I won’t accumulate my 15.20 hours on 12/1 if I don’t take those 15.20 hours off before 11/30 and then the process starts all over again in December.
See what I mean! This is the never ending…if the train leaves the station at 1:20pm but the connecting train is in a different time zone and was going at a faster rate of speed – I hate those math problems!
I’m not going to mention the hours I have in my sick bank or how the company also gives you a bonus vacation bank for every 5 years of service with the company. (Okay – I have 80 hours in my bonus vacation bank). That would just complicate things further and doesn’t really affect the math problem.
But I think I might be missing a point somewhere here, aren’t I?
Math problems always get me so confused!
TT
How’s that for a math problem? It’s my math problem. It just past the first of the month and I need to take a look at reducing my vacation bank. I am close to the maximum hours so I won’t accumulate my total allotted hours if I don’t take time off and reduce my vacation bank before the end of October. I don’t think I can explain this without using real numbers. I never liked math problems and this one is no different.
I am allowed a maximum of 322 vacation hours. I currently have 316.50 vacation hours in my bank. I will accumulate 15.20 hours on 11/1 giving me a total of 332.10 hours; only I won’t accumulate that since it will put me over my maximum. I will only have 322.00 hours on 11/1 if I don’t take 10.10 hours by 10/31 and reduce my bank from 316.50 to 306.40 so I can accumulate the full 15.20 and have a bank of 322 without losing 10.10 hours. Got it so far? (Or have I already made a math error—please let me know before 10/31).
Okay – if what I have said above is correct and I take a minimum of 10.10 hours off in October I will have 322.00 hours in my vacation bank on 11/1. Not good. No…not good to have the maximum 322.00 hours in my bank on 11/1! That means I won’t accumulate my 15.20 hours on 12/1 if I don’t take those 15.20 hours off before 11/30 and then the process starts all over again in December.
See what I mean! This is the never ending…if the train leaves the station at 1:20pm but the connecting train is in a different time zone and was going at a faster rate of speed – I hate those math problems!
I’m not going to mention the hours I have in my sick bank or how the company also gives you a bonus vacation bank for every 5 years of service with the company. (Okay – I have 80 hours in my bonus vacation bank). That would just complicate things further and doesn’t really affect the math problem.
But I think I might be missing a point somewhere here, aren’t I?
Math problems always get me so confused!
TT
Friday, October 2, 2009
Not about the Petit fors
Someone just suggested a new book for me. Actually, he didn't suggest one but asked if I had read one. It turns out I had not read the book he was asking about. He was hoping I had read this book because he wanted to talk about it. He explained he had just finished it and the problem was he wasn’t sure if he liked it or not. He was hoping I had read it to find out what I thought and which way I was leaning on it.
Gosh. I wish I had read it! I know how he feels about reading something and wanting to throw it around. I feel like I missed a really good discussion. It’s been a while since anyone I know around me has asked me about a book…or suggested a book…or even if anyone around has even read a book. I believe there was once a time when I would come into work and a pile of books would be on my desk from people that wanted me to read them. They left me all kinds of books I never would have picked up myself. And they knew I would read them…and tell them what I thought. And there would be really good discussions about this part or that. There would be books we both liked or there would be books where I would point out parts that weren’t believable to me.
Like the one that had a scene on a yacht after a murder that occurred during a party. A group of detectives were called in and asked to wait but they could take advantage of the snacks. They all (big, tough, street-smart homicide detectives) started talking about the different kind of petit fors that were available. Believable? I don’t think so. If it had been one detective out of the group – maybe - but not all having this knowledge. How many male homicide detectives might know what a petit for is? For that matter, how many female homicide detectives might know? One more step further…how many people in general know? And all of the detectives were discussing petit fors like they were all trained pastry chefs while waiting to check out the murder scene? Really?
I am probably too critical, but it made for interesting discussion after we had both read the book. And I doubt I missed exactly that type of discussion today but I missed one just the same.
I’ll pick up the book suggested and see what I think. Maybe it won’t be too late to start up an interesting discussion. And no, thank goodness, it isn't likely to be about petit fors.
TT
Gosh. I wish I had read it! I know how he feels about reading something and wanting to throw it around. I feel like I missed a really good discussion. It’s been a while since anyone I know around me has asked me about a book…or suggested a book…or even if anyone around has even read a book. I believe there was once a time when I would come into work and a pile of books would be on my desk from people that wanted me to read them. They left me all kinds of books I never would have picked up myself. And they knew I would read them…and tell them what I thought. And there would be really good discussions about this part or that. There would be books we both liked or there would be books where I would point out parts that weren’t believable to me.
Like the one that had a scene on a yacht after a murder that occurred during a party. A group of detectives were called in and asked to wait but they could take advantage of the snacks. They all (big, tough, street-smart homicide detectives) started talking about the different kind of petit fors that were available. Believable? I don’t think so. If it had been one detective out of the group – maybe - but not all having this knowledge. How many male homicide detectives might know what a petit for is? For that matter, how many female homicide detectives might know? One more step further…how many people in general know? And all of the detectives were discussing petit fors like they were all trained pastry chefs while waiting to check out the murder scene? Really?
I am probably too critical, but it made for interesting discussion after we had both read the book. And I doubt I missed exactly that type of discussion today but I missed one just the same.
I’ll pick up the book suggested and see what I think. Maybe it won’t be too late to start up an interesting discussion. And no, thank goodness, it isn't likely to be about petit fors.
TT
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Creep training
I am creeping back into some type of running routine. What a silly joke that statement seems to be. Run a few times and I get to say it’s a routine. Wait, maybe it is more accurate than I am making it since I used the word creeping. Creeping – slowly developing or advancing gradually over a period of time.
It doesn’t specify an exact period of time. It says advancing gradually over this non-specific time frame. Maybe there is something to this creeping concept as a training option. Okay, I concede. Maybe I have been creeping back to running.
So I’ve been creeping back. I ran my neighborhood routes this past weekend (both days – yes), then I decided I would try to get a scant few miles in at lunch at the gym at work. That worked out both Monday and Tuesday. I was able to put in about 2 miles each of those days. I can’t seem to get more miles in since I run at a snails pace, sort of the same rate as my hair growth. I have only so much allotted time at lunch and I need to change, run, shower, and change. Then it’s cool down back at my desk, red-faced. It takes a while for that to go away even with the cold shower after the run. But I had managed to get those short runs in.
Then I am not sure what happened. I don’t know if I was subliminally trying to sabotage myself or if I just…or I don't know what?! I always pack my gym bag when I get home in the evening. I take out the sweaty nasties and replace with fresh gym clothes – what I will wear the next day items. I do it all the time without thinking. I think the not thinking was the catch…or it was self-sabotage, I am still trying to decide which. So yesterday I was about to go to the gym, grabbed my bag and I think…did I put socks in my bag? I knew I didn’t.
I don’t why the knowledge of the lack of socks came to me so late but it did and I knew I didn’t have them. (I also checked the bag – frantically). Shoot! No socks! So I knew I wasn’t going to run without socks. So I skipped the lunch run. I sat outside and pulled out the current book I’m reading instead (yes – with the new reading glasses).
I’ll try again and yes I made sure I packed my socks.
Really, I did. But with this new creeping method of training, I just might want to finish that book at lunch instead.
TT
It doesn’t specify an exact period of time. It says advancing gradually over this non-specific time frame. Maybe there is something to this creeping concept as a training option. Okay, I concede. Maybe I have been creeping back to running.
So I’ve been creeping back. I ran my neighborhood routes this past weekend (both days – yes), then I decided I would try to get a scant few miles in at lunch at the gym at work. That worked out both Monday and Tuesday. I was able to put in about 2 miles each of those days. I can’t seem to get more miles in since I run at a snails pace, sort of the same rate as my hair growth. I have only so much allotted time at lunch and I need to change, run, shower, and change. Then it’s cool down back at my desk, red-faced. It takes a while for that to go away even with the cold shower after the run. But I had managed to get those short runs in.
Then I am not sure what happened. I don’t know if I was subliminally trying to sabotage myself or if I just…or I don't know what?! I always pack my gym bag when I get home in the evening. I take out the sweaty nasties and replace with fresh gym clothes – what I will wear the next day items. I do it all the time without thinking. I think the not thinking was the catch…or it was self-sabotage, I am still trying to decide which. So yesterday I was about to go to the gym, grabbed my bag and I think…did I put socks in my bag? I knew I didn’t.
I don’t why the knowledge of the lack of socks came to me so late but it did and I knew I didn’t have them. (I also checked the bag – frantically). Shoot! No socks! So I knew I wasn’t going to run without socks. So I skipped the lunch run. I sat outside and pulled out the current book I’m reading instead (yes – with the new reading glasses).
I’ll try again and yes I made sure I packed my socks.
Really, I did. But with this new creeping method of training, I just might want to finish that book at lunch instead.
TT
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