Saturday, January 31, 2009
More Harvey
Does this go under "weird places kitties like to sit" or "my pet is smarter than your pet" ? (Notice he has finished some of the "Demanding" level puzzles!)
Don't mind my broken car in a ditch...
Yes, I was driving and taking a picture at the same time... I apparently have a streak of stupidity larger than I previously thought, or I have a new-found, unconscious death wish... hmmm. Must investigate this further to make sure I don't kill myself in my sleep or something like that.
But anyhoo, the reason I almost killed myself a few times: I believe that the sky out here is beyond "normal." My theory is that it has something to do with the mountains... but I know nothing about meteorology or astrophysics, so I am really just guessing. But the sunsets and such out here are absolutely stunning. These pictures just don't do it justice.
But anyhoo, the reason I almost killed myself a few times: I believe that the sky out here is beyond "normal." My theory is that it has something to do with the mountains... but I know nothing about meteorology or astrophysics, so I am really just guessing. But the sunsets and such out here are absolutely stunning. These pictures just don't do it justice.
Friday, January 30, 2009
SNOW DAYS!
Well, more like one full snow day and two more days that had a two-hour delay. Though really we didn’t get very much snow. John says that we are on the OTHER side of the mountains from where the snow comes from, so it is rare that we get blasted with the bad weather. I guess it won’t be too much different from living at the beach with all the false hurricane alarms every summer. :P Though it has been fun for me to get in my car in the morning and see the temperature read “12 degrees”… BRRR! I don’t care who you are, that’s cold! :p
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Shocking Puppies
Electrocution is fun! Well, before the SPCA and PETA come and hunt me down, let me clarify: we got an invisible fence for the yard to keep the puppies from running out into the street, and we are currently in the phase of "teaching the puppies to run back into the yard when they hear the warning beeps." So in reality we have only shocked them each once. Now we are reinforcing the threat of shock. (BF Skinner, I love you and your operant conditioning). Not as cool sounding as real electrocution, but less "animal cruelty getting Anne put in jail."
John says that the installation guy went through the first training round with them yesterday, so I missed zapping the fluffers. But if their behavior is anything to go by, they do not want a repeat performance! Dogee has already learned to head away from the beeps; Inu goes nowhere near the border at all; and Maile hasn't learned the boundary yet, but knows "beeps are bad" and cowers when they start. The guy said that for the next several weeks, we need to lead them up to the border until the warning beeps start, then praise them mightily when they move away from the fence. This way, you only will need to zap them once and they will learn that the fence is bad. Apparently, their collars have a "zap" setting and a "beep only" setting. If your dog learns that the fence is not something to be trifled with, then you can leave their collars on beep. Maybe the shock setting is for the stupid dogs who don't quite get it...
Sucky part is, we can no longer just pitch the puppies out into the yard when they have to pee, since then they have no reinforcement when they interact with the fence and all your training gets negated. So, they get to be leash walked around the yard... in the cold... and the rain... stupid dogs needing to pee when it's 33 degrees and rainy! (I am not exaggerating: schools are closed today because of possible icy death coming for our faces, and I had to walk the dogs this morning! grrrrr)
John says that the installation guy went through the first training round with them yesterday, so I missed zapping the fluffers. But if their behavior is anything to go by, they do not want a repeat performance! Dogee has already learned to head away from the beeps; Inu goes nowhere near the border at all; and Maile hasn't learned the boundary yet, but knows "beeps are bad" and cowers when they start. The guy said that for the next several weeks, we need to lead them up to the border until the warning beeps start, then praise them mightily when they move away from the fence. This way, you only will need to zap them once and they will learn that the fence is bad. Apparently, their collars have a "zap" setting and a "beep only" setting. If your dog learns that the fence is not something to be trifled with, then you can leave their collars on beep. Maybe the shock setting is for the stupid dogs who don't quite get it...Sucky part is, we can no longer just pitch the puppies out into the yard when they have to pee, since then they have no reinforcement when they interact with the fence and all your training gets negated. So, they get to be leash walked around the yard... in the cold... and the rain... stupid dogs needing to pee when it's 33 degrees and rainy! (I am not exaggerating: schools are closed today because of possible icy death coming for our faces, and I had to walk the dogs this morning! grrrrr)
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Mom Gets Another Sweater
I am officially enabling Mother by making her another FABulous sweater. This one's isn't out of Blue Heron, but Rowan's Felted Tweed #147 ("herb"), done on Knitting Pure and Simple's pattern #241: "Neckdown V-Neck Shaped Cardigan." I just love KP&S! No frills, no fru-fru, no difficult-just-for-the-sake-of-complexity stitches, but great sweaters all the same.
So far, Mom has been the only recipient of sweaters I've knitted. Some day, I'll make one or two for myself. :P Actually, I've got several on the books for me (Sublime and Lorna's Laces, of course), but Mom gets quite fussy when she "commissions" a sweater and isn't getting it in a timely fashion. Yes, we use the phrase "commission" because she is just as friendly at the local yarn shop as I am. She wanders the aisles, petting and admiring, and we hear "Oh, isn't this a nice yarn" a lot. Then she gives me a look as if to say, "I brought you into this world, fed you clothed you, educated you, went to marching band competitions and Girl Scout meetings ... the least you could do is knit me a sweater!" :) So Mommy's sweaters always get pushed ahead of mine on the To-Do list.
Here's a close-up of the yarn that I took, and then some I stole from the internet. It really does lose something in the photo.
So far, Mom has been the only recipient of sweaters I've knitted. Some day, I'll make one or two for myself. :P Actually, I've got several on the books for me (Sublime and Lorna's Laces, of course), but Mom gets quite fussy when she "commissions" a sweater and isn't getting it in a timely fashion. Yes, we use the phrase "commission" because she is just as friendly at the local yarn shop as I am. She wanders the aisles, petting and admiring, and we hear "Oh, isn't this a nice yarn" a lot. Then she gives me a look as if to say, "I brought you into this world, fed you clothed you, educated you, went to marching band competitions and Girl Scout meetings ... the least you could do is knit me a sweater!" :) So Mommy's sweaters always get pushed ahead of mine on the To-Do list.
Here's a close-up of the yarn that I took, and then some I stole from the internet. It really does lose something in the photo.
Monday, January 19, 2009
B is for...
B is for Batman! (duh) Just some more pretties from my favorite, Jim Lee. The second one is from Lee's Batman and Robin series that starts with the Robin origin story.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
A is for...
A is for Azullito, my original Neopets pet! Sometime in college, I got stuck on a couple of online games (most notably, Freaky Factory) when I was sitting around doing nothing while working at the Info Desk. After several weeks of playing this game, I finally said to myself, "Self," and I knew it was me because I recognized my voice, "this game keeps saying you need to register an account in order to send your score. Why don't I see what that's all about?" So I went and signed up and made my very first neopet, Azullito. There's all different species to chose from, but Azullito is an Eyrie. He loves the mountains and forests, and is cautious when meeting new people.Once you've made a pet, you earn money (and interest with a bank account) by playing games or opening a store. With that money you can buy food, toys, clothes, a home, and random crazinesses for your pets. There's also a section where you can "battle" the pets, but I don't get into that because going to the Neopian Hospital is expensive. There are also petpets (pets for your pets) and holiday celebrations and character plots and, and, and, and... I'm sure if I was a 12 year old girl (or a 37 year old man living in his mom's basement) I would have figured out everything you can do on Neopets by now; but, I'm not, so I haven't.
Anyhoo, I was very rapidly hooked on the thing and have since made two more pets, La Perrita and Xweety. La Perrita is a Lupe (any amount of Latin knowledge will let you guess which lupine one La Perrita is) and Xweety is a Xweetok (... no clue what they were thinking there, but he is cute!). All three have petpets and share a home in Neopia Central, where they spend their time reading (all are Geniuses or above) and running my store. Well, truth be told, they usually get put in the NeoLodge so they don't starve when I cannot get to my computer in a scheduled manner. Can I say that I love the NeoLodge? Put your pets on vacation, then you don't have to worry about feeding them, and you can get on to leisurely play games whenever you want. Brilliant!
Neopets: fun online gaming or evil system to eat up all your free time?
Use at your own risk; it's addictive!
Monday, January 12, 2009
ABC 2009
So, in reading Lara's blog, I have realized that I am behind in my ABC's for the new year.... bad me. But that's what happens when your job is not 90% shut down due to renovations and construction. (not to be snippy, Lara, but some of us have been going to the office to do work this month)
We all know the drill, but just in case you missed it, there are 52 weeks per year and 26 letters in the alphabet (please tell me that's not new information for anyone), so with some basic math, you get two weeks per letter. Every two weeks, the photographer / blogger posts a picture / message relating to that letter: A = alfalfa, aquatics, aerodynamics... B = bugs, beer, bunnies... you get it? Good. Let's get on with it, then. And let's hope that I can make it all the way through the year this time; I totally blanked on the last few letters in 2008. (Lara cheated because she married a guy named Zach, so she had an E-Z Pass there at the end.)
Here's the posting schedule with dates:
January 1 - January 17 = A
January 18 - January 31 = B
February 1 - February 14 = C
February 15 - February 18 = D
March 1 - March 14 = E
March 15 - March 28 = F
March 29 - April 11 = G
April 12 - April 25= H
April 26 - May 9 = I
May 10 - May 23 = J
May 24 - June 6 = K
June 7 - June 20= L
June 21 - July 4 = M
July 5 - July 18 = N
July 19 - August 1 = O
August 2 - August 15 = P
August 16 - August 29 = Q
August 30 - September 12 = R
September 13 - September 26= S
September 27 - October 10 = T
October 11 - October 24 = U
October 25 - November 7 = V
November 8 - November 21 = W
November 22 - December 5 = X
December 6 - December 19 = Y
December 20 - January 3, 2010 = Z
We all know the drill, but just in case you missed it, there are 52 weeks per year and 26 letters in the alphabet (please tell me that's not new information for anyone), so with some basic math, you get two weeks per letter. Every two weeks, the photographer / blogger posts a picture / message relating to that letter: A = alfalfa, aquatics, aerodynamics... B = bugs, beer, bunnies... you get it? Good. Let's get on with it, then. And let's hope that I can make it all the way through the year this time; I totally blanked on the last few letters in 2008. (Lara cheated because she married a guy named Zach, so she had an E-Z Pass there at the end.)
Here's the posting schedule with dates:
January 1 - January 17 = A
January 18 - January 31 = B
February 1 - February 14 = C
February 15 - February 18 = D
March 1 - March 14 = E
March 15 - March 28 = F
March 29 - April 11 = G
April 12 - April 25= H
April 26 - May 9 = I
May 10 - May 23 = J
May 24 - June 6 = K
June 7 - June 20= L
June 21 - July 4 = M
July 5 - July 18 = N
July 19 - August 1 = O
August 2 - August 15 = P
August 16 - August 29 = Q
August 30 - September 12 = R
September 13 - September 26= S
September 27 - October 10 = T
October 11 - October 24 = U
October 25 - November 7 = V
November 8 - November 21 = W
November 22 - December 5 = X
December 6 - December 19 = Y
December 20 - January 3, 2010 = Z
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Memorandum
It has been called to my attention that I have ruthlessly "back-posted" -- that is, writing several posts at one time, then going into the settings and changing the date on the item so it looks like I was on top of things at the time. I admit it; I wrote pretty much all of December's articles in one weekend over the school's Christmas break when I wasn't working. My reasoning, however, I think you will agree with:
1- I am severely anal retentive and it would bug the heck out of me to have things dated incorrectly. For example, the puppies' bath time before the Christmas Party would be dated Jan 3; but it really happened on Dec 6. See? My brain can't handle that.
2- It makes for a more organized blog if everything is dated to when the event really happened, not just when I finally got around to writing about it.
3- I don't have internet at home (welcome to the country!), and the internet at work is through a high school's filter so I am not allowed on "personal pages." Therefore, I can only get online to my blog when I make a special trip in to John's office after the work day or on the weekends. I am lazy and tired when I get off work and don't like doing that.
4- Did you miss the "Blogging without Obligations" button at the top of my page? That means it's my blog and I can post whenever I feel like getting around to it.
Basically, it boils down to #4 (singing: "it's my party and I'll post when I want to, post when I want to, poh-ost when I want tooooo"). BUT! I do promise never to back-date anything off of the main page. So you, dear readers, only need to scroll down to read the new stuff. I promise (hand on Bible) to leave the last post at the bottom of the page as an old one so you know that you aren't missing anything. Like when I went on that posting spree over New Years: I only posted enough as to bump all but one of the old post articles off. I purposefully left the Ordo comics on there as a marker so you would know when to stop reading. You will only have to go into the archives if you are looking for an old topic or if you have been gone a very long time.
1- I am severely anal retentive and it would bug the heck out of me to have things dated incorrectly. For example, the puppies' bath time before the Christmas Party would be dated Jan 3; but it really happened on Dec 6. See? My brain can't handle that.
2- It makes for a more organized blog if everything is dated to when the event really happened, not just when I finally got around to writing about it.
3- I don't have internet at home (welcome to the country!), and the internet at work is through a high school's filter so I am not allowed on "personal pages." Therefore, I can only get online to my blog when I make a special trip in to John's office after the work day or on the weekends. I am lazy and tired when I get off work and don't like doing that.
4- Did you miss the "Blogging without Obligations" button at the top of my page? That means it's my blog and I can post whenever I feel like getting around to it.
Basically, it boils down to #4 (singing: "it's my party and I'll post when I want to, post when I want to, poh-ost when I want tooooo"). BUT! I do promise never to back-date anything off of the main page. So you, dear readers, only need to scroll down to read the new stuff. I promise (hand on Bible) to leave the last post at the bottom of the page as an old one so you know that you aren't missing anything. Like when I went on that posting spree over New Years: I only posted enough as to bump all but one of the old post articles off. I purposefully left the Ordo comics on there as a marker so you would know when to stop reading. You will only have to go into the archives if you are looking for an old topic or if you have been gone a very long time.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Stealing Lara's Meme for the New Year
I figured I would join this bandwagon of looking back at 2008, and Lara's meme (pronounced "meeeeem") looked as good as any way to do it. (Memes, if you don't want to click the link, are just questionnaires that I fill out, then you see and fill out according to your own opinion. Memes are not those little personality tests that tell you what color is your personality or whatever.) Besides, while my life might not have been as momentous as hers in 2008, it did change quite a bit this past year. So here goes:
1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before?
Moved out of my childhood family home with all of my worldly possessions. I don't count the college years because I left about half of my stuff back at home to come back to. But this time, I moved for permanent and changed my address on all the mailing lists I am on.
2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
... I have no idea. I'm not sure I even made official resolutions last year. I know I was supposed to figure out what I wanted to do with my life after graduation, and I did that as planned (more or less). I don't really make "RESOLUTIONS" so much as I think about where I want to be in twelve months. Like when I graduated, I did not plan to work where I am or be living where I am, but I wanted a real job and to be progressing in my personal life.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Some high school friends are moms now (disconcerting to say the least!) but no one really close.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Sadly, yes.
5. What countries did you visit?
No foreign travel in 2008. Not much domestic travel either.
6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
Health insurance.
7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
August 20, 2008: Moved in with John.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Getting a real job that is using my college degree.
9. What was your biggest failure?
I choose to suppress such memories, but let's just say that I don't email people at my work anymore.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Nothing more than the sniffles.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
Yarn splurges! I've got Sublime yarn under the bed waiting for me... I'm a kept woman now, though, so best gift would have to be my laptop. So much easier to deal with than a desktop when I don't have my own computer at work. Though, I do miss my screen saver of pretty men pictures.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
My mother's, for not kicking her part-time working, no-rent-paying, food-eating, water-using, grown daughter out of the house after college. Love you, Momma!
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
I worked retail for most of 2008... you don't get normal people coming into retail shops. I feel like half of them could / should be my clients now that I am a counselor.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Yarn! I worked at a yarn shop, for crying out loud; it couldn't be helped. Then, after moving, I spent a lot of money on a new "career Barbie" wardrobe. Lots of dress pants, button-up shirts, and cardigans.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Moving, getting a new job, starting working in my field.
16. What song will always remind you of 2008?
I've never been one of those "our song" people. But new songs of 2008 that I liked: Paralyzer by Finger Eleven, Addicted by Saving Abel, and Bubbly by Colbie Caillat.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you: a) happier or sadder? b) thinner or fatter? c) richer or poorer?
Happier. I've moved in with my sweetie and have a real job. I feel like a real adult. Can't beat that.
Fatter. Victoria's wedding failed in that it did not make me lose weight like Lara's wedding did in 2007. Maybe I need more family members to get married, rather than friends.
Richer. Better (though not great) paychecks help out a lot. As does not having ANY local yarn shops to visit.
18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Saving some money. Not that I wish I'd bought less yarn, but that somehow I could still buy yarn and put some aside in savings. The college attitude of living paycheck to paycheck, only needing money for fun stuff lingered a little longer than I would have hoped. Grown people put money aside for rainy days and retirement.
19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Procrastination and delay. If you want something, don't wait around for it. As preachy as it sounds, life does not come to those who sit on the couch and watch tv all day.
20. How did you spend Christmas?
Christmas 2008 was whirlwind-y, as you have already found out. Multiple people to visit, the first actual Christmas with John's family, and Victoria's wedding added to the fun.
21. Did you fall in love in 2008?
Already was in love with a certain geeky boy
22. What was your favorite TV program?
New: Moonlight (damn you, CBS, for taking it off the air!)
Reruns: NCIS. Gotta love the back-to-back-to-back run they have in the afternoons.
23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
... Can't think of anything. Though, I try to "hate" people by ignoring them, not by fixating all my energy upon them.
24. What was the best book you read?
1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before?
Moved out of my childhood family home with all of my worldly possessions. I don't count the college years because I left about half of my stuff back at home to come back to. But this time, I moved for permanent and changed my address on all the mailing lists I am on.
2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
... I have no idea. I'm not sure I even made official resolutions last year. I know I was supposed to figure out what I wanted to do with my life after graduation, and I did that as planned (more or less). I don't really make "RESOLUTIONS" so much as I think about where I want to be in twelve months. Like when I graduated, I did not plan to work where I am or be living where I am, but I wanted a real job and to be progressing in my personal life.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Some high school friends are moms now (disconcerting to say the least!) but no one really close.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Sadly, yes.
5. What countries did you visit?
No foreign travel in 2008. Not much domestic travel either.
6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
Health insurance.
7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
August 20, 2008: Moved in with John.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Getting a real job that is using my college degree.
9. What was your biggest failure?
I choose to suppress such memories, but let's just say that I don't email people at my work anymore.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Nothing more than the sniffles.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
Yarn splurges! I've got Sublime yarn under the bed waiting for me...
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
My mother's, for not kicking her part-time working, no-rent-paying, food-eating, water-using, grown daughter out of the house after college. Love you, Momma!
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
I worked retail for most of 2008... you don't get normal people coming into retail shops. I feel like half of them could / should be my clients now that I am a counselor.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Yarn! I worked at a yarn shop, for crying out loud; it couldn't be helped. Then, after moving, I spent a lot of money on a new "career Barbie" wardrobe. Lots of dress pants, button-up shirts, and cardigans.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Moving, getting a new job, starting working in my field.
16. What song will always remind you of 2008?
I've never been one of those "our song" people. But new songs of 2008 that I liked: Paralyzer by Finger Eleven, Addicted by Saving Abel, and Bubbly by Colbie Caillat.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you: a) happier or sadder? b) thinner or fatter? c) richer or poorer?
Happier. I've moved in with my sweetie and have a real job. I feel like a real adult. Can't beat that.
Fatter. Victoria's wedding failed in that it did not make me lose weight like Lara's wedding did in 2007. Maybe I need more family members to get married, rather than friends.
Richer. Better (though not great) paychecks help out a lot. As does not having ANY local yarn shops to visit.
18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Saving some money. Not that I wish I'd bought less yarn, but that somehow I could still buy yarn and put some aside in savings. The college attitude of living paycheck to paycheck, only needing money for fun stuff lingered a little longer than I would have hoped. Grown people put money aside for rainy days and retirement.
19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Procrastination and delay. If you want something, don't wait around for it. As preachy as it sounds, life does not come to those who sit on the couch and watch tv all day.
20. How did you spend Christmas?
Christmas 2008 was whirlwind-y, as you have already found out. Multiple people to visit, the first actual Christmas with John's family, and Victoria's wedding added to the fun.
21. Did you fall in love in 2008?
Already was in love with a certain geeky boy
22. What was your favorite TV program?
New: Moonlight (damn you, CBS, for taking it off the air!)
Reruns: NCIS. Gotta love the back-to-back-to-back run they have in the afternoons.
23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
... Can't think of anything. Though, I try to "hate" people by ignoring them, not by fixating all my energy upon them.
24. What was the best book you read?
I've burned through a good bit on trashy romance novels, especially over the summer.
25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
I don't even know what that means. I'm not a talent scout. I guess the largest musical discovery for me recently is that there are no radio stations out in the mountains.
26. What did you want and get?
A real life.
27. What did you want and not get?
Health insurance.
28. What was your favorite film of this year?
Duh, DARK KNIGHT! I also really liked The Bank Job (minus the one bit of gruesome torture and killing of a character), Iron Man, and Wall-E.
29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 24 and me, John, his family, and Momma all went out to eat at a really nice restaurant in Richmond. John took me shopping.
30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
A personal thing that I don't want to share because the lack of it depresses me when I think about it.
31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
Beginning of the year: Twenty-something casual.
End of the year: Teacher-chic
32. What kept you sane?
John. He is so much calmer than I am.
33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
I've always been a sucker for fictional characters rather than real people, but some of my favorite famous men are Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale, Mark Dacascos, and Edward Norton.
34. What political issue stirred you the most?
I run and hide from politics because it's just a bunch of arrogant people trying to force their ideologies and beliefs upon you. Seriously, no one has known "what is best" for me since my parents were taking care of me in grade school.
35. Who did you miss?
I miss living with Victoria, though I accept that our respective boys would not approve of the foursome. But I would have settled with near-by apartments.
36. Who was the best new person you met?
My old boss, Sharon, at Knit Wits. She is awesome, quirky, vivacious, and totally insane. Gotta figure out how to work my way into her will so I can inherit my very own yarn shop.
37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.
For the love of all things holy, don't email people at work!!
38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year
You have to make a living / But you'd rather be at home ...
AND GET A REAL JOB / GET A REAL JOB
-- Get a Real Job, by M.O.D. (I'd never heard of the song, but it fits, no?)
Your turn!
25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
I don't even know what that means. I'm not a talent scout. I guess the largest musical discovery for me recently is that there are no radio stations out in the mountains.
26. What did you want and get?
A real life.
27. What did you want and not get?
Health insurance.
28. What was your favorite film of this year?
Duh, DARK KNIGHT! I also really liked The Bank Job (minus the one bit of gruesome torture and killing of a character), Iron Man, and Wall-E.
29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 24 and me, John, his family, and Momma all went out to eat at a really nice restaurant in Richmond. John took me shopping.
30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
A personal thing that I don't want to share because the lack of it depresses me when I think about it.
31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
Beginning of the year: Twenty-something casual.
End of the year: Teacher-chic
32. What kept you sane?
John. He is so much calmer than I am.
33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
I've always been a sucker for fictional characters rather than real people, but some of my favorite famous men are Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale, Mark Dacascos, and Edward Norton.
34. What political issue stirred you the most?
I run and hide from politics because it's just a bunch of arrogant people trying to force their ideologies and beliefs upon you. Seriously, no one has known "what is best" for me since my parents were taking care of me in grade school.
35. Who did you miss?
I miss living with Victoria, though I accept that our respective boys would not approve of the foursome. But I would have settled with near-by apartments.
36. Who was the best new person you met?
My old boss, Sharon, at Knit Wits. She is awesome, quirky, vivacious, and totally insane. Gotta figure out how to work my way into her will so I can inherit my very own yarn shop.
37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.
For the love of all things holy, don't email people at work!!
38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year
You have to make a living / But you'd rather be at home ...
AND GET A REAL JOB / GET A REAL JOB
-- Get a Real Job, by M.O.D. (I'd never heard of the song, but it fits, no?)
Your turn!
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Resolve and Revolve
NEW YEARS RESOLUTION! I'm not one to write down resolutions in a diary and keep track of them throughout the year, but I do like to think of things I want to do differently / change / enact in the upcoming year. And maybe if I publish them then I will be more inclined to remember them and work on them! So here goes.
1 - Work out consistently…not constantly, but consistently. Everyone has those ten vanity pounds, and I am no exception. But I am trying to save my ego by making it a “fitness” goal and not a “weight loss” goal so that I don’t become obsessive about a pound or two. I’ve been pretty good since last November about going to the gym; I was in a panic because I gained 10lbs since moving in with John, and needed to fit into Victoria’s bridesmaid’s dress at the end of December. Though I admit that I got into a rut after the wedding-- I mean, as far as “fitness” resolutions go, I started mine in November, and given that most people taper of sometime in March or so, that puts my taper point in January. AND, I was prepping for a specific event, and that event had passed, so motivation was low. But I believe that my brief stumble is acceptable – provided that I get back up and keep on trucking. Which I believe that I am capable of. (I have a possible Weight Watchers joining date if I can’t get back on track by myself)
2 - Find satisfaction / advancement / self-actualization in my job. I don't know what that means yet, but I think the honeymoon period, but I think the honeymoon period is officially over, and I don’t want to be one of those people who quits after a few months because they can’t hack it. Step #1 is to re-apply for a salary position (salary rather than hourly; we don’t go by “part-time vs. full-time” because I am working just as much as the “full-time” salaried people, I just don’t get benefits or vacation time). I’ve got a few more months until my arbitrarily-decided date to re-apply, and hopefully it’ll succeed in the first application. If not, I’ll wait a few more months and try again. Hopefully, if they reject me, they can tell me what I need to do to make myself desirable to have as a salary employee so I don’t waste my time continually reapplying without knowing what they want me to change.
3 - I have a secret goal for the year that I don’t want to broadcast. There’s just something that I want to have happen in a sooner-rather-than-later way.
4 - Pare down some of the yarn stash. I’ve got yarn that is meant for very specific projects that I just need to get started on. The puppy helps me realize that I have too much yarn because every time she comes to visit, that damn dog runs upstairs and finds a new ball of yarn to destroy (thankfully, none of it has been the good stuff…yet). But if I get some of the “waiting” yarn used up, then there’ll be no way she can destroy it! haHA, dog!
5 - Become a real, independent adult. I feel like I’ve been faking it for a while, but this year, I have to pay my own taxes and my car payment is being transferred from mom’s name to mine. So now I will have a car loan, a student loan, an IRA, and taxes to manage all on my own—if that is not the definition of a real adult, I don’t know what is. Also, John has been mentioning apartments every now and then, so there might be a rent bill added to my list of grown-up responsibilities.
1 - Work out consistently…not constantly, but consistently. Everyone has those ten vanity pounds, and I am no exception. But I am trying to save my ego by making it a “fitness” goal and not a “weight loss” goal so that I don’t become obsessive about a pound or two. I’ve been pretty good since last November about going to the gym; I was in a panic because I gained 10lbs since moving in with John, and needed to fit into Victoria’s bridesmaid’s dress at the end of December. Though I admit that I got into a rut after the wedding-- I mean, as far as “fitness” resolutions go, I started mine in November, and given that most people taper of sometime in March or so, that puts my taper point in January. AND, I was prepping for a specific event, and that event had passed, so motivation was low. But I believe that my brief stumble is acceptable – provided that I get back up and keep on trucking. Which I believe that I am capable of. (I have a possible Weight Watchers joining date if I can’t get back on track by myself)
2 - Find satisfaction / advancement / self-actualization in my job. I don't know what that means yet, but I think the honeymoon period, but I think the honeymoon period is officially over, and I don’t want to be one of those people who quits after a few months because they can’t hack it. Step #1 is to re-apply for a salary position (salary rather than hourly; we don’t go by “part-time vs. full-time” because I am working just as much as the “full-time” salaried people, I just don’t get benefits or vacation time). I’ve got a few more months until my arbitrarily-decided date to re-apply, and hopefully it’ll succeed in the first application. If not, I’ll wait a few more months and try again. Hopefully, if they reject me, they can tell me what I need to do to make myself desirable to have as a salary employee so I don’t waste my time continually reapplying without knowing what they want me to change.
3 - I have a secret goal for the year that I don’t want to broadcast. There’s just something that I want to have happen in a sooner-rather-than-later way.
4 - Pare down some of the yarn stash. I’ve got yarn that is meant for very specific projects that I just need to get started on. The puppy helps me realize that I have too much yarn because every time she comes to visit, that damn dog runs upstairs and finds a new ball of yarn to destroy (thankfully, none of it has been the good stuff…yet). But if I get some of the “waiting” yarn used up, then there’ll be no way she can destroy it! haHA, dog!
5 - Become a real, independent adult. I feel like I’ve been faking it for a while, but this year, I have to pay my own taxes and my car payment is being transferred from mom’s name to mine. So now I will have a car loan, a student loan, an IRA, and taxes to manage all on my own—if that is not the definition of a real adult, I don’t know what is. Also, John has been mentioning apartments every now and then, so there might be a rent bill added to my list of grown-up responsibilities.
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