December 7, 2008
Am worn out from trying to make up my day. Arrived home at 5 pm, had a short whirlwind of activity: did two loads of laundry, ate a little bit, showered, cleaned the tub, boiled eggs for tomorrow. Now, exhausted, so am giving up on job apps, organizing photographs, writing cards. Was rousted out of bed this morning to go to BF’s house to check on his dog. His sister was alone, distraught as their 15+ year old dog’s somewhat neurological behaviors and unsteadiness increased, so I went to keep her company and tender what advice I could.
Precious little advice it was, too. He’s had a good long life, and we’ve been blessed to have him this long after last year’s tragedies, but it was clearly his time to go. Finally, he had such rough bout of difficulty breathing after a bit of activity that I was about to recommend that they call the vet and let him go more peacefully when he passed on his own.
I was able to make a few calls and make arrangements since I used to work at the local vet’s, so that spared the family some little bit of stress.
I’m glad I could be there to help in BF’s place, but I fervently wish that after losing their father, their cousin and now their beloved family pet, we can be spared the need to hold vigil, please, for at least another couple of years. I know life’s not fair, but this is getting to be a bit much.
November 13, 2008
Because BF is sweet and loves a useful bargain, he gifted me with a lovely vanilla white fleecey jacket for no reason whatsoever. Because I’m me, I wore it to work today, and promptly got a smidgen of purple ink on it. I don’t normally even keep uncappable pens at my desk for fear of this of stupid problem, why would I do that on the first day I wear a brand new white jacket?? Honestly. At least it matches my shirt and socks?
Never mind. I should have these sorts of things memorized by now, (and should carry my Tide to go pen!) but since I don’t and didn’t bring the pen, this is courtesy of HowStuffWorks.com:
Remove Ink Stains From:
Acrylic Fabric, Cotton, Linen, Modacrylic,
Nylon, Olefin, Polyester, Spandex
Try a light spray of hair spray to loosen the laundry stains. Soak in a solution of 1 quart warm water, 1/2 teaspoon dishwashing detergent, and 1 tablespoon white vinegar for 30 minutes; use care when using vinegar on cotton and linen. Rinse with water and allow to dry. If Stain persists, apply rubbing alcohol to the stain and cover with an absorbent pad moistened with alcohol (use alcohol sparingly on acrylic and modacrylic). Let stand as long as any stain is being removed. Change pad as it picks up the stain. Keep both the stain and pad moist with alcohol. Flush with alcohol and allow to dry. If any trace of stain remains, soak in a solution of 1 quart warm water, 1/2 teaspoon dishwashing detergent, and 1 tablespoon ammonia for 30 minutes. Rinse thoroughly with water and allow to dry.
And I’m banishing the pen to the bottom of my desk drawer. Again. Let’s hope it stays there this time.
I went outside exactly zero times Sunday. Not to enjoy the sunlight, not to bask in the gusty windiness of the day, not to buy eggs. And I needed the eggs for breakfast.
Instead, I read the news. For hours. Read blogs, commented, read emails, even replied to a couple of them. Received multiple Twitter-like phone calls from a friend whose day out seemed more traumatic than my day in, thoroughly justifying my recusal from the outside world: I’m at the mall with my significant other, and her relatives. They’ve been shopping all day. I’ve abandoned them for the Apple store. They’ve been invited to dinner, can I hide out at your place later?
Instead, I spent hours on the internet, perusing sites that needed perusing, completed online tasks (3 of them!) that needed completing. Even initiated another project that I don’t quite have time for but will be good for me, I think. Discussed plans with a girlfriend I’ve not spoken to in ages. Chatted with another friend who I have snailmailed recently. Nearly completed a letter of recommendation for yet another friend, which probably doesn’t count since I’m not actually done with it. Unsuccessfully tried to initiate a GChat with another friend who is probably still trying to figure out GChat. Ah well.
And, discovered that in the recesses of one of my bookshelves, I still. Have. These. Does anyone on earth still have an old GameBoy that plays these games??
Filled a sack of Things to Discard, and Things to Give Away.
And collected stacks of books that I can bear to part with. I even found my old retainer! Which makes me think, I should call my old orthodontist, my teeth are … er, on the move again after many years of freedom and I should hate to think all that expense (thanks Mum!) and pain (thanks, Mum) were for naught. (I’m a little irritated that my dentist removed my permanent retaining wire two years ago without so much as a by-your-leave. That’s why the teeth are shifting.)
In my own little world, progress was made. Not a ton, but y’know. Enough to justify a day, almost.
November 11, 2008
A routine is a good thing, but when it causes you to forget things at home when the routine is altered just a tiny bit, it’s time to start paying more attention.
Mornings aren’t my strong suit so I minimize the number of things I have to remember before leaving the house. Normally works pretty well: only keys, phone and headset, and a book are taken out of my handbag each night, and they go right back in on my way out. Except I received a phone call in the middle of getting dressed, put the phone down on my desk instead and walked out without it. Dangit. Now I keep hearing other people’s iPhones dinging and chiming and wanting to check mine.
It probably wouldn’t be a problem if I’d not had unconfirmed plans to have lunch with a friend today. Or if I didn’t need to text a friend for his mechanic’s phone number. Or if I didn’t go home in the pitch black darkness with potential late-running trains. Boo. While I never wanted to be dependent on a tech device, it sure would be handy.
November 3, 2008
Just read this NY Times article, Forming a Club to Share Financial Wisdom:
I’ve long lamented the fact that there aren’t as many money clubs as there are book clubs. Plenty of us would be more successful in meeting our financial goals if we met regularly with a small group of like-minded people to lay our finances bare, from incomes to debt to our spending foibles. It would be one part Debtors Anonymous and one part Weight Watchers, a bit like the investment clubs that were popular in the 1990s but with every part of our financial lives under the microscope.
What I didn’t do, but should have, was try to inspire an international movement around the idea. That’s what five women from Vancouver are trying to do with their new book, “The Smart Cookies’ Guide to Making More Dough” (Delacorte Press), and Web site, smartcookies.com.
Much of the book offers fairly basic financial advice, and it will probably resonate best with young women. The silly name, meanwhile, might turn off serious-minded people.
But that would be too bad, because theirs is a story of guts and grit, of five women who leaned on one another to rein in individual money habits that were fairly destructive.
At first I thought, that’d be awesome! And it would be. But what I’d want even more than a money club is a career club, one with members at various stages of their careers. I’d certainly love to get together with people who are financially wise for cross-mentoring but I’m at the stage where, mostly, I’ve got a good handle on the basics and much prefer to discuss at more advanced levels topics like career planning, investing, understanding the stock market, estate planning, insurances, real estate, etc. (Heh, estate planning. I plan to have an estate, someday.) This blog and reading about a hundred other PF blogs scratches the personal aspect of my finance itch rather well whereas I’m ripe for professional development.
What do you think? Would you want to start a money club? Or is there some area or topic that would more effectively contribute to your life?
October 28, 2008
Evidently, the universe cares about me getting my work done, and your collective opinions: the meeting has been canceled!
Fantastic!
October 23, 2008
How bad is it when you’d rather work than go to lunch with higher-ups because you know that the outcome of the lunch has already been determined, thereby negating the need for the lunch? I mean, it’s gonna be good food and good food is my weakness.
But I’d rather be at my desk, having a lunch of herbs. Sad.
