I keep meaning to mention this: You've probably seen the picture to the right and said either "wow, Jamie has really aged since the last time I saw her" or "Damn, how kick ass is this old lady?"
I have a confession. That picture is not of me. Shocker, right? That is actually my great-grandmother, Marie, who was from Belgium but was born in Argentina under mysterious circumstances, and from what I've been told, was pretty kick ass. I like this picture in particular because you know, just know, that she is mischievous and probably a little wicked. My grandmother and my aunt have both inherited that smile. Love it.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
First world problems are sooooo haarrrrdddd
This has been the first week of disappointment of 2010, and oh what a joy it has been.
Monday kicked off with one of my coworkers deciding that she didn't want to give notice and quit by the ever classy no call, no show. This was particularly shitty, because management has known since December that she was planning on leaving (subtle is one thing this girl was not.), and had been looking for candidates, but were being respectful to her by not interviewing yet. They didn't want her to feel like she was being hurried out, and they wanted to be able to tell any candidate a solid start date. Every week she'd say it was the week she'd tell them, and every week she did not. So: Surprise, no. Sucks: Big time.
They also fired the new girl in our department on Tuesday, so we were short two people. But then! There was already scheduled time off so most days we were down anywhere from 3-5 people...The workload wasn't the killer, though. The phones were. And I hate being on the phone.
The week after Christmas, I had no voice (a product of the nasty cold I got in Michigan). I've never lost my voice like that, and I couldn't talk for a week. Which meant I was off the phone for a week. Which meant BEST WEEK EVER. I don't mind occasionally speaking to people, but I hate hate hate taking phone calls. I really enjoy my job when I don't have to speak.
Friday, we got an e-mail from the CFO letting us know that for the second year in a row they will not be offering raises. Which is just peachy, as I haven't had any of the ones I was meant to have since I started. Anton has no hope of getting a raise, as his company just plain doesn't give them. He'll be making the same amount he makes right now in 10 years if he stays there. He needs a new job. I just want a raise, people. Maybe I should be an exec at a bank?
So. That's the work drama. Then my lovely, lovely laptop went nutso after an update- making it the third time that a Microsoft update has killed this computer and it's had to have a factory reset. THREE FUCKING TIMES. I haven't even had this computer a year. And it's a great computer, it really is, but god damn do I hate Microsoft.
I know there is a world full of haters on the iPad right now, but I want one. An affordable Apple that works in a similar fashion to my iPhone? THIS IS WHAT I'VE BEEN BEGGING FOR. Apparently it was made to market to only me. And Anton.
We went and got a back up drive for my laptop today, so the next time this happens I won't have to scramble to find all my important stuff and waste a week re-burning all my music and movies.
The last is a blessing and a curse: Pepsi Throwback is back. You don't know how much I love soda with sugar. I don't really drink soda normally- I tend to avoid anything with HFCS, and I really shouldn't have anything with corn as it is. And it tastes nasty. But Mountain Dew Throwback? I horde it. I've been dealing with a bad caffeine headaches because if it. Mountain Dew, Y U HURT ME SO? ILU.
I'm going to go nurse my caffeine headache in bed with a bottle of MDT. And maybe some whiskey.
Monday kicked off with one of my coworkers deciding that she didn't want to give notice and quit by the ever classy no call, no show. This was particularly shitty, because management has known since December that she was planning on leaving (subtle is one thing this girl was not.), and had been looking for candidates, but were being respectful to her by not interviewing yet. They didn't want her to feel like she was being hurried out, and they wanted to be able to tell any candidate a solid start date. Every week she'd say it was the week she'd tell them, and every week she did not. So: Surprise, no. Sucks: Big time.
They also fired the new girl in our department on Tuesday, so we were short two people. But then! There was already scheduled time off so most days we were down anywhere from 3-5 people...The workload wasn't the killer, though. The phones were. And I hate being on the phone.
The week after Christmas, I had no voice (a product of the nasty cold I got in Michigan). I've never lost my voice like that, and I couldn't talk for a week. Which meant I was off the phone for a week. Which meant BEST WEEK EVER. I don't mind occasionally speaking to people, but I hate hate hate taking phone calls. I really enjoy my job when I don't have to speak.
Friday, we got an e-mail from the CFO letting us know that for the second year in a row they will not be offering raises. Which is just peachy, as I haven't had any of the ones I was meant to have since I started. Anton has no hope of getting a raise, as his company just plain doesn't give them. He'll be making the same amount he makes right now in 10 years if he stays there. He needs a new job. I just want a raise, people. Maybe I should be an exec at a bank?
So. That's the work drama. Then my lovely, lovely laptop went nutso after an update- making it the third time that a Microsoft update has killed this computer and it's had to have a factory reset. THREE FUCKING TIMES. I haven't even had this computer a year. And it's a great computer, it really is, but god damn do I hate Microsoft.
I know there is a world full of haters on the iPad right now, but I want one. An affordable Apple that works in a similar fashion to my iPhone? THIS IS WHAT I'VE BEEN BEGGING FOR. Apparently it was made to market to only me. And Anton.
We went and got a back up drive for my laptop today, so the next time this happens I won't have to scramble to find all my important stuff and waste a week re-burning all my music and movies.
The last is a blessing and a curse: Pepsi Throwback is back. You don't know how much I love soda with sugar. I don't really drink soda normally- I tend to avoid anything with HFCS, and I really shouldn't have anything with corn as it is. And it tastes nasty. But Mountain Dew Throwback? I horde it. I've been dealing with a bad caffeine headaches because if it. Mountain Dew, Y U HURT ME SO? ILU.
I'm going to go nurse my caffeine headache in bed with a bottle of MDT. And maybe some whiskey.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
I think I love you
Oh hey, it's Sunday again.
I try to write during the week, but I'm so drained everything is just word vomit. yum.
Yesterday we went on a road trip to Maine, finally. We've only been talking about it since last winter. This trip was prompted by a friend of Anton's birthday celebrations. The rest of the group were planning on being in Portland the whole weekend, but we're the anti-social type, so one day of interaction seemed like more than enough to us.
Only, we never met up with his friends. We were always about a street or two apart, but would go in the opposite direction whenever they'd let us know where they were. I don't know why we do this. Ah well.
I think I can speak for us both when I say we had an amazing day. The drive to Portland is short- even if had to drive through New Hampshire to get there. One thing that still blows my mind about New England is how freakishly small all the states are (it almost seems like by the time they made it to the plains, the person in charge of sectioning off territories was all FUCK THIS SHIT and as a result, all the western states are HUGE). Driving an hour and twenty minutes from my home town in Michigan would have gotten me to Detroit- still another 45 minutes to an hour away from Ohio. In the opposite direction, it would have taken seven hours just to get to the Upper Peninsula. Here, I can get to New Hampshire in 15 minutes, and apparently through New Hampshire to Maine in about 30.
If it weren't for the lack of things named after places in England, I would have easily believed Maine was Ontario. Nice, but a sad lack of moose milling about. I
A side note- I love moose. I've never seen them in person, and while I know they are HUGE, I still think of them as large cows. I also love cows. Oh their knobby heads and weird tongues, I just want to snuggle them.
So, Maine. Portland, specifically: I love it. ample public parking, designed for pedestrians and vegan friendly. What's not to love? Though we couldn't move there. We lack the pea coats and luscious beards and look of smug superiority.
Okay, that last one is a staple everywhere in New England though...
The highlight of the day was our first stop: Green Elephant. I have only been to a vegetarian restaurant once before (three years ago for my birthaversary, to Seva in Ann Arbor. The rarity of vegetarian restaurants in the places I've lived has always made me want to open my own. Who knows. Maybe one day.), and I was gladly impressed about -everything-.
The over-abundance of options was just...there are no words to describe how it felt to look over a menu knowing I could eat ANYTHING. Anything at all, without modifying it. I could just order it, and it would come out,and I could eat it without checking it over for hidden cheese or trusting that the waiter relayed my message about my food allergies. I just what is that is this really how other people live.
Do people without food allergies know how fucking lucky they are? I mean, do they really? The only places we can go out to eat where we live are Thai restaurants, because they are the only ones who don't fuck up my order. Every. Single. Time. we have gone to any other type of restaurant here, that has happened. I say no cheese, which somehow means PLEASE BY ALL MEANS, ALL THE CHEESE IN THE KITCHEN, PUT IT ON MY FOOD. No sauce is always taken to mean "just put the sauce on there and cover it up." I hate having to explain when I'm ordering that I have fucking allergies that can fucking kill me, so please, for the love of god, don't put any dairy on my food and don't cross contaminate. I have issues with low blood sugar too, so by the time Death Food Theater has played out, I'm in tears, Anton is stabby, and it's just no good for anyone.
So we don't eat out, really. I cook everything because it's the only way to be sure. This, of course, is better for our health and wallet, but STILL. I enjoy NOT having to cook every meal, every day.
Not only were all the choices vegan (except one dish that had egg that was easily removed), but many were also wheat free. If Green Elephant were a person I would have done dirty dirty things to them for making such a restaurant, where I could enjoy the food and conversation without risking my health.
We left stuffed, but not weighted down or tired like we would anywhere else. And it fueled our all day walk-a-thon. I want to live there.
We walked nearly three miles in the slush and over icy sidewalks, all over the city. I had more fun with my husband than should be legal (which is good, because I think it's paved the way for more fun day trips. Our last real day trip was the day before his aunt died last summer and the world went to hell for a couple months.). In fact, the only negative about yesterday was the amount of pain I'm still in today, but that isn't Portland's fault.
Two weeks ago, I wrenched my left knee working out. It still hurts, but it's lead to my left hip and ankle to be burny and biting as well. About half way through our day yesterday my right hip joined in the fun. I do not know what's up with my body. Yes, I'm getting older, but I'll be twenty-eight, not seventy. I've taken it easy, I've iced the joints in question, I've taken pain reducers and eaten more bananas. And it's all done a whole lot of nothin' in relieving my pain or healing. It. Sucks.
We're making plans to go to Portland again on my birthday, but also Kennebunk...later in the year we need to find a reason to take a trip to Vermont, and Rhode Island. I'm trying to visit all the northern New England states while we still live out here so I NEVER HAVE TO COME OUT HERE AGAIN once we move. That's a goal near and dear to my heart.
Off to ice my old lady joints again.
I try to write during the week, but I'm so drained everything is just word vomit. yum.
Yesterday we went on a road trip to Maine, finally. We've only been talking about it since last winter. This trip was prompted by a friend of Anton's birthday celebrations. The rest of the group were planning on being in Portland the whole weekend, but we're the anti-social type, so one day of interaction seemed like more than enough to us.
Only, we never met up with his friends. We were always about a street or two apart, but would go in the opposite direction whenever they'd let us know where they were. I don't know why we do this. Ah well.
I think I can speak for us both when I say we had an amazing day. The drive to Portland is short- even if had to drive through New Hampshire to get there. One thing that still blows my mind about New England is how freakishly small all the states are (it almost seems like by the time they made it to the plains, the person in charge of sectioning off territories was all FUCK THIS SHIT and as a result, all the western states are HUGE). Driving an hour and twenty minutes from my home town in Michigan would have gotten me to Detroit- still another 45 minutes to an hour away from Ohio. In the opposite direction, it would have taken seven hours just to get to the Upper Peninsula. Here, I can get to New Hampshire in 15 minutes, and apparently through New Hampshire to Maine in about 30.
If it weren't for the lack of things named after places in England, I would have easily believed Maine was Ontario. Nice, but a sad lack of moose milling about. I
A side note- I love moose. I've never seen them in person, and while I know they are HUGE, I still think of them as large cows. I also love cows. Oh their knobby heads and weird tongues, I just want to snuggle them.
So, Maine. Portland, specifically: I love it. ample public parking, designed for pedestrians and vegan friendly. What's not to love? Though we couldn't move there. We lack the pea coats and luscious beards and look of smug superiority.
Okay, that last one is a staple everywhere in New England though...
The highlight of the day was our first stop: Green Elephant. I have only been to a vegetarian restaurant once before (three years ago for my birthaversary, to Seva in Ann Arbor. The rarity of vegetarian restaurants in the places I've lived has always made me want to open my own. Who knows. Maybe one day.), and I was gladly impressed about -everything-.
The over-abundance of options was just...there are no words to describe how it felt to look over a menu knowing I could eat ANYTHING. Anything at all, without modifying it. I could just order it, and it would come out,and I could eat it without checking it over for hidden cheese or trusting that the waiter relayed my message about my food allergies. I just what is that is this really how other people live.
Do people without food allergies know how fucking lucky they are? I mean, do they really? The only places we can go out to eat where we live are Thai restaurants, because they are the only ones who don't fuck up my order. Every. Single. Time. we have gone to any other type of restaurant here, that has happened. I say no cheese, which somehow means PLEASE BY ALL MEANS, ALL THE CHEESE IN THE KITCHEN, PUT IT ON MY FOOD. No sauce is always taken to mean "just put the sauce on there and cover it up." I hate having to explain when I'm ordering that I have fucking allergies that can fucking kill me, so please, for the love of god, don't put any dairy on my food and don't cross contaminate. I have issues with low blood sugar too, so by the time Death Food Theater has played out, I'm in tears, Anton is stabby, and it's just no good for anyone.
So we don't eat out, really. I cook everything because it's the only way to be sure. This, of course, is better for our health and wallet, but STILL. I enjoy NOT having to cook every meal, every day.
Not only were all the choices vegan (except one dish that had egg that was easily removed), but many were also wheat free. If Green Elephant were a person I would have done dirty dirty things to them for making such a restaurant, where I could enjoy the food and conversation without risking my health.
We left stuffed, but not weighted down or tired like we would anywhere else. And it fueled our all day walk-a-thon. I want to live there.
We walked nearly three miles in the slush and over icy sidewalks, all over the city. I had more fun with my husband than should be legal (which is good, because I think it's paved the way for more fun day trips. Our last real day trip was the day before his aunt died last summer and the world went to hell for a couple months.). In fact, the only negative about yesterday was the amount of pain I'm still in today, but that isn't Portland's fault.
Two weeks ago, I wrenched my left knee working out. It still hurts, but it's lead to my left hip and ankle to be burny and biting as well. About half way through our day yesterday my right hip joined in the fun. I do not know what's up with my body. Yes, I'm getting older, but I'll be twenty-eight, not seventy. I've taken it easy, I've iced the joints in question, I've taken pain reducers and eaten more bananas. And it's all done a whole lot of nothin' in relieving my pain or healing. It. Sucks.
We're making plans to go to Portland again on my birthday, but also Kennebunk...later in the year we need to find a reason to take a trip to Vermont, and Rhode Island. I'm trying to visit all the northern New England states while we still live out here so I NEVER HAVE TO COME OUT HERE AGAIN once we move. That's a goal near and dear to my heart.
Off to ice my old lady joints again.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Yay distraction!
If you ever want to tell how hard I'm procrastinating, look to see how many journal entries I post in a day or how much I tweet. SRSLY.
My big goals for the day were to clean, get some sundries from the market, and write. I've done all three, but barely. I cleaned the bedroom, ignored rest of house. Got sundries- well,I got everything on the list, so that's a full win. And write? I wrote one and half pages, front and back. And here I am again because writing fiction apparently makes me want to write more about my life. And the cats keep laying on my notebook which is oh so helpful.
Actually, in productiveness, this is one of my best of the year so far, so woo me. I either can do a lot in the morning and am drained all day, or I do NOTHING until the evening and feel rushed and tired. I'm going to give myself a computer break for awhile, watch some Star Trek then try to write some more.
I'm a little frustrated with the story I'm writing right now- no, not the story, with me. I made it a significant portion through the first draft before realizing I needed to do something else mid story. I want to start all over again but I'm pushing myself to actually finish the first draft first, and just put in notes where I need to change things or where different scenes need to go.
I'm also running into the problem that my handwriting is pretty much illegible to anyone but myself, and even I have a hard time with it. So, when I'm trying to copy from my notebook to a text file, it takes for.ev.er. But I write fiction so. much. better. when it's by hand and not typing.
My big goals for the day were to clean, get some sundries from the market, and write. I've done all three, but barely. I cleaned the bedroom, ignored rest of house. Got sundries- well,I got everything on the list, so that's a full win. And write? I wrote one and half pages, front and back. And here I am again because writing fiction apparently makes me want to write more about my life. And the cats keep laying on my notebook which is oh so helpful.
Actually, in productiveness, this is one of my best of the year so far, so woo me. I either can do a lot in the morning and am drained all day, or I do NOTHING until the evening and feel rushed and tired. I'm going to give myself a computer break for awhile, watch some Star Trek then try to write some more.
I'm a little frustrated with the story I'm writing right now- no, not the story, with me. I made it a significant portion through the first draft before realizing I needed to do something else mid story. I want to start all over again but I'm pushing myself to actually finish the first draft first, and just put in notes where I need to change things or where different scenes need to go.
I'm also running into the problem that my handwriting is pretty much illegible to anyone but myself, and even I have a hard time with it. So, when I'm trying to copy from my notebook to a text file, it takes for.ev.er. But I write fiction so. much. better. when it's by hand and not typing.
Maybe we'll just chalk this up to ADD.
Okay, So I should probably make a statement as to why I'm here for the 2 people in the world that may or may not be interested in reading about it.
I journal hop. A lot. I can't help it. I had to stop buying shiny new paper journals because I have a hope chest FULL of journals I have only used a third or half way. I just get to a point each time that I go "WELP, too much bad mojo with this one!" and move on. Since the demise of DX, I've done the same thing with online journals (Okay, I did journal hop ONCE on DX, BUT! That is because I didn't want to have to keep a locked journal to keep my thoughts private from a certain person. And that was after I had had my journal there for YEAAARRRSSS.)
I've tried Livejournal and Diaryland and Wordpress and Tumblr and Blogger and never felt comfortable. Then Codexed was finally up and running and I was all YAY MAYBE but not so much. Now that Haloscan is apparently becoming a paid service, that ONE THING I'd have to change made me go "oh well...maybe I don't like it here anymore either." Then Anton said he wanted to start journaling online again, then I got all jealous of his shiny blogger I figured what the heck. I make no promises I'll stay here or stop using my Codexed account all together. I'm a friggin' wild card, you guys.
I journal hop. A lot. I can't help it. I had to stop buying shiny new paper journals because I have a hope chest FULL of journals I have only used a third or half way. I just get to a point each time that I go "WELP, too much bad mojo with this one!" and move on. Since the demise of DX, I've done the same thing with online journals (Okay, I did journal hop ONCE on DX, BUT! That is because I didn't want to have to keep a locked journal to keep my thoughts private from a certain person. And that was after I had had my journal there for YEAAARRRSSS.)
I've tried Livejournal and Diaryland and Wordpress and Tumblr and Blogger and never felt comfortable. Then Codexed was finally up and running and I was all YAY MAYBE but not so much. Now that Haloscan is apparently becoming a paid service, that ONE THING I'd have to change made me go "oh well...maybe I don't like it here anymore either." Then Anton said he wanted to start journaling online again, then I got all jealous of his shiny blogger I figured what the heck. I make no promises I'll stay here or stop using my Codexed account all together. I'm a friggin' wild card, you guys.
Emotional Eaters
I have five cats. That in itself can be a challenge sometimes, as no two cats are alike and all require life to be a certain way to be content.
For instance, of the five, one is very, very picky about her litter. It can only be a certain type of Tidy Cats because, of all things, it's the only -smell- she likes. If we trade it out for a different Tidy Cats or different brand, she shows her displeasure by peeing on the carpet. It took us almost a YEAR to figure this out.
I have another cat that is allergic to Fish. Another that is allergic to certain grains. But I can't feed them separate foods because -they- don't know they're allergic, and will eat each others food anyway.
Then I have two cats that equate food with love, or whatever emotion cats have like that. Three of the cats only eat when they are hungry, and only until they are full. They never eat just to eat. The two short hairs, however, are emotional eaters. They eat when they are happy. They eat when they are upset. They eat because there's food.
As a result, they've both gotten a bit chunky, so now I have to put all five cats on a diet, because there is no feeding them separately. Today was the first day of moderated eating, and the over eaters gladly ate up their portions this morning, while the grazers weren't interested in food until it was put away. I think this is going to be a looonngggg adjustment period. I gave them all a bit of wet food this afternoon, since the grazers hadn't really eaten this morning and were whining (no begging for food like this guy though. And is that not the cutest thing?).
We're trying to exercise the cats more, too. You'd think with five, they'd find lots of things to keep themselves occupied, but no. Not since Chester was a kitten have they all been very active. (That's how Eowyn lost all her weight the first time she chunked up tho- we got Chester and he wouldn't let her rest.)
For instance, of the five, one is very, very picky about her litter. It can only be a certain type of Tidy Cats because, of all things, it's the only -smell- she likes. If we trade it out for a different Tidy Cats or different brand, she shows her displeasure by peeing on the carpet. It took us almost a YEAR to figure this out.
I have another cat that is allergic to Fish. Another that is allergic to certain grains. But I can't feed them separate foods because -they- don't know they're allergic, and will eat each others food anyway.
Then I have two cats that equate food with love, or whatever emotion cats have like that. Three of the cats only eat when they are hungry, and only until they are full. They never eat just to eat. The two short hairs, however, are emotional eaters. They eat when they are happy. They eat when they are upset. They eat because there's food.
As a result, they've both gotten a bit chunky, so now I have to put all five cats on a diet, because there is no feeding them separately. Today was the first day of moderated eating, and the over eaters gladly ate up their portions this morning, while the grazers weren't interested in food until it was put away. I think this is going to be a looonngggg adjustment period. I gave them all a bit of wet food this afternoon, since the grazers hadn't really eaten this morning and were whining (no begging for food like this guy though. And is that not the cutest thing?).
We're trying to exercise the cats more, too. You'd think with five, they'd find lots of things to keep themselves occupied, but no. Not since Chester was a kitten have they all been very active. (That's how Eowyn lost all her weight the first time she chunked up tho- we got Chester and he wouldn't let her rest.)
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Sunday, January 10, 2010
You know
There are few things as magical as the Star Trek reboot. I could watch this movie every day and never get sick of it. Other movies that enjoy that distinction: Empire Records, Stardust. That's it.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
this shit is worth a million dollars!
Don't you hate watching "The Antiques Road Show"? Whenever I watch it I fantasize about destroying whatever it is the person is getting appraised. Fuck them and their shit.
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