It is barely 11:30 am. Today started well. I slept myself out last night, which was great! I had a fair to middling good workout this morning. I laughed at some of what was shown on TV. I had a LONG HOT shower, which I adored. I am wearing my comfortable boots & 1 of my favorite outfits. My radio picked up NPR all the way in to work & there were several neat stories I enjoyed listening to. I was on time to work. The morning opening routine was headache free & went quickly. In fact, we had 20 minutes to kill, which is why I posted the fable. We opened & delivery was here. I got LOTS of new books to read (like I need more). It is quiet today because everyone is some place else & I applaud the public's dedication in not being here today.
But the phone rang & that is when I developed this headache. First off, I had someone ask if we were open when I answered the phone. Next, my problem child called to ask 1 of those "what is she thinking?" questions about whether automatic deposit had already been processed. DUH! After 10 years, they are going to suddenly suspend making automatic payments just because. Right. After that call, I found out through the rumor mill that my supposed assistant has applied for a higher position in-house but has not told me.
While I honestly wish her the best, & indeed sincerely hope that she gets the job because I think she would be good at it, I am upset. Mostly because she is the only person to apply in-house, so the odds of my being called to give an opinion are around 100%. How would it look if I had no warning? Or am I over reacting? I do not know. I do know that I will be honest & up-beat because I think she deserves the chance & will be good at the position. But I am a lot upset & definitely offended that I found out from the rumor mill.
And I have a headache!
Friday, December 30, 2005
A Fable
A friend emailed this to me today -
King Arthur and the Witch:
Young King Arthur was ambushed and imprisoned by the monarch of a neighboring kingdom. The monarch could have killed him but was moved by Arthur's youth and ideals. So, the monarch offered him his freedom, as long as he could answer a very difficult question. Arthur would have a year to figure out the answer and, if after a year, he still had no answer, he would be put to death. The question?.....What do women really want?
Such a question would perplex even the most knowledgeable man, and to young Arthur, it seemed an impossible query. But, since it was better than death, he accepted the monarch's proposition to have an answer by year's end. He returned to his kingdom and began to poll everyone: the princess, the priests, the wise men and even the court jester. He spoke with everyone, but no one could give him a satisfactory answer.
Many people advised him to consult the old witch, for only she would have the answer. But the price would be high; as the witch was famous throughout the kingdom for the exorbitant prices she charged.
The last day of the year arrived and Arthur had no choice but to talk to the witch. She agreed to answer the question, but he would have to agree to her price first. The old witch wanted to marry Sir Lancelot, the most noble of the Knights of the Round Table and Arthur's closest friend!
Young Arthur was horrified. She was hunchbacked and hideous, had only one tooth, smelled like sewage, made obscene noises, etc. He had never encountered such a repugnant creature in all his life. He refused to force his friend to marry her and endure such a terrible burden; but Lancelot, learning of the proposal, spoke with Arthur. He said nothing was too big of a sacrifice compared to Arthur's life and the preservation of the Round Table. Hence, a wedding was proclaimed and the witch answered Arthur's question thus: What a woman really wants, she answered....is to be in charge of her own life.
Everyone in the kingdom instantly knew that the witch had uttered a great truth and that Arthur's life would be spared. And so it was, the neighboring monarch granted Arthur his freedom and Lancelot and the witch had a wonderful wedding. The honeymoon hour approached and Lancelot, steeling himself for a horrific experience, entered the bedroom. But, what a sight awaited him. The most beautiful woman he had ever seen lay before him on the bed. The astounded Lancelot asked what had happened, The beauty replied that since he had been so kind to her when she appeared as a witch, she would henceforth, be her horrible deformed self only half the time and the beautiful maiden the other half. Which would he prefer? Beautiful during the day....or night?
Lancelot pondered the predicament. During the day, a beautiful woman to show off to his friends, but at night, in the privacy of his castle, an old witch? Or, would he prefer having a hideous witch during the day, but by night, a beautiful woman for him to enjoy wondrous intimate moments?
What would YOU do?
What Lancelot chose is below. BUT....make YOUR choice before you scroll down below. OKAY?
Noble Lancelot said that he would allow HER to make the choice herself. Upon hearing this, she announced that she would be beautiful all the time because he had respected her enough to let her be in charge of her! own life. Now....what is the moral to this story?
The moral is..... If you don't let a woman have her own way.... Things are going to get ugly
King Arthur and the Witch:
Young King Arthur was ambushed and imprisoned by the monarch of a neighboring kingdom. The monarch could have killed him but was moved by Arthur's youth and ideals. So, the monarch offered him his freedom, as long as he could answer a very difficult question. Arthur would have a year to figure out the answer and, if after a year, he still had no answer, he would be put to death. The question?.....What do women really want?
Such a question would perplex even the most knowledgeable man, and to young Arthur, it seemed an impossible query. But, since it was better than death, he accepted the monarch's proposition to have an answer by year's end. He returned to his kingdom and began to poll everyone: the princess, the priests, the wise men and even the court jester. He spoke with everyone, but no one could give him a satisfactory answer.
Many people advised him to consult the old witch, for only she would have the answer. But the price would be high; as the witch was famous throughout the kingdom for the exorbitant prices she charged.
The last day of the year arrived and Arthur had no choice but to talk to the witch. She agreed to answer the question, but he would have to agree to her price first. The old witch wanted to marry Sir Lancelot, the most noble of the Knights of the Round Table and Arthur's closest friend!
Young Arthur was horrified. She was hunchbacked and hideous, had only one tooth, smelled like sewage, made obscene noises, etc. He had never encountered such a repugnant creature in all his life. He refused to force his friend to marry her and endure such a terrible burden; but Lancelot, learning of the proposal, spoke with Arthur. He said nothing was too big of a sacrifice compared to Arthur's life and the preservation of the Round Table. Hence, a wedding was proclaimed and the witch answered Arthur's question thus: What a woman really wants, she answered....is to be in charge of her own life.
Everyone in the kingdom instantly knew that the witch had uttered a great truth and that Arthur's life would be spared. And so it was, the neighboring monarch granted Arthur his freedom and Lancelot and the witch had a wonderful wedding. The honeymoon hour approached and Lancelot, steeling himself for a horrific experience, entered the bedroom. But, what a sight awaited him. The most beautiful woman he had ever seen lay before him on the bed. The astounded Lancelot asked what had happened, The beauty replied that since he had been so kind to her when she appeared as a witch, she would henceforth, be her horrible deformed self only half the time and the beautiful maiden the other half. Which would he prefer? Beautiful during the day....or night?
Lancelot pondered the predicament. During the day, a beautiful woman to show off to his friends, but at night, in the privacy of his castle, an old witch? Or, would he prefer having a hideous witch during the day, but by night, a beautiful woman for him to enjoy wondrous intimate moments?
What would YOU do?
What Lancelot chose is below. BUT....make YOUR choice before you scroll down below. OKAY?
Noble Lancelot said that he would allow HER to make the choice herself. Upon hearing this, she announced that she would be beautiful all the time because he had respected her enough to let her be in charge of her! own life. Now....what is the moral to this story?
The moral is..... If you don't let a woman have her own way.... Things are going to get ugly
Wednesday, December 28, 2005
Lunch Break Post
I am here at work - again. Today I am actually eating something with my SlimFast. An apple!
I am also listening to Black Eyed Peas' Elephunk on the computer. I am going to be doing some research because of the 4-some, the vaguely oriental/native american looking man falls under the "instant lust" category. I also like the music. "Lets get retarded," tends to tickle my funny bone. Though based on the wee bit of searching I just did, the odds of finding the names quickly & easily seems a bit on the thin side. Oh well. Guess I will just have to actually do my job & conduct some research.
I am sooo ready for it to be 6pm. I want to lock the doors and go home and forget all about today. I intend to stop at the bank & then WalMart (mostly so I can pick up yet another book) & then home to crash & crash hard. I am hoping not to get this cold, but I do believe that I am failing miserably.
I am also listening to Black Eyed Peas' Elephunk on the computer. I am going to be doing some research because of the 4-some, the vaguely oriental/native american looking man falls under the "instant lust" category. I also like the music. "Lets get retarded," tends to tickle my funny bone. Though based on the wee bit of searching I just did, the odds of finding the names quickly & easily seems a bit on the thin side. Oh well. Guess I will just have to actually do my job & conduct some research.
I am sooo ready for it to be 6pm. I want to lock the doors and go home and forget all about today. I intend to stop at the bank & then WalMart (mostly so I can pick up yet another book) & then home to crash & crash hard. I am hoping not to get this cold, but I do believe that I am failing miserably.
Tuesday, December 27, 2005
Who's Ready?
Everyone have an excellent Christmas? I hope so because this is the 1st for me that I can recall which was actually fun & relaxing & I enjoyed in over 30 years. We did nothing but eat and even then, it was all simple, easy meals that required no real effort or planning. Mom & my sister had everything ready so that while I was there all we had to do was throw it together & eat. The onions were already chopped, the cheese was grated, meat was precooked stuff, life was good. When we were not eating, we were talking, working on puzzles or knitting/crocheting (well, they knitted & crocheted. I did puzzles), watched movies, played with my nephews new toys, and took multiple long naps.
The only down side is that not only am I back at work, but the great cosmic illness joke is still at play. Even though there is no real reason I should get a cold myself, since my nephew & sister both have one, I am waiting. I always get sick during the holiday & since they both used me as a kleenex & frequently coughed right in my face, I am almost guaranteed that this strange itchy feeling with a runny nose is a cold. To add to my personal cold guarantee, I slept with my sister over the weekend. She was trying to hack up her lungs, stomach, & intestines, and she shared her germs liberally, usually right in my face. Believe me, you learn just how close you are to someone when the hack, sneeze, and cough all over you. Especially at 2 a.m. when all you want is to sleep.
So who is ready for 2006? I can claim that I am because I have the 1st of 5 projects here at work completed. 2 of those projects are going to be farmed out anyway, so I am not worried about finishing by the 30th. I see no reason why I should take down the Christmas decorations when there are people who actually enjoy doing that kind of thing. Personally, I have my calendar's all set to go, all my gifts where they need to go, and life is actually pretty good.
Reality is FAR different. It will take forever for me to adjust to 2006 instead of 2005. I have a laundry list of items I need to accomplish over the next 6 months, and I am terrified that I will fail on all fronts.
My resolutions are the following -
1. Get a new job
2. Move
3. Lose 20 lbs. (if it kills me & everyone around me)
4. Get a new car
4 simple resolutions that should be remarkably simple to accomplish. Yet I am already doubting myself and my abilities and most definitely my will power to carry through. Ironically enough, I think I will be able to lose the 20 lbs. now that I have found a decent way to eat that does not leave me hungry. Since my tummy is also loads happier with me and my need for prevacid has dropped from 2 a day to zilch, then I am making the assumption that I am on the right track. I could be wrong, but . . .
The only down side is that not only am I back at work, but the great cosmic illness joke is still at play. Even though there is no real reason I should get a cold myself, since my nephew & sister both have one, I am waiting. I always get sick during the holiday & since they both used me as a kleenex & frequently coughed right in my face, I am almost guaranteed that this strange itchy feeling with a runny nose is a cold. To add to my personal cold guarantee, I slept with my sister over the weekend. She was trying to hack up her lungs, stomach, & intestines, and she shared her germs liberally, usually right in my face. Believe me, you learn just how close you are to someone when the hack, sneeze, and cough all over you. Especially at 2 a.m. when all you want is to sleep.
So who is ready for 2006? I can claim that I am because I have the 1st of 5 projects here at work completed. 2 of those projects are going to be farmed out anyway, so I am not worried about finishing by the 30th. I see no reason why I should take down the Christmas decorations when there are people who actually enjoy doing that kind of thing. Personally, I have my calendar's all set to go, all my gifts where they need to go, and life is actually pretty good.
Reality is FAR different. It will take forever for me to adjust to 2006 instead of 2005. I have a laundry list of items I need to accomplish over the next 6 months, and I am terrified that I will fail on all fronts.
My resolutions are the following -
1. Get a new job
2. Move
3. Lose 20 lbs. (if it kills me & everyone around me)
4. Get a new car
4 simple resolutions that should be remarkably simple to accomplish. Yet I am already doubting myself and my abilities and most definitely my will power to carry through. Ironically enough, I think I will be able to lose the 20 lbs. now that I have found a decent way to eat that does not leave me hungry. Since my tummy is also loads happier with me and my need for prevacid has dropped from 2 a day to zilch, then I am making the assumption that I am on the right track. I could be wrong, but . . .
Friday, December 23, 2005
Killing a Few Minutes
I am being hypocritical today. After all the numerous rants about others nagging, harassing, & generally pissing me off about my status as a single, unwed, non-mother, I have been looking at the people who come in & the various couples and judging them as mates.
There are some I look at and think, "They will make good husbands," or "I bet he will be a good dad." Then there are some couples who inspire thoughts of, "I wonder how often he cheats on her?" or, "I would deck anyone who treated me like they treat their spouse." Then there are the girls I look at and think, "God help the future husband, because that is a 40 yr old trapped in a 10 yr old body."
Beyond that, I am playing today. Killing the day surfing the Net & counting down till I can go to my Mom's & begin the holiday food fest.
There are some I look at and think, "They will make good husbands," or "I bet he will be a good dad." Then there are some couples who inspire thoughts of, "I wonder how often he cheats on her?" or, "I would deck anyone who treated me like they treat their spouse." Then there are the girls I look at and think, "God help the future husband, because that is a 40 yr old trapped in a 10 yr old body."
Beyond that, I am playing today. Killing the day surfing the Net & counting down till I can go to my Mom's & begin the holiday food fest.
Thursday, December 22, 2005
Only 3 More Days!
Christmas is almost here & I am incredibly grateful. I will be glad to be able to actually enjoy this Christmas. For what feels like the 1st time ever, I am going no further than my mother's house & have no plans to stay longer then a long weekend. We are not driving to PA, SC, NC, VA, WA, or any where else. We are not going any place beyond the Saturday Children's Mass. We are not baking cookies, nut rolls, rum balls, or planning elaborate meals. We are going simple and I am beyond grateful and well into the "fall to the ground & kiss it from joy" category.
My shopping is done. Here at work, all that is left is the end of the month wrap up that I do every month so that is no biggie. My boss is retiring so I have some new responsibilities and freedoms that I need to become adjusted to but that is actually rather cool. I have a checklist of things that need to be accomplished, which is a dramatic improvement over the past few years. My cards have all been mailed & the ecards are scheduled for tomorrow. My personal baking is almost finished, and I have only 1 more gift to wrap.
Now all I have to do is avoid the pitfalls of having an overly developed sweet tooth and try and keep my weight under control. It is soooo very hard though because we have cookies, candy, cakes, and dips here at work and they are all soooo good! We decided that, instead of exchanging gifts, we would bring in food for everyone all week & it has been a huge relief for all of us. Just bake a cake, make a dip & grab a box of crackers, and we are set. Biggest problem has been remembering to put the dips in the fridge when we leave at night. Since none of us have had to actually buy anything for this food fest, our checkbooks and patience with one another has also been stretched out.
Now all I have left to do is get through the actual holiday & then life can resume a normal keel and I really can not wait. It will be strange writing 2006 instead of 2005, but what the hell. And if I can avoid gaining 50 lbs., I will be truly thrilled. Family arguments are the norm, so I could care less if they happen. Might not enjoy them, but they happen frequently & live still goes on.
The extra poundage is something I am trying to avoid. I have all sorts of exercise DVD's & am trying to walk/sprint 2-4 miles a day, but it is hard with this cold weather. When the temp. goes below 35, I cramp and develop the shakes. I do not tend to shiver. I shake. Ask either of my last 2 lovers & they can tell you the joys of trying to warm me up. I turn blue, shake like a palsy patient, whimper, crack teeth, cramp, and lose what little coordination I have. Since I am already easy to brake, it makes life oh so fun when I get cold and it takes forever to warm up. My last roommate would set up 3 space heaters in the bathroom and turn the hot water on in the shower and then toss me in there, sometimes literally. The water heater would run dry before I would warm up.
It has taken me a while, but I have finally figured out that if I leave my space heater on for at least 2 hours before I shower, exercise and have hot chocolate/tea/coffee, and then take a shower, I stay warm all the way through. Otherwise, I have to shave my legs multiple times because I get chill bumps & I hate that. I also have the thermostat set to 75-85 degrees and then turn it back down as I leave for work. Even doing all that, I still get cold & chilled during my shower.
Different subject, but I read a book that has me boggled this week. Forbidden Magic by Cheyenne McCray is a very well written and generally fun story. What has me boggled is that it is considered a soft romance. Personally, when a book is told from 3.5 character's perspectives, & 1 of the 2 female leads is into bondage, pain, and humiliation, while the other is into light bondage, then I would call it soft porn with a supernatural twist.
I liked the book. I enjoyed the characters and how they progressed both as individuals, but as couples and how the story developed in general. I could have lived without the scenes when the "good" girl used her magic to tie her fae lover to the bed. I definitely could have lived without the description of the "bad" girl being fucked by 2 demons & the descendant/reincarnation of the Celtic God, Balog. But the rest was pretty cool and I hope that McCray develops the story instead of her personality switching sex games.
Two other books I read recently were about those cute, furry critters known as dogs. The 1st is called What the Dog Did, by Emily Yoffe. The other is called Marley & Me, by John Grogan. These are both absolutely hilarious books that I can not recommend highly enough. Grogan had me in tears at the end, but the dog died of old age & that always makes me cry, so no big deal. It was remarkably sweet and I enjoyed the ending. Marley, however, makes me glad that the 3 dogs I currently live with are only mildly psychotic. They have never eaten all the insulation on the fridge. Torn the sheet rock off the walls. Kicked out of basic training classes. Stuff like that.
Yoffe's book dealt with a wider selection of dogs, but sheez! Some of the stories she dug up while researching this book! I have done a lot of disgusting clean ups thanks to the dogs & cats, but I am thrilled to report that I have never had to pull a bra out of my dogs butt. Off their heads, out of the litter box, made them drop whatever article they were currently chewing - yes. But no animal of mine has ever eaten my clothes, or a knife, or grill utensils, or tubing, or keys, or . . .
Get the drift of the type of stories in this book?
I also have finished Mercedes Lackey's Music to My Sorrows. That was standard Lackey and there were all sorts of digs at the government, but I like her stuff so I enjoyed reading it. This was her latest in the modern day bard series and this time they took on a mix of televangelists and ex-government professional paranoids, all of whom were being manipulated by the dark elves.
I read some more anime. Dears was a bit odd, but since I read that right after McCrays, the fact that the female characters, aka Dears, are genetically-altered intergalactic mass produced cloned slaves seemed almost normal.
Access Denied by Donna Andrews was also on this weeks reading list. 3rd in the series about sentinent AI's, it is a fun combination of "what if?" mixed with technology and psychology. Set in today's technological sphere, there is nothing futuristic or paranormal about the characters. It is just that the main character is an AI that started life as a library catalogue. If you like light mysteries with the sort of techno babble that anyone who can program their VCR can understand, then try the series. If you can't program your VCR at the very least, then do not pick it up because there are all sorts of small details that will drive you nuts.
I can't remember what else I have read this week, but I am going to say adios till tomorrow. I have physical therapy in 30 minutes & need to wrap today up here at work.
My shopping is done. Here at work, all that is left is the end of the month wrap up that I do every month so that is no biggie. My boss is retiring so I have some new responsibilities and freedoms that I need to become adjusted to but that is actually rather cool. I have a checklist of things that need to be accomplished, which is a dramatic improvement over the past few years. My cards have all been mailed & the ecards are scheduled for tomorrow. My personal baking is almost finished, and I have only 1 more gift to wrap.
Now all I have to do is avoid the pitfalls of having an overly developed sweet tooth and try and keep my weight under control. It is soooo very hard though because we have cookies, candy, cakes, and dips here at work and they are all soooo good! We decided that, instead of exchanging gifts, we would bring in food for everyone all week & it has been a huge relief for all of us. Just bake a cake, make a dip & grab a box of crackers, and we are set. Biggest problem has been remembering to put the dips in the fridge when we leave at night. Since none of us have had to actually buy anything for this food fest, our checkbooks and patience with one another has also been stretched out.
Now all I have left to do is get through the actual holiday & then life can resume a normal keel and I really can not wait. It will be strange writing 2006 instead of 2005, but what the hell. And if I can avoid gaining 50 lbs., I will be truly thrilled. Family arguments are the norm, so I could care less if they happen. Might not enjoy them, but they happen frequently & live still goes on.
The extra poundage is something I am trying to avoid. I have all sorts of exercise DVD's & am trying to walk/sprint 2-4 miles a day, but it is hard with this cold weather. When the temp. goes below 35, I cramp and develop the shakes. I do not tend to shiver. I shake. Ask either of my last 2 lovers & they can tell you the joys of trying to warm me up. I turn blue, shake like a palsy patient, whimper, crack teeth, cramp, and lose what little coordination I have. Since I am already easy to brake, it makes life oh so fun when I get cold and it takes forever to warm up. My last roommate would set up 3 space heaters in the bathroom and turn the hot water on in the shower and then toss me in there, sometimes literally. The water heater would run dry before I would warm up.
It has taken me a while, but I have finally figured out that if I leave my space heater on for at least 2 hours before I shower, exercise and have hot chocolate/tea/coffee, and then take a shower, I stay warm all the way through. Otherwise, I have to shave my legs multiple times because I get chill bumps & I hate that. I also have the thermostat set to 75-85 degrees and then turn it back down as I leave for work. Even doing all that, I still get cold & chilled during my shower.
Different subject, but I read a book that has me boggled this week. Forbidden Magic by Cheyenne McCray is a very well written and generally fun story. What has me boggled is that it is considered a soft romance. Personally, when a book is told from 3.5 character's perspectives, & 1 of the 2 female leads is into bondage, pain, and humiliation, while the other is into light bondage, then I would call it soft porn with a supernatural twist.
I liked the book. I enjoyed the characters and how they progressed both as individuals, but as couples and how the story developed in general. I could have lived without the scenes when the "good" girl used her magic to tie her fae lover to the bed. I definitely could have lived without the description of the "bad" girl being fucked by 2 demons & the descendant/reincarnation of the Celtic God, Balog. But the rest was pretty cool and I hope that McCray develops the story instead of her personality switching sex games.
Two other books I read recently were about those cute, furry critters known as dogs. The 1st is called What the Dog Did, by Emily Yoffe. The other is called Marley & Me, by John Grogan. These are both absolutely hilarious books that I can not recommend highly enough. Grogan had me in tears at the end, but the dog died of old age & that always makes me cry, so no big deal. It was remarkably sweet and I enjoyed the ending. Marley, however, makes me glad that the 3 dogs I currently live with are only mildly psychotic. They have never eaten all the insulation on the fridge. Torn the sheet rock off the walls. Kicked out of basic training classes. Stuff like that.
Yoffe's book dealt with a wider selection of dogs, but sheez! Some of the stories she dug up while researching this book! I have done a lot of disgusting clean ups thanks to the dogs & cats, but I am thrilled to report that I have never had to pull a bra out of my dogs butt. Off their heads, out of the litter box, made them drop whatever article they were currently chewing - yes. But no animal of mine has ever eaten my clothes, or a knife, or grill utensils, or tubing, or keys, or . . .
Get the drift of the type of stories in this book?
I also have finished Mercedes Lackey's Music to My Sorrows. That was standard Lackey and there were all sorts of digs at the government, but I like her stuff so I enjoyed reading it. This was her latest in the modern day bard series and this time they took on a mix of televangelists and ex-government professional paranoids, all of whom were being manipulated by the dark elves.
I read some more anime. Dears was a bit odd, but since I read that right after McCrays, the fact that the female characters, aka Dears, are genetically-altered intergalactic mass produced cloned slaves seemed almost normal.
Access Denied by Donna Andrews was also on this weeks reading list. 3rd in the series about sentinent AI's, it is a fun combination of "what if?" mixed with technology and psychology. Set in today's technological sphere, there is nothing futuristic or paranormal about the characters. It is just that the main character is an AI that started life as a library catalogue. If you like light mysteries with the sort of techno babble that anyone who can program their VCR can understand, then try the series. If you can't program your VCR at the very least, then do not pick it up because there are all sorts of small details that will drive you nuts.
I can't remember what else I have read this week, but I am going to say adios till tomorrow. I have physical therapy in 30 minutes & need to wrap today up here at work.
Monday, December 19, 2005
A Few Moments
Well, another day at work is almost over & the worst is behind me. All I have to do is kill the next 15 minutes & then I can start shutting down & go home. I can not wait!
You know, getting a teaching job keeps sounding better & better. The pay is better, hours would be better, esp. if I went for school librarian position, and I'd have vacation time. As it is, I have to plan 3 months in advance if I want more than a day off & I hate it.
Anyway, I went with exmi this weekend to see the Narnia movie and I LOVED IT! I enjoyed the graphics, the battle scenes, Edmund was a complete rat, just like I expected, Mr. Tumnus was adorable, Aslan was majestic, and it was generally just cool. I liked the book, lenjoyed the movie which managed to stick to the book fairly well, and intend to add the movie to my DVD collection. And when the next Narnia movie is released, I will go see that as well.
I am just relieved that there are still real movies being made that do not depend on the number of cars being blown up to make their money.
Anyway, off to close down and go home!
You know, getting a teaching job keeps sounding better & better. The pay is better, hours would be better, esp. if I went for school librarian position, and I'd have vacation time. As it is, I have to plan 3 months in advance if I want more than a day off & I hate it.
Anyway, I went with exmi this weekend to see the Narnia movie and I LOVED IT! I enjoyed the graphics, the battle scenes, Edmund was a complete rat, just like I expected, Mr. Tumnus was adorable, Aslan was majestic, and it was generally just cool. I liked the book, lenjoyed the movie which managed to stick to the book fairly well, and intend to add the movie to my DVD collection. And when the next Narnia movie is released, I will go see that as well.
I am just relieved that there are still real movies being made that do not depend on the number of cars being blown up to make their money.
Anyway, off to close down and go home!
Sunday, December 18, 2005
It's Another Sunday At Work
Today has been rather fun, actually. On the drive in, I saw a bird with sadistic/suicidal tendencies. The vulture took off straight at the car in front of me and was on a course were he would have hit the front window if he had not taken a dump and flapped his wings to gain altitude. Bets on which did the most to help him achieve a higher elevation. ;-)
Got here and have had fun watching my counterpart running around, doing all those little chores you can't do when you are surrounded by your normal staff. And she has taught me how to make capital letters using pipe cleaners & a bit of imagination. She is 1 of those people with a real talent for decorating and I envy her that. I am obssessive and a clean freak, but artisctic? Not in this life time.
Outside of being at work, I am officially a convert to the wonders of "Firefly," and am eagerly awaiting the release of Serenity here at work so that I can watch it as often as I please over a 3-week period. Hey, working at a library has some benefits! I will end up buying the silly collection, along with my Christmas classics. Probably just cheat & put them on layaway after Christmas. Cause I want!
My after Christmas want list is sooooo incredibly long right now. Oh well. I need to log off & close up. Later!
Got here and have had fun watching my counterpart running around, doing all those little chores you can't do when you are surrounded by your normal staff. And she has taught me how to make capital letters using pipe cleaners & a bit of imagination. She is 1 of those people with a real talent for decorating and I envy her that. I am obssessive and a clean freak, but artisctic? Not in this life time.
Outside of being at work, I am officially a convert to the wonders of "Firefly," and am eagerly awaiting the release of Serenity here at work so that I can watch it as often as I please over a 3-week period. Hey, working at a library has some benefits! I will end up buying the silly collection, along with my Christmas classics. Probably just cheat & put them on layaway after Christmas. Cause I want!
My after Christmas want list is sooooo incredibly long right now. Oh well. I need to log off & close up. Later!
Friday, December 16, 2005
I'm Sponge Bob
Everyone has a personality of a cartoon character.
Have you ever asked yourself what cartoon character do you most resemble? A group of investigators got together and analyzed the personalities of well known and modern cartoon characters. The information that was gathered was made into this test...
Answer all the questions with what describes you best, add up all your Points (which are next to the answer that you choose) at the end and look for your results. Do not cheat by looking at the end of the e-mail before you are done. Then forward this to all your friends (including the person who sent it to you) and change the subject of this message to what character is you.
1. Which one of the following describes the perfect date?.
a) Candlelight dinner (4 pts.).
b) Fun/Theme Park (2 pts.).
c) Painting in the park (5 pts.).
d) Rock concert (1 pt.).
e) Going to the movies (3 pts.)
2. What is your favorite type of music?.
a) Rock and Roll (2 pts.).
b) Alternative (1 pt.).
c) Soft Rock (4 pts.).
d) Country (5 pts.).
e) Pop (3 pts.)
3. What type of movies do you prefer?.
a) Comedy (2 pts.).
b) Horror (1 pt.).
c) Musical (3 pts.).
d) Romance (4 pts.).
e) Documentary (5 pts.)
4. Which one of these occupations would you choose if you only could choose one of these?.
a) Waiter (4 pts.).
b) Professional Sports Player (5 pts.).
c) Teacher (3 pts.).
d) Police (2 pts.).
e) Cashier (1 pt)
5 . What do you do with your spare time?.
a) Exercise (5 pts.).
b) Read (4 pts.).
c) Watch television (2 pts.).
d) Listen to music (1 pt.).
e) Sleep (3 pts.)
6. Which one of the following colors do you like best?.
a) Yellow (1 pt.).
b) White (5 pts.).
c) Sky Blue (3 pts.).
d) Dark Blue (2 pts.).
e) Red (4 pts.)
7. What do you prefer to eat?.
a) Snow (3 pts.).
b) Pizza (2 pts.).
c) Sushi (1 pt.).
d) Pasta (4 pts.).
e) Salad (5 pts.)
8 . What is your favorite holiday?.
a) Halloween (1 pt.).
b) Christmas (3 pts.).
c) New Year (2 pts.).
d) Valentine's Day (4 pts.).
e) Thanksgiving (5 pts.)
9. If you could go to one of these places which one would it be?.
a) Paris (4 pts).
b) Spain (5 pts).
c) Las Vegas (1 pt).
d) Hawaii (4 pts).
e) Hollywood (3 pts)
10. With which of the following would you prefer to spend time with?.
a) Someone Smart (5 pts.).
b) Someone attractive (2 pts.).
c) Someone who likes to Party (1 pt.).
d) Someone who always has fun (3 pts.).
e) Someone very sentimental (4 pts.)
Now add up your points and find out the answer you have been waiting for!
Put your character in the subject line and forward to your friends and back to the person that sent this to you. Very interesting to see "who" your friends are!
(10-16 points) You are Garfield: You are very comfortable, easy going, and you definitely know how to have fun but sometimes you take it to an extreme. You always know what you are doing and you are always in control of your life. Others may not see things as you do, but that doesn't mean that you always have to do what is right. Try to remember, your happy spirit may hurt you or others.
(17-23 points) You are Snoopy: You are fun, you are very cool and popular. You always know what's in and you are never are out of style. You are good at knowing how to satisfy everyone else. You have probably disappeared for a few days more than once but you always come home with the family values that you learned. Being married and having children are important to you, but only after you have had your share of fun times.
(24-28 points) You are Elmo:You have lots of friends and you are also popular, always willing to give advice and help out a person in need. You are very optimistic and you always see the bright side of things. Some good advice: try not to be too much of a dreamer. Dreaming too big could cause many conflicts in your life.
(29-35 points) You are Sponge Bob Square Pants:You are the classic person that everyone loves. You are the best friend that anyone could ever have and never wants to lose. You never cause harm to anyone and they would never not understand your feelings. Life is a journey, it's funny and calm for the most part. Stay away from traitors and jealous people, and you will be stress free.
(36-43 points) You are Charlie Brown:You are tender, you fall in love quickly but you are also very serious about all relationships. You are a family person. You call your mom every Sunday. You have many friends and may occasionally forget a few Birthdays. Don't let your passion confuse you with reality.
(44-50 points) You are Dexter:You are smart and definitely a thinker... Every situation is fronted with a plan. You have a brilliant mind. You demonstrate very strong
family principles. You maintain a stable routine but never ignore a bad situation when it comes. Try to do less over thinking every once in awhile to spice things up a bit with spontaneity!
Now don't spoil it! Have some Fun!! Change the subject of the email towhat you are and send it on!Don't forget to send it back to the one who sent it to you. Have a greatDay !
Have you ever asked yourself what cartoon character do you most resemble? A group of investigators got together and analyzed the personalities of well known and modern cartoon characters. The information that was gathered was made into this test...
Answer all the questions with what describes you best, add up all your Points (which are next to the answer that you choose) at the end and look for your results. Do not cheat by looking at the end of the e-mail before you are done. Then forward this to all your friends (including the person who sent it to you) and change the subject of this message to what character is you.
1. Which one of the following describes the perfect date?.
a) Candlelight dinner (4 pts.).
b) Fun/Theme Park (2 pts.).
c) Painting in the park (5 pts.).
d) Rock concert (1 pt.).
e) Going to the movies (3 pts.)
2. What is your favorite type of music?.
a) Rock and Roll (2 pts.).
b) Alternative (1 pt.).
c) Soft Rock (4 pts.).
d) Country (5 pts.).
e) Pop (3 pts.)
3. What type of movies do you prefer?.
a) Comedy (2 pts.).
b) Horror (1 pt.).
c) Musical (3 pts.).
d) Romance (4 pts.).
e) Documentary (5 pts.)
4. Which one of these occupations would you choose if you only could choose one of these?.
a) Waiter (4 pts.).
b) Professional Sports Player (5 pts.).
c) Teacher (3 pts.).
d) Police (2 pts.).
e) Cashier (1 pt)
5 . What do you do with your spare time?.
a) Exercise (5 pts.).
b) Read (4 pts.).
c) Watch television (2 pts.).
d) Listen to music (1 pt.).
e) Sleep (3 pts.)
6. Which one of the following colors do you like best?.
a) Yellow (1 pt.).
b) White (5 pts.).
c) Sky Blue (3 pts.).
d) Dark Blue (2 pts.).
e) Red (4 pts.)
7. What do you prefer to eat?.
a) Snow (3 pts.).
b) Pizza (2 pts.).
c) Sushi (1 pt.).
d) Pasta (4 pts.).
e) Salad (5 pts.)
8 . What is your favorite holiday?.
a) Halloween (1 pt.).
b) Christmas (3 pts.).
c) New Year (2 pts.).
d) Valentine's Day (4 pts.).
e) Thanksgiving (5 pts.)
9. If you could go to one of these places which one would it be?.
a) Paris (4 pts).
b) Spain (5 pts).
c) Las Vegas (1 pt).
d) Hawaii (4 pts).
e) Hollywood (3 pts)
10. With which of the following would you prefer to spend time with?.
a) Someone Smart (5 pts.).
b) Someone attractive (2 pts.).
c) Someone who likes to Party (1 pt.).
d) Someone who always has fun (3 pts.).
e) Someone very sentimental (4 pts.)
Now add up your points and find out the answer you have been waiting for!
Put your character in the subject line and forward to your friends and back to the person that sent this to you. Very interesting to see "who" your friends are!
(10-16 points) You are Garfield: You are very comfortable, easy going, and you definitely know how to have fun but sometimes you take it to an extreme. You always know what you are doing and you are always in control of your life. Others may not see things as you do, but that doesn't mean that you always have to do what is right. Try to remember, your happy spirit may hurt you or others.
(17-23 points) You are Snoopy: You are fun, you are very cool and popular. You always know what's in and you are never are out of style. You are good at knowing how to satisfy everyone else. You have probably disappeared for a few days more than once but you always come home with the family values that you learned. Being married and having children are important to you, but only after you have had your share of fun times.
(24-28 points) You are Elmo:You have lots of friends and you are also popular, always willing to give advice and help out a person in need. You are very optimistic and you always see the bright side of things. Some good advice: try not to be too much of a dreamer. Dreaming too big could cause many conflicts in your life.
(29-35 points) You are Sponge Bob Square Pants:You are the classic person that everyone loves. You are the best friend that anyone could ever have and never wants to lose. You never cause harm to anyone and they would never not understand your feelings. Life is a journey, it's funny and calm for the most part. Stay away from traitors and jealous people, and you will be stress free.
(36-43 points) You are Charlie Brown:You are tender, you fall in love quickly but you are also very serious about all relationships. You are a family person. You call your mom every Sunday. You have many friends and may occasionally forget a few Birthdays. Don't let your passion confuse you with reality.
(44-50 points) You are Dexter:You are smart and definitely a thinker... Every situation is fronted with a plan. You have a brilliant mind. You demonstrate very strong
family principles. You maintain a stable routine but never ignore a bad situation when it comes. Try to do less over thinking every once in awhile to spice things up a bit with spontaneity!
Now don't spoil it! Have some Fun!! Change the subject of the email towhat you are and send it on!Don't forget to send it back to the one who sent it to you. Have a greatDay !
Tuesday, December 13, 2005
New Carols
These are from exmi & I figured that there had to be someone who would get the (BAD) joke.
"Azathoth, Azathoth <http://everything2.net/index.pl?node=azathoth> "
by Bryan M. Ball to the tune of "Jingle Bells" <http://everything2.net/index.pl?node=Jingle%20Bells>
Azathoth, Azathoth, Azathoth, the King, Center of the Universe <http://everything2.net/index.pl?node=Center%20of%20the%20Universe> ,
Insanity he brings, Hey!
Azathoth, Azathoth, Azathoth, the King, Center of the Universe, Insanity he brings.
Writhing round the place
<http://everything2.net/index.pl?node=The%20Crawling%20Chaos> ,
Insane pipers pipe, Takes up lots of space, The stars are getting ripe. <http://everything2.net/index.pl?node=R%27Lyeh>
R'Lyeh soon may rise,
<http://everything2.net/index.pl?node=Nyarlathotep>
Nyarlathotep plots, Earth will be the prize, We'll all lose our spots. Ohhh!
Azathoth, Azathoth, Azathoth, the King, Center of the Universe, Insanity he brings! _____
"The Carol of the Old Ones <http://everything2.net/index.pl?node=Old%20Ones> "
by A.H. Leman to the tune of "Carol of the Bells
<http://everything2.net/index.pl?node=Carol%20of%20the%20Bells>
" Look to the sky way up on high
There in the nigh stars now are right
Eons have passed now then at last
Whence They were penned
They will descend
They will return mankind will learn
New kinds of fear once They are here
As They reclaim all in Their name
Watch only can powerless man
Ignorant fools mankind now rules
Where They ruled then it's Theirs again
Madness will reign terror and pain
Woes without end where They extend
Scary scary scary scary Solstice
Very very very scary Solstice Up from the sea from underground
Down from the sky They're all around They will return mankind will learn New kinds of fear when They are hear They will return (followed by a glorious arrangement of four part harmonies) _____ "
<http://everything2.net/index.pl?node=Great%20Old%20Ones>
Great Old Ones Are Coming to Town" by Sean Branney to the tune of "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town"
You'd better watch out; you better go hide.
<http://everything2.net/index.pl?node=the%20Elder%20Sign>
And Elder Sign's needed for this Yuletide Great Old Ones are comin to town. They're making a fist and shaking it twice. They're going to hit you, naughty or nice. Great Old Ones are coming to town. They're bringing ugly Shoggoths <http://everything2.net/index.pl?node=shoggoth> , And horrid Deep Ones <http://everything2.net/index.pl?node=Deep%20Ones> too, Shub <http://everything2.net/index.pl?node=Shub%20Niggurath> Niggurath is waking up And so is Cthulhu <http://everything2.net/index.pl?node=Cthulhu> So you better watch out, you'd better go 'way, Before the big guy comes up from R'lyeh <http://everything2.net/index.pl?node=R%27lyeh> . Great Old Ones are coming to town. _____
"Hark! the Nameless Cultists Sing" by James Westbrooks to the tune of "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" Hark! the nameless cultists sing, ``Glory to our dreaming King, Deep beneath the ocean waves, dreaming in his wat'ry grave. Soon the stars will all be right, usher in eternal night! When Cthulhu comes to reign, things here 'bouts won't be the same!'' Hark! the namesless cultists sing, ``Glory to our dreaming King!'' Cthulhu whose name strikes fear, speaks to those whose souls can hear: Late at night an artist dreams, wakes up with an awful scream. Then in clay his visions mold, pretty outre so I'm told. Visions of a scene from Hell, near impossible to sell. Hark! the nameless cultists sing, ``Glory to our dreaming King!'' Hark! the Great One's Priestly Son, Hail or you will be undone. Death and pain to most he brings, Ris'n with darkness in His wings. Waked at last no more to lie , proof that death itself may die, Born to crush the human race , wipe them out and leave no trace. Hark! the nameless cultists sing, ``Glory to our dreaming King!''
"Azathoth, Azathoth <http://everything2.net/index.pl?node=azathoth> "
by Bryan M. Ball to the tune of "Jingle Bells" <http://everything2.net/index.pl?node=Jingle%20Bells>
Azathoth, Azathoth, Azathoth, the King, Center of the Universe <http://everything2.net/index.pl?node=Center%20of%20the%20Universe> ,
Insanity he brings, Hey!
Azathoth, Azathoth, Azathoth, the King, Center of the Universe, Insanity he brings.
Writhing round the place
<http://everything2.net/index.pl?node=The%20Crawling%20Chaos> ,
Insane pipers pipe, Takes up lots of space, The stars are getting ripe. <http://everything2.net/index.pl?node=R%27Lyeh>
R'Lyeh soon may rise,
<http://everything2.net/index.pl?node=Nyarlathotep>
Nyarlathotep plots, Earth will be the prize, We'll all lose our spots. Ohhh!
Azathoth, Azathoth, Azathoth, the King, Center of the Universe, Insanity he brings! _____
"The Carol of the Old Ones <http://everything2.net/index.pl?node=Old%20Ones> "
by A.H. Leman to the tune of "Carol of the Bells
<http://everything2.net/index.pl?node=Carol%20of%20the%20Bells>
" Look to the sky way up on high
There in the nigh stars now are right
Eons have passed now then at last
Whence They were penned
They will descend
They will return mankind will learn
New kinds of fear once They are here
As They reclaim all in Their name
Watch only can powerless man
Ignorant fools mankind now rules
Where They ruled then it's Theirs again
Madness will reign terror and pain
Woes without end where They extend
Scary scary scary scary Solstice
Very very very scary Solstice Up from the sea from underground
Down from the sky They're all around They will return mankind will learn New kinds of fear when They are hear They will return (followed by a glorious arrangement of four part harmonies) _____ "
<http://everything2.net/index.pl?node=Great%20Old%20Ones>
Great Old Ones Are Coming to Town" by Sean Branney to the tune of "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town"
You'd better watch out; you better go hide.
<http://everything2.net/index.pl?node=the%20Elder%20Sign>
And Elder Sign's needed for this Yuletide Great Old Ones are comin to town. They're making a fist and shaking it twice. They're going to hit you, naughty or nice. Great Old Ones are coming to town. They're bringing ugly Shoggoths <http://everything2.net/index.pl?node=shoggoth> , And horrid Deep Ones <http://everything2.net/index.pl?node=Deep%20Ones> too, Shub <http://everything2.net/index.pl?node=Shub%20Niggurath> Niggurath is waking up And so is Cthulhu <http://everything2.net/index.pl?node=Cthulhu> So you better watch out, you'd better go 'way, Before the big guy comes up from R'lyeh <http://everything2.net/index.pl?node=R%27lyeh> . Great Old Ones are coming to town. _____
"Hark! the Nameless Cultists Sing" by James Westbrooks to the tune of "Hark the Herald Angels Sing" Hark! the nameless cultists sing, ``Glory to our dreaming King, Deep beneath the ocean waves, dreaming in his wat'ry grave. Soon the stars will all be right, usher in eternal night! When Cthulhu comes to reign, things here 'bouts won't be the same!'' Hark! the namesless cultists sing, ``Glory to our dreaming King!'' Cthulhu whose name strikes fear, speaks to those whose souls can hear: Late at night an artist dreams, wakes up with an awful scream. Then in clay his visions mold, pretty outre so I'm told. Visions of a scene from Hell, near impossible to sell. Hark! the nameless cultists sing, ``Glory to our dreaming King!'' Hark! the Great One's Priestly Son, Hail or you will be undone. Death and pain to most he brings, Ris'n with darkness in His wings. Waked at last no more to lie , proof that death itself may die, Born to crush the human race , wipe them out and leave no trace. Hark! the nameless cultists sing, ``Glory to our dreaming King!''
Friday, December 09, 2005
Playing Today
I was taking some time to surf the net today & decided to visit some of the blogs I have bookmarked here. Looking at Word Incarnates last 2 postings, all I can say is "OUCH!" Especially since I am 1 who uses this as a way to journal in a stream of conscious. I also vent, review various forms of drivel, and generally lack any purpose beyond letting of steam so that I do not say something I should not.
But do I have any deep, philosophical thoughts? Nope. Do I bring up uncomfortable questions? Not this chicky! What do I blather on about? Dreams, books I have read, and how thong underwear is not that bad. As I sit here, staring at the screen, I am debating if I should be more profound & start posting my views on today's news. My internal wrestling has come to an end. The answer is a resounding "NO!"
I will remark on things like a conversation I just had about the differences between various churches & the stupidity of today's college students, but that is as far in to intellectual posts as I will get. Otherwise, I will stick to drivel, whines, rants, and the routine moans & groans.
As for the conversation I just had, we covered many areas and I was completely out of my depth because I just do not follow politics all that closely. But 1 of the political commentator's had a "contest" with a college girl who was from some mid-eastern school & part of the local college radio show. The girl was asked questions like who is Miers? (no clue) Who is the Vice President? (Al Gore) Can you name 5 senators? (nope) Who is Paris Hiltons sister? (She knew, though I don't) That just disturbs me because I see that sort of narrow knowledge base more & more.
We also discussed how some building are more "holy" than others. I admit to being biased and all that hookum, but some of the most inspiring buildings I have ever been in include Russian Orthodox Catholic churches in particular but catholic old style buildings in general, Buddhist temples, mosques, and Jewish temples.
During this conversation, I also had 1 of those flashes of obvious insight that occasionally occur to me. A comment was made that part of the reason the Catholic church appealed was the "order" and the "traditions," that go along with the "TRADITIONS." The insight was that probably part of the appeal is that we are both obsessive compulsive personalities & live for order & traditions. I am probably going to kill some time today looking to see if anyone has ever done personality work-ups of the great religious leaders who led revolts against the Catholic Church (Lutherans, Mennonites, etc.) Wonder how many were extroverts who rebelled against authority?
But do I have any deep, philosophical thoughts? Nope. Do I bring up uncomfortable questions? Not this chicky! What do I blather on about? Dreams, books I have read, and how thong underwear is not that bad. As I sit here, staring at the screen, I am debating if I should be more profound & start posting my views on today's news. My internal wrestling has come to an end. The answer is a resounding "NO!"
I will remark on things like a conversation I just had about the differences between various churches & the stupidity of today's college students, but that is as far in to intellectual posts as I will get. Otherwise, I will stick to drivel, whines, rants, and the routine moans & groans.
As for the conversation I just had, we covered many areas and I was completely out of my depth because I just do not follow politics all that closely. But 1 of the political commentator's had a "contest" with a college girl who was from some mid-eastern school & part of the local college radio show. The girl was asked questions like who is Miers? (no clue) Who is the Vice President? (Al Gore) Can you name 5 senators? (nope) Who is Paris Hiltons sister? (She knew, though I don't) That just disturbs me because I see that sort of narrow knowledge base more & more.
We also discussed how some building are more "holy" than others. I admit to being biased and all that hookum, but some of the most inspiring buildings I have ever been in include Russian Orthodox Catholic churches in particular but catholic old style buildings in general, Buddhist temples, mosques, and Jewish temples.
During this conversation, I also had 1 of those flashes of obvious insight that occasionally occur to me. A comment was made that part of the reason the Catholic church appealed was the "order" and the "traditions," that go along with the "TRADITIONS." The insight was that probably part of the appeal is that we are both obsessive compulsive personalities & live for order & traditions. I am probably going to kill some time today looking to see if anyone has ever done personality work-ups of the great religious leaders who led revolts against the Catholic Church (Lutherans, Mennonites, etc.) Wonder how many were extroverts who rebelled against authority?
Thursday, December 08, 2005
Weird Dream
I can tell that I am stressed & about to completely lose my temper soon. I have started having horrible intense dreams. I can not relay what the specifics of the conversation were in this dream, but I can tell you what the cast wore & other details.
Last night I dreamt that I was at a seminar & we were sitting at those horribly uncomfortable plastic desk chairs. On the left side of me was a girl friend who had also been drafted to go to this seminar. (She was wearing a Burgundy flowered skirt, black v-neck sweater & sling back heels.)
In front of me was a cute married guy with slightly buck teeth who was a lot of fun & kept writing notes for us to read over his shoulder about the seminar leader. Behind me was a REALLY attractive guy in khaki slacks & green sweater, with green eyes who was flirting outrageously. On my right side (& this is what is truly weird) was sitting an ex-lover of mine in light khaki's & a white button down shirt.
In the dream, & I honestly can't recall the specifics, we were being the obnoxious crew in the back of the room. And somehow we got on to my single status & I made some sort of snarky comment that my ex could not have avoided hearing unless he had suddenly gone deaf. That is when he turned around & made the only comment I can recall with any clarity, and it was something about how he is not my ex.
It was about that point that 1 of the cats announced in his tried & true method of scratching his claws down the window to tell me that he wanted out. So I got up to follow his orders & went back to a dreamless sleep.
Last night I dreamt that I was at a seminar & we were sitting at those horribly uncomfortable plastic desk chairs. On the left side of me was a girl friend who had also been drafted to go to this seminar. (She was wearing a Burgundy flowered skirt, black v-neck sweater & sling back heels.)
In front of me was a cute married guy with slightly buck teeth who was a lot of fun & kept writing notes for us to read over his shoulder about the seminar leader. Behind me was a REALLY attractive guy in khaki slacks & green sweater, with green eyes who was flirting outrageously. On my right side (& this is what is truly weird) was sitting an ex-lover of mine in light khaki's & a white button down shirt.
In the dream, & I honestly can't recall the specifics, we were being the obnoxious crew in the back of the room. And somehow we got on to my single status & I made some sort of snarky comment that my ex could not have avoided hearing unless he had suddenly gone deaf. That is when he turned around & made the only comment I can recall with any clarity, and it was something about how he is not my ex.
It was about that point that 1 of the cats announced in his tried & true method of scratching his claws down the window to tell me that he wanted out. So I got up to follow his orders & went back to a dreamless sleep.
Be Careful What You Wish For
I have relearned a horrible truth. I should have kept my mouth shut because my life has become amazingly busy & none of it is fun.
My current supervisor is going to retire this Dec. The 31st is his last day. I am thrilled for him & all that hoopla. The problems lie in how it will be April before his replacement starts. So between now & then, his supervisor will be here and she is not my favorite personality type. My least favorite personality type is actually one of my employees. She is the passive aggressive/oblivious type with a dash of smug self righteousness thrown in to just grate. Since she also stinks of mothballs, I have a hard time dealing with her. Throw in the fact that my retiring supervisor has let her continue all of her bad behavior with nothing but occasional verbal warnings & "reviews" of her evaluations, and she has had no reason to change. So now that he is leaving, I now have to joy of dealing with her without any buffers. Since I also now have the authority to say "NO!" to her, there is going to be hell until all the little quirks are shifted out & I am sooo not looking forward to being the one to point out that, no, she can not rearrange the schedule just so that she can go see her daughter play soccer. Since I am understaffed even when everyone is healthy & there are no problems any more, this is going to be a big issue soon.
But my retiring bosses supervisor is the annoying type. I will be among the 1st to say that she is highly intelligent and has made several major improvements to the system and has made life vastly easier with her mania for rules and methods. However, she can not carry a thought to its conclusion to save her life. She has managed to tick off almost everyone I have dealt with within this organization. She has those annoying speech habits that are enough to have me screaming. If I hear, "the scoop is . . ." one more time, I will present her with a freaking ice cream scoop and say something snarky out of sheer rebellion.
My peer within the county & I had a meeting with her to discuss the changes that will take place in January, and she "closed" the meeting with a statement that bewildered & infuriated. Seems that she is grooming various individuals within the system to become leaders and she hopes to include us (though I think she really meant my peer & not me). She feels that leaders tend to be more people oriented and able to lead others to become even more outstanding than they already are. But as managers, all we do is take care of the building and let our supervisors and leaders handle the people.
She then continued to tell me that I was too negative - which I am but that is a matter of growing up in a catholic Italian household & serious trust issues - and that as a "devil's advocate" I needed to become more positive and stop questioning.
Can anyone guess why I am bewildered & infuriated? Especially since, up until now, I have not even spent 8 hours in contact of any sort with this woman over a 2 year period?
What makes these comments bearable is that my retiring boss (waah!) & several others have all pointed out that I do tend to have rather intelligent questions that require an acknowledgement that I do now how to think. Even worse, she has to acknowledge that I am as well educated as she is. Since that is not acceptable to her as an ALA accredited supervisor, then I am (obviously) a pesky thorn in her side. To compound my flaws, I am not a bubbly personality & lean more towards suspicious, anti-social, & generally ready to be stabbed in the back.
I am sure that this will all work out, but it is going to be a miserable few months until our replacement coordinator arrives.
My current supervisor is going to retire this Dec. The 31st is his last day. I am thrilled for him & all that hoopla. The problems lie in how it will be April before his replacement starts. So between now & then, his supervisor will be here and she is not my favorite personality type. My least favorite personality type is actually one of my employees. She is the passive aggressive/oblivious type with a dash of smug self righteousness thrown in to just grate. Since she also stinks of mothballs, I have a hard time dealing with her. Throw in the fact that my retiring supervisor has let her continue all of her bad behavior with nothing but occasional verbal warnings & "reviews" of her evaluations, and she has had no reason to change. So now that he is leaving, I now have to joy of dealing with her without any buffers. Since I also now have the authority to say "NO!" to her, there is going to be hell until all the little quirks are shifted out & I am sooo not looking forward to being the one to point out that, no, she can not rearrange the schedule just so that she can go see her daughter play soccer. Since I am understaffed even when everyone is healthy & there are no problems any more, this is going to be a big issue soon.
But my retiring bosses supervisor is the annoying type. I will be among the 1st to say that she is highly intelligent and has made several major improvements to the system and has made life vastly easier with her mania for rules and methods. However, she can not carry a thought to its conclusion to save her life. She has managed to tick off almost everyone I have dealt with within this organization. She has those annoying speech habits that are enough to have me screaming. If I hear, "the scoop is . . ." one more time, I will present her with a freaking ice cream scoop and say something snarky out of sheer rebellion.
My peer within the county & I had a meeting with her to discuss the changes that will take place in January, and she "closed" the meeting with a statement that bewildered & infuriated. Seems that she is grooming various individuals within the system to become leaders and she hopes to include us (though I think she really meant my peer & not me). She feels that leaders tend to be more people oriented and able to lead others to become even more outstanding than they already are. But as managers, all we do is take care of the building and let our supervisors and leaders handle the people.
She then continued to tell me that I was too negative - which I am but that is a matter of growing up in a catholic Italian household & serious trust issues - and that as a "devil's advocate" I needed to become more positive and stop questioning.
Can anyone guess why I am bewildered & infuriated? Especially since, up until now, I have not even spent 8 hours in contact of any sort with this woman over a 2 year period?
What makes these comments bearable is that my retiring boss (waah!) & several others have all pointed out that I do tend to have rather intelligent questions that require an acknowledgement that I do now how to think. Even worse, she has to acknowledge that I am as well educated as she is. Since that is not acceptable to her as an ALA accredited supervisor, then I am (obviously) a pesky thorn in her side. To compound my flaws, I am not a bubbly personality & lean more towards suspicious, anti-social, & generally ready to be stabbed in the back.
I am sure that this will all work out, but it is going to be a miserable few months until our replacement coordinator arrives.
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