So It's Been A Busy Few Weeks
Hard to believe it's been so long since I updated this silly thing.
Time seems to slip away easier and easier these days. I'm not at all certain that's a good thing.
Let's see. I celebrated a birthday on the 8th. It was a good time. nightwolfwriter asked what I wanted and I told him about some jewelry tools I was interested in. I figured I was being all helpful, but he has issues giving practical gifts. :-) He took me out and let me buy a few things which was fun, but my *big* birthday present was tickets to see Keiko Matsui when she performed in D.C. It was a really tremendous concert. Almost worth the "intimate" (read very small and tight) venue. :-) I also went through my annual "what do I want to be when I grow up" thrashing. I always figured I'd know by now, but I don't have it figured out yet.
I attended a bead swap on the 7th which was fun. I got to trade away some of my stash and bring home some new items. I'm enjoying my membership in the Baltimore Bead Society. Besides it gives the family a well needed break and lets me hang with folks who are as eager as I am to discuss chain maille weaves, beads, and the wonderful world of wirebending. :-)
Work has been a little odd. I'm getting back on better terms with the colleague I managed to annoy back in February. Of course her mother passing away earlier this month may have had a little to do with that. Funny thing, death. It tends to trivialize other issues and snap everything into stark perspective. She and I had been pretty close up before I annoyed her, so naturally I was put in charge of getting a card, collecting money, and selecting a suitable condolences offering from the office. While I was at it, I got all our beading buddies together and got her a gift certificate from the bead store nearest to her.
News of a better sort is I was submitted for promotion this year. "Submitted" doesn't necessarily mean "promoted," but it's better than the last few years when they didn't even take me into consideration. I'll take that as a step forward.
Writing and jewelry and creative endeavors are slowly coming back into focus. It was hard to really care about much when my meds were out of whack and I felt so nasty. Now that things are getting back on track I need to finish up the work I owe my college professors so I can move forward with that. They've been more than patient with me and I am very grateful.
I didn't get picked up for a training program at work that I was really wanting to get into. Annoying that. I know I could benefit from it--fill some gaps in my knowledge, but it's always "no thanks. We want to give all the slots to these fresh faced college kids." Bah, humbug.
I participated in the Cookie Bake off at work, which was funny in and of itself. I made my mother-in-law's Amish Sugar Cookie recipe because it made a lot. (I was participating at the bake off at headquarters, and my local office, so I needed enough cookies for both locations.) I won at HQ, and came in dead last at my local office. I think judge demographics may have had something to do with it. Anyway, I participated. Now they can't say I never get out. :-)
I had the opportunity to listen to Clifford Stoll speak, which was an experience in itself. He's a very personable fellow, and the definition of "absent minded professor." For anyone who doesn't know, he wrote The Cuckoo's Egg a first hand account of the hunt for a computer cracker who broke into a computer at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBL). This was big stuff in the late 80's, and some of the issues and questions are still relevant today. I also learned he's a big fan of mobius strips and Klein bottles. :-)
The retailer who was selling my medical bracelets for me wants to discontinue. Disappointing, but not really surprising. Her shop wasn't exactly the proper venue for that sort of thing. Luckily she likes my chain work and said she might like to carry chain maille jewelry of the non medical bracelet type. I can certainly accommodate her. :-)
The daughter's birthday is coming up and we're celebrating this weekend. She wants to have a couple of her friends over and go out to eat at a fancy restaurant. She already got her big present. She's been saying she wanted to take up guitar for a while now. I had my father send up my old acoustic guitar from home a while back, but her hands are too small for its neck. Besides, she's much more interested in the electric variety. nightwolfwriter and I found a music store that has a neat policy. I had to agree to keep the instrument for three months. That should give her sufficient time to see if she likes it or not. It she does, I continue paying the payments (interest free for 12 months.) If she doesn't, the store takes it back no questions asked. She's due to start lessons April 7th, so we'll see how it goes.
The yard is back in pretty good shape, even with all the snow. Our plants appear to have weathered the storm like champs. On the home improvement front, I think we're finally going to see about getting another contractor to finish up what our current one started. I don't doubt his competence, but I'm not holding out much hope that his health and family situation are going to improve anytime soon. I hate to do it, but he's had ample time and I really want my house back. I'm tired of being in this state of "in progress." Besides, I miss my deck.
So, yeah, that's mostly what I've been up to. Now it's time for bed.
Night, LJ.
Time seems to slip away easier and easier these days. I'm not at all certain that's a good thing.
Let's see. I celebrated a birthday on the 8th. It was a good time. nightwolfwriter asked what I wanted and I told him about some jewelry tools I was interested in. I figured I was being all helpful, but he has issues giving practical gifts. :-) He took me out and let me buy a few things which was fun, but my *big* birthday present was tickets to see Keiko Matsui when she performed in D.C. It was a really tremendous concert. Almost worth the "intimate" (read very small and tight) venue. :-) I also went through my annual "what do I want to be when I grow up" thrashing. I always figured I'd know by now, but I don't have it figured out yet.
I attended a bead swap on the 7th which was fun. I got to trade away some of my stash and bring home some new items. I'm enjoying my membership in the Baltimore Bead Society. Besides it gives the family a well needed break and lets me hang with folks who are as eager as I am to discuss chain maille weaves, beads, and the wonderful world of wirebending. :-)
Work has been a little odd. I'm getting back on better terms with the colleague I managed to annoy back in February. Of course her mother passing away earlier this month may have had a little to do with that. Funny thing, death. It tends to trivialize other issues and snap everything into stark perspective. She and I had been pretty close up before I annoyed her, so naturally I was put in charge of getting a card, collecting money, and selecting a suitable condolences offering from the office. While I was at it, I got all our beading buddies together and got her a gift certificate from the bead store nearest to her.
News of a better sort is I was submitted for promotion this year. "Submitted" doesn't necessarily mean "promoted," but it's better than the last few years when they didn't even take me into consideration. I'll take that as a step forward.
Writing and jewelry and creative endeavors are slowly coming back into focus. It was hard to really care about much when my meds were out of whack and I felt so nasty. Now that things are getting back on track I need to finish up the work I owe my college professors so I can move forward with that. They've been more than patient with me and I am very grateful.
I didn't get picked up for a training program at work that I was really wanting to get into. Annoying that. I know I could benefit from it--fill some gaps in my knowledge, but it's always "no thanks. We want to give all the slots to these fresh faced college kids." Bah, humbug.
I participated in the Cookie Bake off at work, which was funny in and of itself. I made my mother-in-law's Amish Sugar Cookie recipe because it made a lot. (I was participating at the bake off at headquarters, and my local office, so I needed enough cookies for both locations.) I won at HQ, and came in dead last at my local office. I think judge demographics may have had something to do with it. Anyway, I participated. Now they can't say I never get out. :-)
I had the opportunity to listen to Clifford Stoll speak, which was an experience in itself. He's a very personable fellow, and the definition of "absent minded professor." For anyone who doesn't know, he wrote The Cuckoo's Egg a first hand account of the hunt for a computer cracker who broke into a computer at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBL). This was big stuff in the late 80's, and some of the issues and questions are still relevant today. I also learned he's a big fan of mobius strips and Klein bottles. :-)
The retailer who was selling my medical bracelets for me wants to discontinue. Disappointing, but not really surprising. Her shop wasn't exactly the proper venue for that sort of thing. Luckily she likes my chain work and said she might like to carry chain maille jewelry of the non medical bracelet type. I can certainly accommodate her. :-)
The daughter's birthday is coming up and we're celebrating this weekend. She wants to have a couple of her friends over and go out to eat at a fancy restaurant. She already got her big present. She's been saying she wanted to take up guitar for a while now. I had my father send up my old acoustic guitar from home a while back, but her hands are too small for its neck. Besides, she's much more interested in the electric variety. nightwolfwriter and I found a music store that has a neat policy. I had to agree to keep the instrument for three months. That should give her sufficient time to see if she likes it or not. It she does, I continue paying the payments (interest free for 12 months.) If she doesn't, the store takes it back no questions asked. She's due to start lessons April 7th, so we'll see how it goes.
The yard is back in pretty good shape, even with all the snow. Our plants appear to have weathered the storm like champs. On the home improvement front, I think we're finally going to see about getting another contractor to finish up what our current one started. I don't doubt his competence, but I'm not holding out much hope that his health and family situation are going to improve anytime soon. I hate to do it, but he's had ample time and I really want my house back. I'm tired of being in this state of "in progress." Besides, I miss my deck.
So, yeah, that's mostly what I've been up to. Now it's time for bed.
Night, LJ.