We'll have a gay ol' time

My new job has the makings for a great sitcom!

There are the main characters: Kim and Helen - partners and owners of "The Cab".

Both ladies are in thier 50's. Kim is the business woman - knows how to play the price game with the vendors and it always looking for a new thing to get in customers. She deals with the money and how to keep the business afloat. She as recently been knick named "Mama Cab" buy some of the regulars. Mama Cab is quite animated and loves the kids that come in. She's quick with a baloon for the little ones or a free whip cream shot to the teenagers. Mama Cab organizes the contests: Crazy Hat Day, Silly Sock day, Knock, Knock Joke day etc.

Helen is an artist. Completely the opposite of Kim and thinks from the right side of the brain. Her art is hung on the walls of the Cab only to serve as a bitter reminder that now dough is her canvas and buttercream frosting is medium these days. Helen is a bit more serious than her partner of 9 years. She is a bit nervous about the business and is always going through a mental check list of things that need to be done. Highly organized, perhaps a bit anal and runs around like a chicken with her head cut off but she gets things done!

Then there is me - Shazza, sort of the comic relief at times, but often moody. Has been known to break out in song at the spur of the moment and dance with dough. Decorating hundreds of gingerbread people is enough to drive her absolutely freakin' nuts! I am kept in the kitchen and only occasionally amd allowed to come out and mingle with the customers. Keep her baking! Keep her baking!!!

The customers are the real gems of "The Cab". There are "the students" who come in for their lunch breaks to load themselves up on cookies, mega brownies and double layered cookie pies and then wash them down with pure cane sugar Jones Soda. The Geeks, the freaks and the jocks all co-existing together for the sugar rush and a cheap lunch.

Some of the students we actually know their names but we have given them nicknames that best describe them. Not a lot of thought has been put to these names, but they work some how: Brownie boy - buys at least 1 double dark chocolate Ghiradelli brownie a day, Root Beer boy who is addicted to our root beer flavored milk shakes, pink hair girl (she has pink hair), blue haired girl (she has blue hair), tree nut boy (cannot have anything with tree nuts) etc.

Tea lady - comes in every day for a cup of tea, reads the paper and puts on her make up.

Love birds - the work together and come in every morning for a cup of coffee and a bit of intimate conversation.

Thumbprint addict - is in 2 - 3 times a week to buy up all of our raspberry thumbprint cookies.

Bran Muffin man - he looks like he's in his 80's. Runs 5k's and comes in for the occasional "healthy harvest" bran muffin. Sometimes a cookie as well! ;)

Hot dog guy - two hot dogs with mustard and kraut, and a chocolate chip cookie as desert.

Yadda, yadda, yadda - and so on and so forth!

There is a group of out and proud gay kids who have made "The Cab" their home. Mama Cab organized a "make your own mini cookie pie" day and all of the gay kids came in and played with cookies and frosting and gummi bears and all sorts of sugary sweets. Then they hung around and played their music and a few got a bit "cuddly" with each other.

"The Cab" has become a place where they feel safe and know that they can be themselves with us.

Very cool!

Wednesday nights are Teen nights and the place gets packed with kids from all over and an impromptu karaoke and dance seems to evolve. Mama Cab lets them have their fun but at 8:00 PM it's over and "The Cab" is closed. The teens dutifully return their tables back to where they were, and clean up after themselves and say thank you as they walk out the door.

We laugh a lot at "The Cab". This has been the most fun I've had at a job in ages. I seem to be channeling my Grandmother Harrison who was actually a master baker and have made some scrumptious scones and marvelous mocha munchis as well as the freakin' gingerbread armies!

I will somehow have to find a way to put all of the shenannigans down on paper - who knows maybe I'm on to something here!

Basement project - part 2

Just a quick update on the basement project.

Rick and Cait have been working their butts off on this and I have to say I'm quite impressed!

Rick and his father started the framing this weekend and managed to get a good start. Rick has been here almost every night this week and should have it all finished by tonight. He will work on the electrical next. Then comes the fun part of sheet rocking, spackling, sanding and installing the drop ceiling!!!

Caitlin doesn't really have any wood working skills but she has been doing her part by painting and packing and moving boxes (many filled with Margie's books) and carrying some furniture up and down the two flights of stairs! Today, she and I dismantled the entertainment center that was down there, carried it up to my new space (her old room) and rolled up the area rugs and put them outside for the trash. The padding underneath was absolutely disgusting. It's been down there for nine years and was deteriorating and smelled a bit like old shoes.

They are trying to get as much done as possible before Rick goes on tour again with his band The Racing Kites. He is the drummer and they will leave sometime mid-August and won't be back for 6 weeks!

I don't think it will be 100% finished but they should have a livable space anyway!



Here's Rick with his trusty drill and a curious smirk! (Caitlin was making fun of his "apron".)



Caitlin is painting some shelves. (Rick said she is just jealous because she doesn't have an apron and will probably get paint on her clothes!)

Work

Officially it's been 107 days since I was "let go" from my former employer.

Since then I have been spending my time working on various projects around the house that I needed/wanted to get done.

We keep a white board up in our kitchen to remind us of appointments or write little notes to one another when we're feeling silly. I have been using it as my job jar. It works pretty well if I write down the things I need to do, but if you don't write it down...it ain't gettin' done!

M will ask me: "Did you remember to do such and such yesterday?"

"Nope...sorry I forgot. Write it down so I'll remember please."

Then we go on about our business and neither one of us remembers to write it down. A few weeks later she may ask me the same thing.

This will go on and on until ONE of us remembers to write the damn thing down!

There are a few jobs that I don't have on the white board that I haven't forgotten about. Maybe deliberately, maybe I'm just being lazy or maybe I'm scared.

1. Lose weight. I've been successful at losing weight in the past, but I have not been successful in keeping it off. Kind of like Oprah. I'll shed 40 50 pounds and swear never to put it back on again. And I do. This is a job that I deliberately put off because it's SO much freakin' work to diet and exercise and I don't enjoy either one. I can work outside from dawn til' dusk and sweat my ass of mowing, raking weeding, pruning or whatever but 30 minutes on the dreadmill is B-O-R-I-N-G!!! Dieting or changing my eating habits or whatever you want to call is not as easy as it used to be. I used to be able to go on Weight Watchers for a while and really do well. Now as my body has been changing the weight loss is much slower and I lose my patience with it and then go out and buy myself a cream donut. (pathetic isn't it?)

2. Work on my art/creative side again. I used to enjoy picking up my camera and just go out exploring. Sometimes I'd go through 4 or 5 rolls of film and sometimes I'd only get off a few shots. Time of day, lighting and location will always dictate this. I've wanted to start painting again I enjoy it. It's very soothing and I can lose myself for hours doing it, but it's been at least 3 years since I've seriously painted anything. I've just been lazy really. I've made all kinds of excuses: I needed to clean up the basement (which I've done), I needed to clean off my art desk (check), I need more time to myself (bloody hell I've got gobs and gobs of it now). So now I've run out of excuses.

3. Me This is the scary one. I've been to counselors during times of crisis in my life: divorce, coming out, post-partum depression, grief, relationships etc. Each time has been very helpful in getting through the tough times. An objective opinion, someone who can give you the tools to help you get through whatever it is you need to get through. The counselor that I see now - she's different. She's sharp and sees right through my bull shit!

She's asked me to write. Freestyle- whatever comes into my head. Stream of consciousness. Carry a notebook around with me and whenever I feel like writing something down - just do it.

It doesn't have to mean anything, it doesn't have to be a journal of what I've done - just whatever goes on in my head.

Random thoughts!

Thoughts like: "I've had this chair for so long it's perfectly conformed to my butt."

or

"Why is it when you open up a new box of tissues you always get two tissues and so you try to stuff the other one back in the box and then it looks crappy?"

Hmmmmmm...

Excuse me, I've got work to do.

Home projects

Unemployment has allowed me the time to work on some projects that I've put off for a long time.

So far I've managed to clean out the garage and finally put the holiday decorations away. Take all of the cardboard and an old computer monitor to the recycling center. Donate 4 bags of clothes to the Red Cross. Thatch the front yard and fill in some bald spots with seed, cleaned up the front and side gardens. Cleaned up the side of my neighbors house because if I don't all her leaves blow in my yard and started another compost pile because mine is full.

Sounds like a lot but trust me there were a lot of naps thrown in there too.

Today I started on the basement.

I've been putting this off for a loooooong time now.

When my kids were younger this was the place to hang out. They could play pool, watch movies, play video games or play on the computer. Daughter C had many sleep overs down there.

I kind of liked when they were all here. I knew they were safe and having a good time.

Our basement isn't finished, but it's a nice big space. It's 13 courses high so you don't feel like you are in a basement. I think if we just painted the walls and installed a drop ceiling and new carpet that is all it really needs.

So now that my kids are grown up and they don't really entertain down there too much anymore I've decided to re-arrange things a bit.

We don't have the money to paint the walls or add the drop ceiling or get new carpets right now so I'll just move things around and throw things away and hopefully open up the space a little bit more.

I took some pictures and stitched them together to give you an idea of what it looks like now: (you'll have to click on it to make it bigger sorry)

The pool table will go (it's buried under a pile of "stuff at the moment) - we don't play it anymore. I am going to put an ad in the paper and hope to sell it fairly cheap.

My daughters desk is gone. I had fun taking that apart this afternoon.

Then it's a matter of moving things around and trying to open up the space again.

With lots of caffeine and loud music it should be a fairly simple project!

(M can tell you - I have a knack of taking something simple and making it more complicated than it needs to be.)

Frau Blucher

In 7th grade I had a teacher who I will call: Frau Blucher

On the first day of class she came into the room, silently.

Closed the door behind her, picked up a piece of chalk and wrote her name on the board:

Frau Blucher

After that came the speech that I can still hear in my head to this day:

"My name is Frau Blucher and I am not your friend. Write down how to spell my name correctly because this is the last time I will write it on the board. You are to write it on the top right hand side of every paper that you turn in along with your section number. Anyone who fails to spell my name correctly will automatically get an "F" for that assignment.

I do not grade on a curve, that is for lazy people. Homework is to be completed and turned in on the day it is due and I will not accept any excuse for lateness except death. You will have homework every night."

First day of class and I already hated Frau Blucher.

I am not a good student. It's not that I'm stupid, I just become "disinterested" in things very quickly and then I get lazy. My mind wonders, I start doodling instead of taking notes and then I cram at the last minute thinking I'll just get by.

Sometimes it works - but sometimes it doesn't. (Kids, don't try this at home)

Frau Blucher was our Reading/Spelling teacher. Two subjects that I did well in up until 7th grade. I quickly went from an "A" to an "F" in her class and just barely had enough points on my final report card to pass into the next grade.

It wasn't all due to Frau Blucher, there were some other things going on in my life: puberty, pimples, greasy hair, glasses, dessert boots, low self-esteem.

Just your garden variety dork.

Right before our Easter vacation, Frau Blucher just happened to be the teacher in charge of handing out our report cards for that quarter. As she handed mine to me she looked me straight in the eye and said: "Looks like the Easter Bunny won't be visiting some one's house this year."

This was the same class that I endured having my books pushed off my book rack, having rude pictures drawn on my desk, signs taped to my back and spit balls stuck in my hair. To have a teacher say something like that in front of your classmates though, was an all time low point in my life.

It did wonders to my already low self-esteem.

But - somehow I recovered and managed to overcome and be pretty successful in my life. (Take THAT Frau Blucher!)

Today at work was probably one of the lowest points I've had in my adult life and it brought me right back to 7th grade and Frau Blucher's class.

I had to do yet another "Demo" of our product today in front of my bosses, a new hire, a guy who was interviewing for a job and our customer service manager.

I have been struggling with this "demo" since I started at this company and I'm not sure exactly why, but today was just horrific.

Last night I carefully wrote down my notes and put down everything that I've learned about the product so far. I should have known it wasn't going to go well when I went to print up my notes and I ran out of ink on my printer. Then my printer gave me an error and I had to re-start my computer 3 times to finally get it to work.

Bad karma.

Anyway - I got to the office early. Met the "new guy", was introduce to the "guy who may come on board as a sales rep" who happens to live in the same territory I cover. Caught my boss in a lie - she was going on a customer visit yesterday and I asked to go because I thought it would be good experience for me. She told me that "The daughter of Frau Blucher" only wanted her (Peep of Sales) and our customer service manager to go because it was an existing client and they were going to discuss some issues the client was experiencing.

I find out today that they brought the "new guy" with them on the customer visit.

WTF?

Yadda yadda yadda

What - eva!

The "daughter of Frau Blucher" comes into the room - she doesn't even LOOK at me.

Doesn't even acknowledge me.

I do my "demo".

Overall, I thought I did OK. Not great, but OK. I was very nervous for some reason and I did miss a few key points.

Then the time of reconing when the "daughter of Frau Blucher" gave me my review. She looked over me, to each side of me and through me but never AT me. She's brought up some very valid points that were wrong and I will acknowledge that but then she added things like: "Peep of Sales" is what I consider an "A" Student in this company. I will not accept a "C" student because to me a "C" is mediocre. "C" students do not belong with this company.

Now - when I get nervous or upset I start to turn red. It starts in my neck and then envelopes my entire face and head.

I was BEET red.

I was seething.

I was on flames!!!

Looking at the "new guy" and the "who may come on board as a sales rep" she gave THEM details of what she wanted in this presentation that she has NEVER told me before and I've done this 4 freakin' times!

I caught "Peep of Sales" in lie #2 for the day when she looks at me and said: "Remember Sharon we went over this".

Fucking bull SHIT!

I know my presentation was not without flaws but JEEEEZZZUUUSSSSSS!

To add insult to injury I brought in my first potential client and I was given the third degree about how I got it!

COLD CALLS!! Fucking 20 fucking cold calls a fucking day!

But - to be nice I was allowed to eat lunch with them..."daughter of Frau Blucher" STILL not looking at me the entire time and then I was promptly told that I "can go home because I will be more productive there".

Meanwhile "new guy" and "guy who may come on board as a sales rep" are asked to stay.

WTF #2???

I feel that the "daughter of Frau Blucher" has already written me off.

I would quit, but I'm too much of a stubborn Irish woman to do that.

You haven't met stubborn until you've met the daughter of Rose Harrison who was the QUEEEN of stubborn!

The "daughter of Frau Blucher", who is very clever and used to be a lawyer is in for a very long battle.

grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr


Beeeeeeaaaaatccccchhhh.

I guess the Easter Bunny won't be visiting my house this year either, but it's only because I'll scare him away with my beet red scary face!


Oh...and for those of you who may not know who Frau Blucher is, please watch the attached clip! (This is my FAVORITE movie)

I feel good!

The week is ending on an up note. Well as of 8:47 am it's still is anyway. I've been on sort of an employment roller coaster. I don't want to get into too many details right now, just because I'm trying to push it all out of my mind, but I will say that after a nice long conversation with my ex-Big Cheese from the company I used to work with I feel much better.

Big Cheese is only about 3 months older than I am - so it's hard to think of him as a "fatherly" figure, but he is definitely a mentor.

I think I have had 2 people in my life (out side of family and friends and relationship) who have really helped me along in my life.

The first was a guy named Joe L. He was the lighting and stage designer at the small local community theatre I worked at as a kid. He took me under his wing, was very protective of me and took the time to help me understand what color gels go into the lights and what effect he was achieving. We spent hour and hours until the wee hours of the morning untangling and tagging wires for the light board and then checking and re-checking to make sure they were correct.

He was very meticulous in his craft and he was very good at what he did.

My Dad even trusted him to take me to NYC to hang out with his friends. And Joe always respected that trust and made sure I didn't get into any trouble at the cast parties! There was one great Welcome Back Skylab party that I bent those rules a little bit - but again he made sure I got home safely.

I often think of him and how much he taught me and how he made me love the theatre inside and out.

Next is the Big Cheese. I know I've posted about him before on my blog. Where I used to work his office was right next to mine and so he had to walk by me every day. He always would say good morning and good night and often he would stop and just sit in my office and chat about - whatever it is he wanted to chat about. Usually he would notice a new piece of tacky something or other that I added to my office. His favorite was my Lucky Waving Cat:

He could NOT believe that anyone would ever buy something like that! (I hid it in his office when I left!)

Anyway - I've been having some job issues and I had gone in to talk to him about getting my old job back. I know the routine, I know the company, there would not be any learning curve to train me and I admitted to him that I thought I made a big mistake leaving.

He asked my why I don't like my new job - and I gave him my reasons. He asked me why I left my job with his company and I gave him my reasons for that as well.

Then he looked at me and said- "you don't appear to me to be someone who makes rash decisions, but my advice to you would be to stick it out at this new place for a while because I think you can do it. I've always thought you were a "doer" so to speak and I know you can do this. It may not be what you thought or wanted it to be, but you can do it."

We then joked around a bit, he told me he found the cat and it's no longer in hiding! (I felt pretty good about that) He wished me well and told me to keep in touch. Which I definitely will.

Then I thought about it.

And I thought a little more.

Then I realized - he is probably right. I can do this. Whether or not I want to do this remains the question, but I CAN do it.

Why is it that sometimes people all around you can tell you that you can do something and you respond: "yeah, yeah I know" and you don't really believe them or you just kind of push it off, but every once in a while there is someone in your life who says those same few words and it give you that little boost you needed to get it done?

Big Cheese is definitely one of those people who I have admired and respected before, but now I think I have a new appreciation for him.

So I dedicate this little song to the Big Cheese - thanks for boosting me up!

Happy Friday all!

Peace!

Are you calling me a liar?

True story:

BL (Boss lady) called me into her office the other day to go over a few things. She asked me if I had the XYZ folder. I told her no, that she gave me the file number, but never gave me the actual folder.

"Are you sure?" she asked.

"Almost positive, but to be honest I left my briefcase at home so I can't check it at the moment."

"You left your briefcase at home? With all of your "work files in there? That's not good."

Me thinking to myself: "Oh great...now she thinks I'm an absent minded and irresponsible twit."

Ok...she's not too far off, but it was really just an honest - "shit I'm late" kind of mistake.

"I could have sworn I gave it to you." She proceeded to look around her desk which is covered in misc. piles of "stuff." "Hmmmmm, it's not here. I know it was and I thought I had brought it into the meeting last week."

"Well, I will check my paperwork when I get home, but I am fairly certain I do not have it."

The next day BL comes towards me with a file in her hand: "Look what I found!" she exclaimed.

Me, being the sarcastic smart ass that I am responded: "See, I told you I didn't have it."

"Are you calling me a liar?" She asked me point blank.

"No, I am not." I replied thinking to myself - "ok...where the fuck did that come from?"

Then she looked me square in the eyes and said: "I do NOT lie."

"Hey, I was just joking with you." I walked away swiftly with the file in my hand thinking: "what the hell just happened?"

This is not a good start to this working relationship.

1. I have never been accused of calling someone a liar before...especially from a boss.

2. It has been my experience that if someone has to proclaim that they "aren't" something it is because they are. Like the shop keeper M and I met in Stroudsburg last weekend who warned us of the "Blacks and Latin Americans" in town and to watch out for our dangling earrings because they'll steal them from you. But he's not a racist.

Sure, buddy...whatever you say.

3. I think "BL" has some hormonal issues or some personality fluctuations that cause her rapid changes from "really nice happy go-lucky "BL" to "ranting, raving freakin' lunatic "BL".

Seriously.

AND she's a lawyer so I better watch myself.

It has been an interesting month to say the very least.

My "training" is done and I have to admit that this is probably the most I've had at any job.

They really want me to be successful and I appreciate that. Especially in this economy, it will not be an easy task.

For the most part I have to say that everyone in the office was willing to help me out. There are always personality quirks that one has to get used to. Just remembering that I've crossed the river from "majority liberal New Jersey" to "majority conservative Pennsylvania" is very hard at times since the office is literally just across the bridge - but it is truley a different world entirely.

Time will tell how this works out for me. I am not quite used to this market, it is much more aggressive and "hard selling" than I like. Actually I don't like sales at all to be completely honest. I just kind of evolved into this position. Truth of the matter - I still don't know what I want to be when I grow up.

If I ever grow up.

Raising alpacas has peaked my interest.

But I'll save that for another post.

Have a good weekend all - I hope to get back into the grove of things once I've unpacked and settled down a bit.

Be well!

Parting Shots

A while ago I had mentioned that I finally brought my camera with me to work when I was in Philly. I took some very random shots and I finally got the damn filmed developed.

This first set is my drive in. For some reason I thought it would be fun to take pictures going 75 mph on the NJ Turnpike.


Hey...people text message, I take pictures.


(Kids, don't try this at home!)



This is the last stretch I have on the NJ Turnpike - traffic was light that day. It's a very long and boring drive.

I'm gaining on him.

This is usually my view.


Ooops, here's my exit.

My daily cup of heaven!

Which way?

Now which way?

Approaching Ben Franklin Bridge


Over Ben...

Under Ben

Daily News Guy - Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays this poor dude from sellin' his papers!

Local Fox Noise Channel. ( I think I'm on TV every morning)


A cold and blustery day at Penn's Landing.

I turn down 2nd Street

The lovely parking garage where my little car hung out while I was at work.

My long flight down. I took the stairs just so I would get a little exercise each day.


This is the U.S. Customs Building in Philadelphia. It's right across the street from where I used to park. It's a pretty cool building.

More to come, I don't want to wear out Blogger with my uploads!

First Day

It was good. Kind of boring. A lot of folks are out on account of the holidays, but I absorbed enough.

I'm really too tired to post much today so I'll just leave you with another one of my favorite holiday songs.

This song deserves a better intro, but I really am exhausted.

Just enjoy!

Last day!

Ta da!

It's my official last day here. It is bittersweet. I will miss the people that I've worked with and have gotten to know over the past 2 years.

Super Sales Admin guy - the other side of my brain who I could not have done without.

Gentle Patrick - Tall, handsome and as gentle as a lamb with a fondness for wheat pita!?!

Mr. Greene - Smart and witty and is exploring the world right now. Good for him.

The Big Cheese - I will miss his impromptu visits to my office to talk about politics, kids, the economy or whatever else is on his mind at the time. He has to be the most approachable Presidents of a company I have ever met.

The Chief, Cook and Bottle washer - every office has one. The Office Manager Supreme. She amazes me in so many ways. She raised two smart successful girls on her own. She battled breast cancer, lost two very important people in her life within 2 months of each other: Her Aunt and her Mother who she watched wither away to nothing with dementia. This woman is absolutely amazing and I hope we stay in touch.

MDW - my boss, mentor, friend. She gave me a chance here and I hope I didn't disappoint her too much.

Auntie Mame - She still cracks me up with her humor and is off on a very tough journey ahead. She's as tough as Texas itself though and I know she'll pull through OK.

Our California Gal - Little Miss Sunshine. Always smiling and happy. We were each others sounding boards here when things got a little hairy. You always need someone to bitch to and let them bitch back once in a while. It's office therapy.

There are others of course. Our UK friends, although most have left the company and gone on to greener pastures. Our editorial staff and those hard working production people who have made some miracles happen.

Over all a great group of people.

I've learned a lot. A lot about the publishing industry, a lot about the Academic Library world, a lot about myself and I feel like I am moving on at the best possible moment.

Enough of the mushy stuff and on to the next song on the countdown.

I went out for drinks with an old friend and her new girlfriend last night. It was good to see her and catch up. They are engaged! New Jersey allows for same sex Civil Unions. They looked very happy, very much in love....very young but so damn adorable you just want to squeeze them!

Whenever I hear this song I always think of Dan. Christmas is her favorite time of the year and she is always singing holiday songs. You don't really get too annoyed with her because she is just a really beautiful person inside and out. One of those people who just makes you smile.

So, this song goes out to Dan and her future wife and I wish them both lots of love, health and happiness together!

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year by Andy Williams

Monday, Monday

Normally I don't like Monday's too much.

I guess there aren't too many people who do really. The weekend is gone, back to the grind of working for a living - but today I find myself very calm and content.

Aside from the "I eat poop" graffiti on my car Saturday morning, M and I had a really nice weekend. Saturday we went to see Rachel Getting Married. I'm still not sure if I liked it or not, it was different. There are parts that I liked, parts I didn't understand and parts that just kind of dragged on for no apparent reason.

I do have to say that I'm glad I don't have a family like that! Sheesh!

Saturday night we had a nice little dinner and then settled in to watch Mean Girls. M had never seen it before and it's a funny movie. It was a dark and stormy night on Saturday - perfect for getting in your jammies early and then watching a movie.




Sunday we walked the dogs in the park. They made some new friends: two pugs, a great dane pup who was nearly as tall as I am and a border collie. They hunted for various vermin - unsuccessfully but we let them think they are the greatest vermin hunters in the world and praise them when they try. Unless of course they are dragging us to a groundhog hole. It's amazing how strong Westies are when they are after an animal. Small dog - lot's of power!

After the dog walk I went out side for the back yard clean up: leaves and poop. Thanks to my trusty blower/vac it was a breeze and the doggies had a clean yard to defile in only about an hour and a half.



As is our custom, whenever I finish the yard work the boys and I hang out in the back yard for a beer.

It's our bonding time!




They chase each other around thankful for their clean back yard and I just watch them and serve as "base" whenever one dog doesn't want to engage. Usually it's Casey. He'll just hide under my legs while Corky tries to flush him out!

M was inside doing laundry and tackling the home finances. It's good having a CPA in the house because I SUCK at finances.

Next up for me was giving Corky a bath. Westies are known for their skin problems and now that Mr. Corkyman is a senior his have started. I carried him upstairs, prepared for a fight but actually I think the cool water and the scrubbing must have felt good on his itchy skin because he just let me bathe him.

After a bath there is about 1/2 hour of rolling and scrubbing on the carpet to try to get the "clean" smell off him!

Daughter C was upstairs brooding because she actually didn't have any plans and was bored. M and I choose to ignore her.

Next up...cooking time. I was just in the mood!

I had a hankering for some good ol' fashioned fried up chicken cutlets and I know if I make enough of them we'll have plenty of leftovers to kind of hold us over for the week if we need a quick meal. I put on Vivaldi Four Seasons and got to cooking.





I'm not the best cook in the world, but I enjoy it when it's not the day to day trying to figure out what to have for dinner. That bores me to no end. The constant" what do you want for dinner?", "I don't know, what do you want?", "Well I don't want chicken. We had chicken already", "Ok, how about pasta?" , "No, too many carbs." "Ok, how about steak?" "No, not in the mood." "Ok...how about you make yourself whatever you want and I'll make myself whatever you want?" "but I don't know what I want!?"

And on and on.

Does anyone else have these kinds of conversations in their house?

After the chicken cutlets were all done, then I have been meaning to make some Pumpkin Spice bread. I bought all the ingredients over a week ago, but just haven't had the time to make it.

The smell of that bread while it was baking was intoxicating! Even M and Daughter C who do not like to eat the bread liked the smell. Just the combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and all spice on a nice cool autumn day was heavenly.



The bread was a little "dark" on the corners, but still scrumptious!




We all had our dinner in shifts. M had some chicken cutlets with leftover rice and beans she made on Saturday night. I had a big salad with chopped cutlets and Daughter C finally made some plans and went out, then came back in and then went back out...came back in and then back out again.

Oh to be 21 again.

NOT!

Another lazy night in front of the TV until the days activities finally caught up with me about 8:30 and I headed for bed.

M stayed up to watch the baseball game I am sure. GO PHILLIES!!!




Monday's I work from home - so they aren't typical "ugh, gotta go back to work" type days for me. I am a lot more relaxed knowing I don't have to drive 1 1/2 hours into the office. I can sleep for an extra hour and not have to rush out the door.

I've sort of planned out what customers I need to take care of today and am working on trying to clean out my e-mail inbox since it's told me that I've exceeded my storage limit...again.

The dogs are quietly snoozing on the futon next to me and the hum of the filter in the fish tank and my typing are about the only sounds I hear.

It's actually very nice.

I think I'll get a lot done today!

Have a good one all!

Zzzzinggggggg!

I'm having one of those days.

Not a bad day...more of an A.D.D. day.

I can't focus on any one thing.

I've started like 5 different projects...and have stopped shortly after starting them and found myself staring.

Not at anything in particular...just staring.

I have little wind up toys on my desk that I've been playing with.

The little green guy dances, there is Pokey - he doesn't wind up...he just kind of sits there, the mouse does flips, the scorpion just walks and wags his little stinger, Gumby - he just sits there too, a little red race car in the back there that is very zippy, the little blue crab is fun...he walks sideways and really fast, and then there is Godzilla who shoots sparks out of his mouth.

This thing is very addictive if need something to keep your hands busy...

It's called a Tangle.

If you are one of those people that like to click pens or bend paper clips into little piece of art...this is a must!!! I'm buying one for everyone on my Christmas list!

Some doodle samples - it's what I do when I'm talking on the phone. (garbanzo salad on the right)

Hmmmm...I think I need to change my calendar!

This is a picture of part of my office.

Got my Hillary Nutcracker, pics of the family, a little jade plant that was just 3 inches high when I bought it. I'm so proud of it!

Here's a picture of the Gummi Tape Worm I bought at the Mutter Museum!

The reactions to this have been mixed as you well would imagine!

I thought it was funny...and it was the last one! I bet kids just love 'em!

As you can tell I am very easily amused, I don't take myself very seriously and I don't have clients in my office...ever!!!

Although most librarians would probably like my collection of "stuff".

Ohhhh...will you look at that?!? Almost time to go home!

G'night all!

Booth duty, an attempted nap, a great dinner and a wedding

I have the afternoon "booth duty" shift today, so I was able to "sleep in in a bit".


Normally, I don't sleep in, but I hadn't really slept much the previous night. My plane got in much later than I wanted and by the time I got to my hotel and settled it was 12:00 pacific time, but my body was telling me it was really 3:00 am eastern time.


I have become a really bad sleeper lately. I get anxious about not getting enough sleep and then I end up tossing and turning telling myself: SLEEP, dammit...SLEEP!


It has the opposite effect obviously and I end up tossing and turning and looking at the clock.


Sometimes I can't even sleep after taking a sleeping pill.

Anyway - I had an 8:30 AM appointment on Saturday, so....in my usual anxious about sleep frenzy...I didn't sleep. Well, maybe a little hear and there, but definitely not a restful sleep.


I managed well through my morning appointments, and booth duty and actually got to leave the conference early! I headed straight to my hotel for a nap.


Napping used to be an activity I enjoyed. Since I was little I remember my Mom taking an nap in the afternoon and I used to lie on the opposite side of the couch from her and kind of tangle my feet in hers and we'd both take a little snooze. Sometimes I would just lie as still as I could and watch her sleep. She looked so beautiful sleeping...and I would not want to wake her up. After about an hour or so...she'd would slowly wake up and we'd play this little footsie game for a while. Pushing our feet back and forth...kind of wrestling to see who could make each others knees bend first.


When my kids were little, whenever they took a nap...I did to. It was our cuddle time and all three of us would look forward to it. Just listening to their quiet breathing and inhaling the smell of their hair and skin would immediately calm me down and relax me.


Usually I would wake up to little eyes just staring at me.


I don't know how you know that someone is looking at you when you are asleep, but I think most parents can tell you that if their child comes into their room in the middle of the night and just stands by the bed without making a sound...it wakes you up in an instant.


Call it instinct or whatever...it's kind of a freaky thing.


So...back in the present day...and up to my hotel room, I pulled all of the blinds closed, hung the "please do not disturb" sign on the door and lay down for a bit of a snooze. I had plans for dinner with a friend that evening, so I set my alarm just to make sure I wouldn't "oversleep".


I crawled into the bed...got the pillows just right and slowly drifted off to.....the...sound....of....


What the fa?!?!


Construction on the floor below me.?


AAAAAGGGGGGHHHH!


It wasn't really loud noise, but more of a consistent: bang, bang, bang, bang....pause, pause, pause...then another, bang, bang, bang, bang.


Sometimes the pauses were a bit longer and I'd think..."oh yay!...they've stopped". I'd snuggle into my pillows again...kind of start to drift off...and the freakin' noise would start up.


ugh


Stuff like this happens to me at home too. I would go to take a nap and as soon as I was falling off into slumberland either the phone would ring or more likely my dogs would start barking their little heads off.



The little buggers would time it perfectly too.



I'd start nodding off...they bark...I tell them to shut up....I start nodding again...they bark...I yell at them to shut the hell up...and off I'd go to try and sleep and the little fuckers start barking yet again.



I should just give up on naps. They make me more tense and anxious than relaxed and restful anymore.



:::sigh:::


Finally resolved that I was not going to get a nap in, I got up and putzed around on the computer for a while - work stuff, called M to check in and let her know I was safe and sound and it was hot and humid here in California and then got ready for dinner.

I had a great dinner with an ol' friend who I haven't seen in almost 10 years! She and her partner live in Long Beach and they drove out to see me. We went to Joe's Crab Shack...I guess it's a chain restaurant, where the food is so-so, but it was a lot of fun.


L was very curious about a drink they had on the menu called a Shark Attack. It was primary blue liquid, with red grenadine syrup floated on top and a plastic shark sticking out.


20 years ago...I may have tried it...nowadays...I have 2 glasses of wine or 2 beers and I'm done.


It's great to catch up with old friends. I've been lucky to have been able to do that on the past 3 business trips I've been on...so I will count those as blessings for sure!


After dinner - I came back to my room and thought I'd go to bed early and try to play catch up on my sleep.


I don't have booth duty until 1:00 - no appointments in the morning...nothing to be anxious about and I slept like the dead until about 7:30 am!


YEAH BABY!


I feel so much better.


I ordered up some room service for breakfast...and set down to finish my book when I heard some kind of drumming noise?


It almost sounded like a marching band.


Well, since I was well rested and relaxed...this noise did not irritate me in the least bit...it sounded kind of happy and celebratory so I checked outside to see what it was.



A wedding!



Or the after wedding celebration I guess.



In the parking lot...lot's of brightly colored middle eastern men and women were dancing around in celebration of some kind.

They were having a good ol' time dancing in the parking lot. I kind of wanted to join them.

I watched for about 15 minutes. They would make a circle around the happy couple, then break apart and then other people would be in the center...maybe the parents...grandparent...then they'd break apart and so on and so forth.

Finally - bride and groom climbed into the car that had two big flowered hearts on the hood and drove away with everyone shouting and cheering!

Best of luck to you both! I waved from my hotel room!

I didn't even mutter my usual sarcastic - "suckers" under my breath!

ahhhh...it's a good day!

I'm off to a shower and to get ready for booth duty. Not exactly the most thrilling thing to do, but eh...it's only for a few hours.

I hope you all are having a great weekend in your part of the planet!

Be well!

Home again

For a little while anyway.

Seattle was very nice. We lucked out and had really nice weather. Sunny and warm in the day, cool and comfortable during the evenings.

A co-worker and I took a harbor tour the first night we were there and had a beautiful view of the skyline.

It's amazing how it has changed since my first visit which was about 12 years ago. You can see how the high-tech companies like Microsoft have invested there.

Didn't bring the camera...so I don't have any pictures - sorry.

The Smith Tower was kind of a neat building to see.

Built by Lyman C. Smith (of Smith and Corona typewriters) It was one the worlds 4th largest building when it opened in 1914.

On the 35th floor of the building they have the Chinese Room which was furnished by the last Empress of China as a gift to Mr. Smith.

One of the coolest parts about it though is that the very top of the building - the pyramid shape originally housed a 10,000 gallon cast iron water tank which was later disassembled and then the whole space was turned into a penthouse apartment, complete with a Chihuly chandelier! I also learned that a local "Seattle business woman" lives there and able to climb all the way to the top which is crowned by an eight-foot wide glass dome which is illuminated by blue light, except for the month of December, when it is changed to green.

How cool is that?


This trip I finally made it up to the top of the Space Needle where we had dinner one evening in celebration of the birthday for one of my colleagues.

The restaurant spins very slowly so that you get a full panoramic view of downtown Seattle, Elliot Bay, the Puget sound, the Cascades and surrounding areas. It's a bit pricey, but the food was very good. I had prime rib that you could cut with a butter knife. If you want a slow relaxing dinner though...it ain't gonna happen. They want a high turnaround in that place so you are in there and out of there in just over 1 hour. There is actually a 2 hour maximum that you can stay.

The view...freakin' awesome! The sky was a bit too hazy to see Mt. Rainier unfortunately, but we still had a great time!

Seattle is definitely a favorite city of mine to visit: clean, friendly, diverse and small enough that you can see a lot in a short amount of time.

During my next visit I hope to take the tour of Pioneer Square and Seattle's Underground!

It's good to be back home though. Traveling for leisure is one thing...traveling for business is something else entirely. It makes you weary.

For me anyway.

I am not smooth

I'm a bit rough around the edges.

I am certainly not eloquent either - but I do try to keep myself from sounding like an idiot, most of the time.

It doesn't always work.

On Saturday, a colleague from our UK office who was attending the same conference I was had invited me out to dinner "with some buddies" after the reception that was being held at the Phoenix Art Museum.

My colleague - who I shall refer to as "B" is kind of high up in the food chain in our UK office. She's the director of this and that and has gobs and gobs of experience....knows all the right people...yadda, yadda, yadda.

I was very flattered that she invited me.

At dinner, I was seated right in between two people (these are "B's" buddies) that are verly well known and respected within the industry that I work in. We'll call them Mr. C and Mrs. H.

I felt immediately "out of my league" in the company of these people, but did my very best to keep up with them...learn from them...etc. I had only one beer - because I needed something cold and refreshing after walking 15 blocks in the freakin' AZ sun and thought it would be best if I didn't have any other alcohol to drink so that I can keep my wits about me. (Now I'm thinking I should have had LOTS more)

They were having a conversation about technology in the market...something and something...and it was a topic that really interested me so I attempted to "jump into" the conversation.

So....I waited for my moment and then lept in with: "I had a very interesting conversation with a few librarians while waiting in line for hors d'ourves about something very similar....."

Then it happened...

my mind when completely blank....

and I totally forgot what I was going to say and what point I was trying to make.

The heat in my neck started to rise up to my face as I felt myself blush. My ears turned bright red and felt like they were going to burn off my head.

I paused...attempted to pull myself together...I looked at them both and just said:

"I have totally lost my train of thought and have forgotten what point I was trying to make."

They chuckled - politely (which is like the kiss of death) and resumed their conversation.

As sweat poured out of every pore in my body and my heart felt like it was going to burst out of my chest and leap across the table....I sunk slowly back into my chair and hoped I could recover.

There were a few redeeming moments later on and in the taxi back to the hotel Mrs. H. and I did have a very nice conversation about the project that she is working on and I actually understood what she was talking about, but I hope I won't be remembered as the idiot they had dinner with.

Please tell me I'm not the only one this has ever happened to?

Shout out

...to Sam over at Quiet Would Be Nice. We met in a nice little coffee spot down in Philly. Very nice lady...had a nice time. She's like the Mayor of 10th and Walnut...everyone kept dropping by to say "Hello!" I also have to thank her for introducing me to the Dream Garden a collaboration by Maxfield Parrish and Tiffany. It's a beautiful mosaic that was only 1 block from where I work and I never knew it was there!


It's absolutely stunning...if you are ever in Philly...you HAVE to check it out!

It's nice to make a new friend...so that had me smiling for the rest of the day!

Hey Sam!

Another BIG shout out to Kat over at Poetikat's Invisible Keepsakes! She has a little survey going and if you have a moment...please stop in and say hello! She's an Irish lass and you know how special we are!!! I had to admit to her that I don't always "get" poetry, but I like a lot of her poems...they are easy for my simple brain to handle!

Hey Kat!

I'm off to Arizona for a few days. Not sure how much blogging I'll do while I am there baking in the freakin' heat. Last time I checked the temps were already in the high 90's and should reach 100 + while I'm there. And don't tell me it's a dry heat...that's B.S. I don't like the heat....PERIOD! My body is more adept to cold damp chilly climates.

Now I am scurrying around doing last minute laundry and a bit of work before I stuff myself into that little airplane seat for 5 hours.

Be well all...will check in when I have time!

Shaz

Frumpled

I try....I really do.

I am not a fashion plate, but I always attempt to look nice and I actually plan out what I am going to wear for the next day on the night before. I took out my tan pants with the brown pint stripes, a brown sleeveless top and a brown crepe blouse to go over the sleeveless top.

I ironed my clothes this morning as part of my regular routine - I like sharp creases and wrinkle free pants and shirts.

I carefully put my coat on so I wouldn't bunch up my clothes underneath and add wrinkles where they don't belong.

But something happened in between the time I put my clothes on and my arrival at work that turned my nice clean freshly pressed clothes into a frumpled, wrinkled, jumbled mess.

:::sigh:::

It must have happen during the 1hour and 30 minutes it takes me to get to work. But I was sitting still...I was not moving around.

Maybe it happened on the walk from the parking garage to the office? In those short 3 blocks little gremlins ran up my coat and jostled everything around so there is little evidence except for the remnants of a crease down my sleeve that I ironed my shirt.

Today when I got to work, the tip of my collar on my blouse was folded up - pointing at me! The back of my blouse was also folded up...so now it kind of sticks out from my body...real nice...very attractive.

How did this happen?

I'm trying to sit on the back of my blouse in the opposite way in a feeble attempt to fold it the other way and I keep pulling the pointy collar down and roll it under and making it behave.

:::ugh:::

Then this thing happened to my hair. It just expanded and goes frizzy without me touching it. I don't understand this phenomenon. I brushed it just before I left! There is very little wind today...how? what?

Maybe because it's unusually warm out today and a bit humid that my clothes and hair have revolted against me.

I think I can hide behind my desk most of the day and avoid any interaction with other people and no one will notice.

I remembered a strip from the cartoon Peanuts. Pig Pen gets a crush on a girl, so he gets himself all cleaned up. Takes a bath, puts on new shiny clothes, combs his hair and he looks great! Then he takes ONE STEP...and the dirt just jumps on him and attacks and he is back to his old self again.

It's going to be one of those days...I can just tell.