I am so ashamed. My failure to post daily is not just minor. It's massive. Epic, even. I have not posted in over two months. Some might say that, per the definition of my blog, the implication here is that I have not learned anything in over two months. I beg to differ. I have learned. In fact, maybe I have been SO BUSY learning for the past two months that I didn't even have time to write about it. Believable?
yeah, ok. The bottom line is that I have failed. And after I failed, I procrastinated because I was so embarrassed about my failure. And after procrastinating, I decided to let it go because nobody had said anything to me about it. It was then, of course, that I was called out (thanks, Bozung). So here I am, declaring amnesty for myself and my 60+ days without blogging the things I learned.
I am not going to try to catch you up on what I learned, but I will give you an update on the high points of my life in the past two months:
-I testified in court regarding a case I investigated at work. It was a little intimidating, but a cool experience. Yet another reason I truly love my job.
-Had my very first experience in being stood up. Oddly enough, it wasn't all it's cracked up to be. But it might make for some humorous blog fodder someday.
-Went for my first hike of the season a few weeks ago. Let me just reiterate the utter superiority of this state. I am so happy to be out in the sun again!
-I am looking for a house! That's right, I am hoping to be a homeowner by no later than August 1, 2009. It is exciting and intimidating and tiring all at once. And my realtor happens to be the best actor in Colorado Springs. No, seriously. How's that for multitasking?
There are probably more things I could share, but I feel like it will be hard to follow the whole buying-a-house thing, so that's all for now. So let me leave you with what I learned today:
Apparently my tv is not ready for the DTV conversion. I do have the converter box. But as I was watching tv tonight (the Bachelorette, what else?), a crawler came across the screen saying "If you can see this message, your TV is not ready for the DTV conversion."
So, I'm thinking I'll join the senior citizens of Colorado Springs at one of the digital conversion workshops. I can't wait. After that, we'll probably have a nice 4pm dinner at Country Buffet.
Showing posts with label Work. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Work. Show all posts
08 June 2009
08 April 2009
One Liners: Vol. 2
Ok, let me get through as many of these as possible:
Thursday, March 5:
Several coworkers and I attended an event with a speaker who was born with no limbs but who has become a swimmer, hunter, bowler, and several other activities a typical person would think impossible without limbs.
Friday, March 6:
I read the affadavit written by the detective in the Chris Brown case and learned that the exchange between Chris Brown and Rhianna the night before the Grammys was incredibly disturbing.
Saturday, March 7:
I learned that on Purim, the custom is that a person is supposed to drink until you can't tell the difference between "blessed is Mordecai" and "Cursed is Haman."
Sunday, March 8:
I learned about (and purchased) a book written by Tosca Lee (I have blogged about another book of hers), called "Havah," about Eve and the Fall.
Monday and Tuesday, March 9 & 10:
It is possible to be so busy at work that I could not think of a single thing I learned that was not work-related and therefore completely boring to all people outside my office.
Wednesday, March 11:
Read about the originator of the term "Ponzi scheme," Mr. Charles Ponzi- one of the greatest swindlers in American history.
Thursday, March 12:
After a day where all levels of supervision above myself were absent and an emergency situation arose, I learned sometimes the best cure for a stressful day includes wine, Taco Bell, a good friend, and trashy TV.
Friday, March 13:
Approximately 5 days in a row of 5 hours or less of sleep will definitely result in a cold.
Saturday, March 14:
I learned a shortcut recipe for a Jewish cookie called Hamentashen.
Sunday, March 15:
I learned the hard way that "Beauty Shop" is not a movie worth watching.
Monday, March 16:
Sierra Leone is about the same size as South Carolina
Tuesday, March 17:
It is truly amazing that an entire culture can mobilize to do the same ordinary thing on the same day- such as put on clothing in a certain color- just for the sake of a holiday that doesn't mean much of anything to the majority of people.
Wednesday, March 18:
Rumbi has a BBQ salad that is truly delicious.
Thursday, March 19:
It is worthwhile and important to have friends who will challenge me to do the right thing, even if it makes me uncomfortable.
Friday, March 20:
I learned how to play a visual card game called SET.
Saturday, March 21:
Worst pickup line ever: "I'll drive you to your car in the morning."
Sunday, March 22:
I learned how to highlight hair using the foiling technique like they do in salons (and learned what not to do when trying the foiling technique as well).
Monday, March 23:
I learned I will be able to have one additional member of my team at work, which is a much-needed blessing!
Tuesday, March 24:
I learned what it feels like to receive a subpoena as a witness to a court case.
Wednesday, March 25:
I will finally pull the "can't remember" card and say I don't have a clue what I learned that day. :(
Thursday, March 26:
When a blizzard is moving in, the office becomes a ghost town, and when you live a mile away from the office on a flat road and you drive a Jeep (and your boss knows) you unfortunately have no excuse to leave early.
Friday, March 27:
I learned that hanging out with new friends does not always turn out the way you expected.
Saturday, March 28:
"Cheesy t-shirt" means many different things to different people.
Sunday, March 29:
Great friends can spark great theological discussion, cooking is therapeutic for me, candles make me happy and warm inside, and Cribbage has several variations on rules of play.
Monday, March 30:
I learned that a comedy show is a fantastic way to spend a few bucks with good friends.
Tuesday March 31:
I learned it is not always bitter to live vicariously through the lives of others- sometimes it is entertaining!
Thursday, March 5:
Several coworkers and I attended an event with a speaker who was born with no limbs but who has become a swimmer, hunter, bowler, and several other activities a typical person would think impossible without limbs.
Friday, March 6:
I read the affadavit written by the detective in the Chris Brown case and learned that the exchange between Chris Brown and Rhianna the night before the Grammys was incredibly disturbing.
Saturday, March 7:
I learned that on Purim, the custom is that a person is supposed to drink until you can't tell the difference between "blessed is Mordecai" and "Cursed is Haman."
Sunday, March 8:
I learned about (and purchased) a book written by Tosca Lee (I have blogged about another book of hers), called "Havah," about Eve and the Fall.
Monday and Tuesday, March 9 & 10:
It is possible to be so busy at work that I could not think of a single thing I learned that was not work-related and therefore completely boring to all people outside my office.
Wednesday, March 11:
Read about the originator of the term "Ponzi scheme," Mr. Charles Ponzi- one of the greatest swindlers in American history.
Thursday, March 12:
After a day where all levels of supervision above myself were absent and an emergency situation arose, I learned sometimes the best cure for a stressful day includes wine, Taco Bell, a good friend, and trashy TV.
Friday, March 13:
Approximately 5 days in a row of 5 hours or less of sleep will definitely result in a cold.
Saturday, March 14:
I learned a shortcut recipe for a Jewish cookie called Hamentashen.
Sunday, March 15:
I learned the hard way that "Beauty Shop" is not a movie worth watching.
Monday, March 16:
Sierra Leone is about the same size as South Carolina
Tuesday, March 17:
It is truly amazing that an entire culture can mobilize to do the same ordinary thing on the same day- such as put on clothing in a certain color- just for the sake of a holiday that doesn't mean much of anything to the majority of people.
Wednesday, March 18:
Rumbi has a BBQ salad that is truly delicious.
Thursday, March 19:
It is worthwhile and important to have friends who will challenge me to do the right thing, even if it makes me uncomfortable.
Friday, March 20:
I learned how to play a visual card game called SET.
Saturday, March 21:
Worst pickup line ever: "I'll drive you to your car in the morning."
Sunday, March 22:
I learned how to highlight hair using the foiling technique like they do in salons (and learned what not to do when trying the foiling technique as well).
Monday, March 23:
I learned I will be able to have one additional member of my team at work, which is a much-needed blessing!
Tuesday, March 24:
I learned what it feels like to receive a subpoena as a witness to a court case.
Wednesday, March 25:
I will finally pull the "can't remember" card and say I don't have a clue what I learned that day. :(
Thursday, March 26:
When a blizzard is moving in, the office becomes a ghost town, and when you live a mile away from the office on a flat road and you drive a Jeep (and your boss knows) you unfortunately have no excuse to leave early.
Friday, March 27:
I learned that hanging out with new friends does not always turn out the way you expected.
Saturday, March 28:
"Cheesy t-shirt" means many different things to different people.
Sunday, March 29:
Great friends can spark great theological discussion, cooking is therapeutic for me, candles make me happy and warm inside, and Cribbage has several variations on rules of play.
Monday, March 30:
I learned that a comedy show is a fantastic way to spend a few bucks with good friends.
Tuesday March 31:
I learned it is not always bitter to live vicariously through the lives of others- sometimes it is entertaining!
06 March 2009
I'm alive, and I've been learning!
Did you think I left you? I didn't. I just failed a baby-size fail in my goal of updating at least weekly. I'm sure my extremely large fan club was in total devastation. But I have a good excuse- I went on vacation! I was very busy the week prior to leaving and I went to New York City for my vacation, so I spent my time trying to make the most of the city instead of blogging. I'm sure you'll forgive me. But I did learn, and I did make little notes so I would remember. So I will give you this in a two-part series.
Here we go, beginning with the week prior to my trip:
Tuesday, Feb 17:
I went out to lunch with my dear friend (and coworker) Rochelle. Ro introduced me to a great little Japanese restaurant downtown called Yoo Mae's. I'm not a connoisseur of Japanese food, but I thought it was great. I ordered a Bento box, which is basically a box lunch of an assortment of things. It was delish, and pretty cheap, too. So I now have another place I love for lunch.
Wednesday, Feb 18:
I learned a new word!
Quorum: the number of members of a group or organization required to be present to transact business legally, usually a majority (from Dictionary.com).
Thursday, Feb 19:
The 2009 Colorado State Budget passed out of the Senate today on third reading. It then went to the House for Consideration. As it left the Senate, it included amendments made by our very own Senator John Morse, who, regardless of your politics, is undeniably one of the state's biggest champions of services for people with developmental disabilities (DD). If you don't know, I work for a company that serves people with DD. We contract with the state and are bound by State rules and regulations, as well as State funding, such as it is. Colorado has a budget crisis right now that is pretty serious, which has caused a lot of cuts across all areas of funding in order to try to recoup the projected losses before the end of the fiscal year. Human Services of any kind generally get the short end of the stick in terms of government funding, and it is certainly true in the DD world. Morse's amendments restore DD funding that was cut recently in response to the current budget crisis. I could wax on for a long time about the needs in the DD world, but this is very intentionally not a soapbox blog, so if you ever want to hear more about what I do and what the 'services' really mean, please ask me. I'd love to talk about it. But for today, I'm hoping the budget will pass through the House with Morse's amendments intact.
Friday, Feb 20:
I learned that my car is in working order. This seems anticlimactic, I know. But I got my oil changed last weekend and was told there was a residue on the oil cap that could indicate that there is a crack or break in a gasket, which could have cost me around 1000.00 to repair, mostly due to labor. I mildly freaked out, because (reference my lesson from yesterday) I work in human services, and do not have an extra 1000.00 lying around at any given time. And I was getting ready to go on vacation. Yikes! So I took the car in, they checked it out, and there is no leak. I'm told that driving short distances like I do causes condensation to form in the oil cap because the car engine doesn't have a chance to warm up all the way before it is turned off. Apparently the condensation is the residue. So, I breathed much easier today. And learned a little bit about cars (which I assure you, I'll forget quickly).
Saturday, Feb 21:
Today I watched my sister's first dance competition of the season. I love watching these things. It's so fun to see how she has grown in her skill, and to watch the talents of other studios and dancers. I learned something I hope I will never have to use, but here it is:
If you have a tutu, you have to hang it upside down when you put it on a hanger. This ensures that when it is time to put it in, the material is as fluffy as possible. This is critical, you know.
I mean, really, flat tutus? How utterly common.
Sunday, Feb 22:
Tonight some of my girlfriends and I got together to watch the Oscars. We got dressed up, in real live dresses (I haven't worn a dress since September), and we went out for martinis. Since we live in such a fast-paced and metropolitan city, our first two choices for martinis were closed, it being a Sunday at 7pm. But we wound up at one of Colorado Springs' best restaurants- The Famous. I had never been there before, but the martinis were lovely. And while I can't testify to their steaks, I can tell you their crab cakes are wonderful.
Monday, Feb 23:
Another lesson involving food (I really like food)! I went to Outback tonight with some friends. I ordered the salmon, which is my favorite thing on their menu. One of the things I like so much about it is the sauce they give you (rémoulade). But apparently they no longer serve rémoulade at Outback.
So I no longer consider the salmon my favorite thing on their menu. Take that, Outback!
Tuesday, Feb 24:
A re-learn: I am still a horrible procrastinator when it comes to packing. No matter how early I promise myself I will do it, I will not. I will start 'packing' around 8pm or later (tonight it started at 10). It will only loosely resemble packing, as it will include beginning a load of the laundry I want to take...and messing around on facebook...and finding things to clean in my room...and searching the internet for things to do on my trip...and occasionally getting up and putting things in a pile next to my suitcase. Slowly it will begin to look more like packing until sometime after midnight I am ready to go to sleep. There will be a long list on my nightstand of all the things I have to remember to put in my bag in the morning, and then I will sleep fitfully, waking every hour or so, because I am so afraid that I might sleep through my alarm clock since I went to bed too late. This is self-sabotage at its finest.
Here we go, beginning with the week prior to my trip:
Tuesday, Feb 17:
I went out to lunch with my dear friend (and coworker) Rochelle. Ro introduced me to a great little Japanese restaurant downtown called Yoo Mae's. I'm not a connoisseur of Japanese food, but I thought it was great. I ordered a Bento box, which is basically a box lunch of an assortment of things. It was delish, and pretty cheap, too. So I now have another place I love for lunch.
Wednesday, Feb 18:
I learned a new word!
Quorum: the number of members of a group or organization required to be present to transact business legally, usually a majority (from Dictionary.com).
Thursday, Feb 19:
The 2009 Colorado State Budget passed out of the Senate today on third reading. It then went to the House for Consideration. As it left the Senate, it included amendments made by our very own Senator John Morse, who, regardless of your politics, is undeniably one of the state's biggest champions of services for people with developmental disabilities (DD). If you don't know, I work for a company that serves people with DD. We contract with the state and are bound by State rules and regulations, as well as State funding, such as it is. Colorado has a budget crisis right now that is pretty serious, which has caused a lot of cuts across all areas of funding in order to try to recoup the projected losses before the end of the fiscal year. Human Services of any kind generally get the short end of the stick in terms of government funding, and it is certainly true in the DD world. Morse's amendments restore DD funding that was cut recently in response to the current budget crisis. I could wax on for a long time about the needs in the DD world, but this is very intentionally not a soapbox blog, so if you ever want to hear more about what I do and what the 'services' really mean, please ask me. I'd love to talk about it. But for today, I'm hoping the budget will pass through the House with Morse's amendments intact.
Friday, Feb 20:
I learned that my car is in working order. This seems anticlimactic, I know. But I got my oil changed last weekend and was told there was a residue on the oil cap that could indicate that there is a crack or break in a gasket, which could have cost me around 1000.00 to repair, mostly due to labor. I mildly freaked out, because (reference my lesson from yesterday) I work in human services, and do not have an extra 1000.00 lying around at any given time. And I was getting ready to go on vacation. Yikes! So I took the car in, they checked it out, and there is no leak. I'm told that driving short distances like I do causes condensation to form in the oil cap because the car engine doesn't have a chance to warm up all the way before it is turned off. Apparently the condensation is the residue. So, I breathed much easier today. And learned a little bit about cars (which I assure you, I'll forget quickly).
Saturday, Feb 21:
Today I watched my sister's first dance competition of the season. I love watching these things. It's so fun to see how she has grown in her skill, and to watch the talents of other studios and dancers. I learned something I hope I will never have to use, but here it is:
If you have a tutu, you have to hang it upside down when you put it on a hanger. This ensures that when it is time to put it in, the material is as fluffy as possible. This is critical, you know.
I mean, really, flat tutus? How utterly common.
Sunday, Feb 22:
Tonight some of my girlfriends and I got together to watch the Oscars. We got dressed up, in real live dresses (I haven't worn a dress since September), and we went out for martinis. Since we live in such a fast-paced and metropolitan city, our first two choices for martinis were closed, it being a Sunday at 7pm. But we wound up at one of Colorado Springs' best restaurants- The Famous. I had never been there before, but the martinis were lovely. And while I can't testify to their steaks, I can tell you their crab cakes are wonderful.
Monday, Feb 23:
Another lesson involving food (I really like food)! I went to Outback tonight with some friends. I ordered the salmon, which is my favorite thing on their menu. One of the things I like so much about it is the sauce they give you (rémoulade). But apparently they no longer serve rémoulade at Outback.
So I no longer consider the salmon my favorite thing on their menu. Take that, Outback!
Tuesday, Feb 24:
A re-learn: I am still a horrible procrastinator when it comes to packing. No matter how early I promise myself I will do it, I will not. I will start 'packing' around 8pm or later (tonight it started at 10). It will only loosely resemble packing, as it will include beginning a load of the laundry I want to take...and messing around on facebook...and finding things to clean in my room...and searching the internet for things to do on my trip...and occasionally getting up and putting things in a pile next to my suitcase. Slowly it will begin to look more like packing until sometime after midnight I am ready to go to sleep. There will be a long list on my nightstand of all the things I have to remember to put in my bag in the morning, and then I will sleep fitfully, waking every hour or so, because I am so afraid that I might sleep through my alarm clock since I went to bed too late. This is self-sabotage at its finest.
25 January 2009
Five new things
I am not doing well at keeping up! Sorry! I'll catch you up on where I am lately...
Wednesday, Jan 21:
On Wednesday some of my friends noticed flags around Colorado Springs were flying at half staff. So I found out that the Colorado Governor ordered all flags to fly at half staff in honor of a fallen U.S. Army Staff Sergeant from Colorado. SSgt. Bauer was killed on Jan 10 in Iraq when an IED detonated near his vehicle. He had earned a Bronze Star, a Purple Heart, and an Army Commendation Medal. He was 24 years old.
It left me sad, speechless, and humbled.
Thursday, Jan 22:
Thursday I had a dinner party for a dear friend of mine. Danny went to college with me and he lives in Africa right now, but was back for a visit over the last month. We had a little reunion of KU alumni and it was a lot of fun. And as is the case with most reunions, the conversation covered a wide range of topics. So during the evening I witnessed a lively little argument about rabies. Allison and Danny argued about whether or not rabies is fatal, until they realized they were both arguing the same point: rabies is fatal unless someone has been vaccinated previously or receives a vaccination very quickly after becoming infected. I looked it up later and found out that there have actually been two documented cases of survival where the patient did not receive any rabies-specific treatment. Also, it is suggested that inducing a coma in infected patients may allow someone to survive. In 2005 a girl from Wisconsin received the treatment (called the Milwaukee Protocol). The theory is that being in a coma protects the brain from damage while the body builds up an immune response to the rabies. The girl was hospitalized for 76 days, 31 of which were in isolation, but she recovered.
Friday, Jan 23:
Friday was part 2 of a girls' night that my friend Suzanne hosted. We watched Anne of Green Gables, which I had never read or seen before. So I finally learned how the story turns out. But I did enjoy it. I think deep down all girls love the guy-gets-girl storyline, no matter how predictable or unrealistic it is.
Saturday, Jan 24:
Elisa and I were discussing the origin of Obama's campaign slogan, "Yes we can." We have been talking about how it's basically the English translation of Cesar Chavez and the United Farm Workers' "Sí se puede" from the seventies. So Elisa googled "Yes we can" and found this: Yes We Can (Hold Babies). I cannot explain the laughter that ensued. At first we thought it might be a joke. But the more you look at the site, the more it looks sincere. Amazing.
Sunday, Jan 25:
Today I learned that a group of porcupines is called a prickle. I also learned that baby porcupines are extremely tiny and cute in a semi-disgusting way.
See?
That picture is not mine, by the way. I found it online.
Wednesday, Jan 21:
On Wednesday some of my friends noticed flags around Colorado Springs were flying at half staff. So I found out that the Colorado Governor ordered all flags to fly at half staff in honor of a fallen U.S. Army Staff Sergeant from Colorado. SSgt. Bauer was killed on Jan 10 in Iraq when an IED detonated near his vehicle. He had earned a Bronze Star, a Purple Heart, and an Army Commendation Medal. He was 24 years old.
It left me sad, speechless, and humbled.
Thursday, Jan 22:
Thursday I had a dinner party for a dear friend of mine. Danny went to college with me and he lives in Africa right now, but was back for a visit over the last month. We had a little reunion of KU alumni and it was a lot of fun. And as is the case with most reunions, the conversation covered a wide range of topics. So during the evening I witnessed a lively little argument about rabies. Allison and Danny argued about whether or not rabies is fatal, until they realized they were both arguing the same point: rabies is fatal unless someone has been vaccinated previously or receives a vaccination very quickly after becoming infected. I looked it up later and found out that there have actually been two documented cases of survival where the patient did not receive any rabies-specific treatment. Also, it is suggested that inducing a coma in infected patients may allow someone to survive. In 2005 a girl from Wisconsin received the treatment (called the Milwaukee Protocol). The theory is that being in a coma protects the brain from damage while the body builds up an immune response to the rabies. The girl was hospitalized for 76 days, 31 of which were in isolation, but she recovered.
Friday, Jan 23:
Friday was part 2 of a girls' night that my friend Suzanne hosted. We watched Anne of Green Gables, which I had never read or seen before. So I finally learned how the story turns out. But I did enjoy it. I think deep down all girls love the guy-gets-girl storyline, no matter how predictable or unrealistic it is.
Saturday, Jan 24:
Elisa and I were discussing the origin of Obama's campaign slogan, "Yes we can." We have been talking about how it's basically the English translation of Cesar Chavez and the United Farm Workers' "Sí se puede" from the seventies. So Elisa googled "Yes we can" and found this: Yes We Can (Hold Babies). I cannot explain the laughter that ensued. At first we thought it might be a joke. But the more you look at the site, the more it looks sincere. Amazing.
Sunday, Jan 25:
Today I learned that a group of porcupines is called a prickle. I also learned that baby porcupines are extremely tiny and cute in a semi-disgusting way.
See?
That picture is not mine, by the way. I found it online.
20 January 2009
Ruins, Gentlemen, and the Career I Wish I Had
Ok, here is the last trio of lessons:
Sunday, Jan 18:
I went for a walk last Friday with Elisa on Cascade Avenue. Cascade is one of the streets in downtown Colorado Springs that has beautiful, old, huge houses. So we passed one of the houses and it caught my eye because it was bright pink. On the front of the house was a plaque that said, "Hungo Pavi 1922." So Sunday I looked it up. Hungo Pavi is an ancient great house ruin located in Chaco Canyon National Historical Park in New Mexico. It is un-excavated and much of the ruins are now covered by desert ands and vegetation. It had over 150 rooms in it. Chacoan people occupied Hungo Pavi beginning around 1000AD. There are some cool pictures here.
I haven't figured out why the pink house has the plaque on it, or what the significance of the year '1922' is. Some things are just a mystery.
Monday, Jan 19:
Monday was a really great day. I spent time outside in the Colorado sun with my mom and my dogs, and then I went to Denver with some of my favorite people. We went shopping and ate dinner at Casa Bonita. While shopping, I received a bit of cultural education about cuff links. I have always known that they are meant for cuffs, of course (I'm really good with contextual clues), but I had never actually seen someone wearing them and didn't really know how they worked. I saw a bunch of cuff link sets at Banana Republic and it prompted the question. My friend Toby told me that they work with a specific type of shirt- one with French cuffs. He demonstrated how they work on a shirt in the store. It's a small thing, but I feel better for knowing it.
There are definitely some cheesy cuff links out there, even in Banana Republic stores, but I still think I like the idea of them. They're classy. The only downside to cuff links is that they prevent the wearer from doing the masculine after-work sleeve roll. Ladies, you know the one- where they unbutton their cuff and roll it up to about the elbow? I have a thing for the sleeve roll. And I have it on good authority that I'm not the only girl who does. So guys, here's a lesson for you: The question of cuff links is a win-win. Choose cuff links and you are a gentleman. Choose against cuff links and do the sleeve roll, and you're golden.
Tuesday, Jan 20:
Today was inauguration day. Like many people, I listened to our new president address the nation for the first time in his post. I'd love to hear your reactions to the speech, by the way. But I am not going to blog about politics. It's not my bag. I did learn something interesting, though. One of Obama's top speech writers is 27. You read right. He's TWENTY-SEVEN. And pretty Gap-chic, judging by the picture. But the point is- I think I'm in the wrong field. This guy writes speeches that the world hears. He gets paid to craft ideas into words to reach the masses. And he apparently does it in marathon sittings fueled by coffee and Rock Band video game intermissions.
I am totally in the wrong field.
Sunday, Jan 18:
I went for a walk last Friday with Elisa on Cascade Avenue. Cascade is one of the streets in downtown Colorado Springs that has beautiful, old, huge houses. So we passed one of the houses and it caught my eye because it was bright pink. On the front of the house was a plaque that said, "Hungo Pavi 1922." So Sunday I looked it up. Hungo Pavi is an ancient great house ruin located in Chaco Canyon National Historical Park in New Mexico. It is un-excavated and much of the ruins are now covered by desert ands and vegetation. It had over 150 rooms in it. Chacoan people occupied Hungo Pavi beginning around 1000AD. There are some cool pictures here.
I haven't figured out why the pink house has the plaque on it, or what the significance of the year '1922' is. Some things are just a mystery.
Monday, Jan 19:
Monday was a really great day. I spent time outside in the Colorado sun with my mom and my dogs, and then I went to Denver with some of my favorite people. We went shopping and ate dinner at Casa Bonita. While shopping, I received a bit of cultural education about cuff links. I have always known that they are meant for cuffs, of course (I'm really good with contextual clues), but I had never actually seen someone wearing them and didn't really know how they worked. I saw a bunch of cuff link sets at Banana Republic and it prompted the question. My friend Toby told me that they work with a specific type of shirt- one with French cuffs. He demonstrated how they work on a shirt in the store. It's a small thing, but I feel better for knowing it.
There are definitely some cheesy cuff links out there, even in Banana Republic stores, but I still think I like the idea of them. They're classy. The only downside to cuff links is that they prevent the wearer from doing the masculine after-work sleeve roll. Ladies, you know the one- where they unbutton their cuff and roll it up to about the elbow? I have a thing for the sleeve roll. And I have it on good authority that I'm not the only girl who does. So guys, here's a lesson for you: The question of cuff links is a win-win. Choose cuff links and you are a gentleman. Choose against cuff links and do the sleeve roll, and you're golden.
Tuesday, Jan 20:
Today was inauguration day. Like many people, I listened to our new president address the nation for the first time in his post. I'd love to hear your reactions to the speech, by the way. But I am not going to blog about politics. It's not my bag. I did learn something interesting, though. One of Obama's top speech writers is 27. You read right. He's TWENTY-SEVEN. And pretty Gap-chic, judging by the picture. But the point is- I think I'm in the wrong field. This guy writes speeches that the world hears. He gets paid to craft ideas into words to reach the masses. And he apparently does it in marathon sittings fueled by coffee and Rock Band video game intermissions.
I am totally in the wrong field.
09 January 2009
First Late Entry
I told you so. I knew trying to post every day would be hard for me. Also, the picture thing is not easy. Most of the time I learn something at work and it's a little tough in the middle of an investigative interview to ask to take a picture. So this post will be naked, and hopefully I can do some pictures for upcoming lessons. Here are the things I learned over the past couple of days:
Wednesday, Jan 7:
I learned the joy of having wonderful friends. This is probably more of a re-learn, but if you'll remember my rules for this project, I can learn anything I want. And Wednesday I was smacked in the face with this truth: God has surrounded me with wonderful, genuine friends. I had to give a presentation at work on Wednesday morning and I had been nervous about it for two weeks. A number of my friends knew about it and took the time on Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning to check in with me, offer me an encouraging word, or pray for me. It's really humbling to know that people are behind me and supportive of me. And Wednesday when I went in to give my presentation, I was cool as a cucumber! I know the prayers and well-wishes from my friends and family were instrumental in that. I couldn't have done it without them.
Thursday, Jan 8:
I learned what a Medical Hold is. Let's say you call 911 and they come to your house. They check you out and you feel fine and decide that you don't want to go to the hospital. You can refuse transport to the ER. The responders cannot kidnap you, so they have to listen to your wishes. In order to release themselves and the hospital from liability, the responders call in a refusal to the hospital, which basically means they call the ER doctor and explain what is happening. They give details on the your condition and explain that the you have refused transport to the hospital. The ER doctor then has to clear it- meaning they have to say they will support the decision for the paramedics to leave. Then you have to sign paperwork saying you refused transport and you release all medical personnel from liability in the event something else happens. BUT, if the doctor doesn't feel comfortable with the decision, they can issue an M-1 Medical Hold. That essentially authorizes the EMTs to kidnap you from your house and take you to the hospital for medical care.
Clearly, you can see why I don't have a picture for this. It's a hypothetical situation (which, according to 30 Rock, is like lying to your brain).
Today is not nearly over. I will post later with today's lesson.
Wednesday, Jan 7:
I learned the joy of having wonderful friends. This is probably more of a re-learn, but if you'll remember my rules for this project, I can learn anything I want. And Wednesday I was smacked in the face with this truth: God has surrounded me with wonderful, genuine friends. I had to give a presentation at work on Wednesday morning and I had been nervous about it for two weeks. A number of my friends knew about it and took the time on Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning to check in with me, offer me an encouraging word, or pray for me. It's really humbling to know that people are behind me and supportive of me. And Wednesday when I went in to give my presentation, I was cool as a cucumber! I know the prayers and well-wishes from my friends and family were instrumental in that. I couldn't have done it without them.
Thursday, Jan 8:
I learned what a Medical Hold is. Let's say you call 911 and they come to your house. They check you out and you feel fine and decide that you don't want to go to the hospital. You can refuse transport to the ER. The responders cannot kidnap you, so they have to listen to your wishes. In order to release themselves and the hospital from liability, the responders call in a refusal to the hospital, which basically means they call the ER doctor and explain what is happening. They give details on the your condition and explain that the you have refused transport to the hospital. The ER doctor then has to clear it- meaning they have to say they will support the decision for the paramedics to leave. Then you have to sign paperwork saying you refused transport and you release all medical personnel from liability in the event something else happens. BUT, if the doctor doesn't feel comfortable with the decision, they can issue an M-1 Medical Hold. That essentially authorizes the EMTs to kidnap you from your house and take you to the hospital for medical care.
Clearly, you can see why I don't have a picture for this. It's a hypothetical situation (which, according to 30 Rock, is like lying to your brain).
Today is not nearly over. I will post later with today's lesson.
05 January 2009
Nail Beds
Today's gem came from a medical report I read at work. The report referenced the color of the patient's nail beds. So I looked it up, and I learned that there are a lot of things the color and condition of your fingernails can tell you. Pink nails are good. Yellow, not so much- that could be a sign of lung problems. Blue, definitely bad. That can be a sign of respiratory problems. White nail beds could indicate liver problems or anemia.
There's more, but I'll let you learn some on your own if you're still curious.
My nails? They're pinkish. And cozy around my favorite coffee cup.
There's more, but I'll let you learn some on your own if you're still curious.
My nails? They're pinkish. And cozy around my favorite coffee cup.
18 July 2008
Irrationality
So, I realize I have all but abandoned my blog. For the 2 people out there who might actually read it, I apologize.
So, to welcome you back to my world, I have a little story for you.
Today was my last day of work at my current job. Add to that the fact that I have been on vacation all this week until today, and you might be able to predict that it would be a busy day. Well, I'm notorious for having absolutely no concept of how long it might take me to do something, so I thought that the to-do list I made for my last day of work was actually realistic and attainable.
Not at all. We work half days on Fridays at my company, and I had planned on working later until about 2 or 3 to finish everything, but there I was at 8:15pm, still working. I went to the file room (to file things) and on my way back to my office, I look down the hall and I freeze.
There.
Is.
A.
MOUSE
outside my office door!
Now, I think mice are cute in theory, but I cannot stand to see one outside of a cage. I react the same way to spiders. All reason is lost and I am left contemplating whether or not a sudden move by me would cause the creature to jump on me, and if so, does it bite?
So I am standing there, frozen, and I don't know what to do. I mean, my first thought is to flee the scene, but I have to get my car keys to do that, and my keys are in the office, PAST the rodent-gauntlet. So I am thinking about sliding past the mouse into my office and I can't even think about it without having vivid hallucinations of it running over my feet or (gasp!) up my leg! I got goosebumps thinking about it. I tried to talk myself down by thinking about how small it is compared to me, or feeling sorry for it because it's more scared of me than I am of it (are you sure about that?), but none of that mattered. So I did what anyone would do: I started stomping my feet, and then I started yelling.
yep.
I yelled at a mouse today.
I think my exact words included, "Go away!"
...and maybe some other things.
And surprisingly enough, mice don't seem to be affected by yelling, or maybe our office mouse doesn't speak English.
He did not move a muscle. I took baby-stomping steps closer, and finally decided to slip past him as fast as possible into my office. In my mind, he was mere inches from my toes when I did this, but in reality, he was about 2-3 feet away from me. I decided that I didn't want to have to stomp anymore, so I turned on some music really loud and I made a lot of noise finishing the paperwork I was doing. I also scooted my desk chair to where I could look outside my door and see that thing to make sure it didn't come near my office. I was feeling trapped in my own office and trying to plan a grand escape maneuver when I looked at him and noticed he was doing a weird tiny mouse-shuffle movement. He was taking a step away from the door, but doing it in tiny halting movements, sort of like dancing the robot. Under a strobe light. I think he was trying to be sneaky, not realizing that, as a mouse, he doesn't have to try that hard. And also not realizing that I was watching every little jerky movement he made. It was very tedious to watch, and I yelled at him again, but this time I was telling him to just run and get it over with. He still didn't listen.
But finally, when he rounded the corner of the office shredder bin, I felt the rush of relief, for I had FREEDOM again. And then, the rush of self-disdain as I could think clearly again. I generally think of myself as a pretty composed and rational person, but do rational people yell at robot-dancing rodents?
Maybe getting an apartment by myself wasn't the best idea.
What if it has mice?
So, to welcome you back to my world, I have a little story for you.
Today was my last day of work at my current job. Add to that the fact that I have been on vacation all this week until today, and you might be able to predict that it would be a busy day. Well, I'm notorious for having absolutely no concept of how long it might take me to do something, so I thought that the to-do list I made for my last day of work was actually realistic and attainable.
Not at all. We work half days on Fridays at my company, and I had planned on working later until about 2 or 3 to finish everything, but there I was at 8:15pm, still working. I went to the file room (to file things) and on my way back to my office, I look down the hall and I freeze.
There.
Is.
A.
MOUSE
outside my office door!
Now, I think mice are cute in theory, but I cannot stand to see one outside of a cage. I react the same way to spiders. All reason is lost and I am left contemplating whether or not a sudden move by me would cause the creature to jump on me, and if so, does it bite?
So I am standing there, frozen, and I don't know what to do. I mean, my first thought is to flee the scene, but I have to get my car keys to do that, and my keys are in the office, PAST the rodent-gauntlet. So I am thinking about sliding past the mouse into my office and I can't even think about it without having vivid hallucinations of it running over my feet or (gasp!) up my leg! I got goosebumps thinking about it. I tried to talk myself down by thinking about how small it is compared to me, or feeling sorry for it because it's more scared of me than I am of it (are you sure about that?), but none of that mattered. So I did what anyone would do: I started stomping my feet, and then I started yelling.
yep.
I yelled at a mouse today.
I think my exact words included, "Go away!"
...and maybe some other things.
And surprisingly enough, mice don't seem to be affected by yelling, or maybe our office mouse doesn't speak English.
He did not move a muscle. I took baby-stomping steps closer, and finally decided to slip past him as fast as possible into my office. In my mind, he was mere inches from my toes when I did this, but in reality, he was about 2-3 feet away from me. I decided that I didn't want to have to stomp anymore, so I turned on some music really loud and I made a lot of noise finishing the paperwork I was doing. I also scooted my desk chair to where I could look outside my door and see that thing to make sure it didn't come near my office. I was feeling trapped in my own office and trying to plan a grand escape maneuver when I looked at him and noticed he was doing a weird tiny mouse-shuffle movement. He was taking a step away from the door, but doing it in tiny halting movements, sort of like dancing the robot. Under a strobe light. I think he was trying to be sneaky, not realizing that, as a mouse, he doesn't have to try that hard. And also not realizing that I was watching every little jerky movement he made. It was very tedious to watch, and I yelled at him again, but this time I was telling him to just run and get it over with. He still didn't listen.
But finally, when he rounded the corner of the office shredder bin, I felt the rush of relief, for I had FREEDOM again. And then, the rush of self-disdain as I could think clearly again. I generally think of myself as a pretty composed and rational person, but do rational people yell at robot-dancing rodents?
Maybe getting an apartment by myself wasn't the best idea.
What if it has mice?
31 July 2007
Workaholism: the slippery slope
It has come to my attention that, given the right job, I am a workaholic. I have noticed this in a very short time, considering I have worked in this new position for a total of two months now. I have thought of battling this disease with a 12-step program, but I don't think it's that serious. I can stop anytime I want. Just one more file review, and that's it, I swear. Ok, maybe two, but after that, I will seriously quit. (for tonight.)
But really, for now, I am ok with this reality in my life. I don't have a family of my own or a marriage. I have the freedom and desire to devote more of myself to my job than is required, and I would prefer that than to struggle with apathy or distaste for my job. I know that if I didn't enjoy my job as much as I do, I would have an easier time leaving things at the office, but as it stands, I consider it grace that God has led me to a position that I find both challenging and enjoyable. It's a great fit for my personality and a great balance of the things I value about my field and the preferences I have in work style. It's not always sunshine and roses. There are many situations that are difficult and disheartening. But for each of those, there is another encouragement to be found. And every situation is an opportunity to serve and build a positive relationship with the family I am working for. Even in the most frustrating of cases, I am reminded that when it seems I can do nothing to help a family, I can pray. Which is more effective and powerful than I understand. I am learning to believe it by my actions, because I think belief is more than agreement with an idea or theory. It is an action and a choice. Belief is a repetitive, conscious effort to live in line with an idea. It is not a solitary, passive declaration of thought.
And on that note, I am retiring. it's already too late for deep thought, but I've done my best.
But really, for now, I am ok with this reality in my life. I don't have a family of my own or a marriage. I have the freedom and desire to devote more of myself to my job than is required, and I would prefer that than to struggle with apathy or distaste for my job. I know that if I didn't enjoy my job as much as I do, I would have an easier time leaving things at the office, but as it stands, I consider it grace that God has led me to a position that I find both challenging and enjoyable. It's a great fit for my personality and a great balance of the things I value about my field and the preferences I have in work style. It's not always sunshine and roses. There are many situations that are difficult and disheartening. But for each of those, there is another encouragement to be found. And every situation is an opportunity to serve and build a positive relationship with the family I am working for. Even in the most frustrating of cases, I am reminded that when it seems I can do nothing to help a family, I can pray. Which is more effective and powerful than I understand. I am learning to believe it by my actions, because I think belief is more than agreement with an idea or theory. It is an action and a choice. Belief is a repetitive, conscious effort to live in line with an idea. It is not a solitary, passive declaration of thought.
And on that note, I am retiring. it's already too late for deep thought, but I've done my best.
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