while i'm gone

    I created an email account to access while I am gone that is separate from all my home accounts:
mkhagroma@gmail.com

    Like last year for the Mexico trip, I created a blog as well (first entry is posted), though I will probably be just as likely to post on it.

mkhagroma.blogspot.com

    But, just in case I'm able to get online, it will be there to keep loved ones up-to-date.   The thing is, you can't worry if I don't post to it.   That doesn't mean anything other than I am either too busy, too tired, or do not have easy access to the internet.
    If you do stop by, please leave a comment. It's always good to hear from 'home' when I am far away.
    Wonder what's going to happen to my count-down widget up there when it gets to zero?

visualDNA

Via Karin.
From where the heck did those those first two characteristics come?!?

Read my VisualDNA™ Get your own VisualDNA™

just for you

Happy May Day!

author, author, author (period)

    Oh, my, it seems like more than ten days since I posted. school assignments are all done save one, but work is busy-busy-busy! I don't seem to be getting the hang of verifying the cataloging, and it is really frustrating me. some of it is new errors with each batch, but about half the time I've made a mistake or overlooked something. If I wasn't trying so hard to double-check everything it would be different, but sometimes I can hardly believe I've made the same mistake again! Or, I think I understand how to interpret, for example, pub/copyright dates, reprint/editions... and, then, once again, I am wrong. I don't expect to do it perfectly, but gee whiz, I don't feel like I'm doing much better after being on this project for a month!
    I have learned some lessons, but they are really only applicable to authors:

1. remember the rule of three;
2. don't co-author with more than two other people;
3. if you do co-author with more than two other people, make sure YOUR name is the first one listed on the title page.

    Rule of three in cataloging refers to the fact that if more than three authors are listed on the title page, only the first one is noted in the record, followed by ... [et al.]. And those et al. don't even get an "Added author" line on the record, so, no one will ever find the book you helped write in the online catalog searches. At least when you have an article published in a journal, they have to list everyone's name in the databases! I'm told that next change in the cataloging guidelines will change this.... so, perhaps:

        4.  keep publishing journal articles with your three research pals, and hold off on writing that book.

I just know this will be earth-shattering and life-saving information for all y'all.

(I'm working in Blogger's "Compose" mode to see if the spacing will carry through to the actual post and not end up looking like the 50 questons post -- which I was too lazy to edit with HTML line breaks and other niceities. Here goes...)  Edited to say: nope. didn't work. not enough paragraph break. Blech.

    OH! I almost forgot my good news: had my three-month bloodwork check done last Monday, and got the results on Thursday. My hemoglobin A1C is still at 5.9% and liver enzymes are normal. Woo-hoo!

50 questions

is a lot... think I'll trim it down a bit.
    From Deb Richardson via Rissa:
2. What did you do last night?
    went to supper at a seafood diner with DH; worked til midnight on an assignment for my reference class.
6. What are you wearing?
    sleeveless dress I bought at Sears in 1999, sandals.
7. How many cars have you owned?
    does community property count? three in first marriage, one while single, nine in second marriage, but that includes about five used trucks my DH wore out driving 70 miles to work and home for 18 years of our marriage.
9. Are you registered to vote?
    yes. always have been. only called for jury duty twice, each time never even had to show up.
10. Do you have cable?
    nope. satellite. longlonglong time. used to live way out from town and had a BUD (big ugly dish). now have small dish.
12. Ever made a prank phone call?
    oh, probably to some boy in junior high.
15. Furthest place you ever travelled?
    as of today, Hawaii; ask me in three weeks, and it will be Tibet!
16. Do you have a garden?
    only flower beds, which thankfully pretty much take care of themselves, because I have a brown thumb
18. Do you know all the words to the national anthem?
    first verse, yeah.
19. Shower, morning or night?
    morning for work, only evening if I’m going out.
20. Best movie you’ve seen in the past month?
    would be a rental, I guess… tend to watch series’ on TV… Blood Diamond wasn’t too bad. most recent watch was Hollywoodland. movie was actually fairly good, but story was too too sad. to be so unhappy with life…
21. Favorite pizza toppings?
    pepperoni, but can’t eat it any more, so ham & pineapple.
27. Who were the last people you sat with at lunch with?
    a friend from school, Wanda. she's going with us to Tibet.
28. Favorite chocolate bar?
    Symphony. with almonds.
29. Who is your longest friend and how long?
    Mary-Mouse. 30+ years.
31. Have you ever won a trophy?
    yes. last place in a bowling league
32. Favorite artist?
    Van Gogh is all I can think of right now. I tend to have favorite paintings rather than artists, e.g., Starry Night.
33. Favorite computer game?
    I play Scorpion most, because it is on my PDA and handiest. also play the Bubble game on it. I like Bedazzeled and Nisqually on my laptop, but don’t take too much time t play any more.
35. Sprite or 7-UP?
    regular: 7-up, but diet: Sprite Zero
36. Have you ever had to wear a uniform to school/work?
    at the airport, yes. and at the Sheraton (but there it was just black pants, white blouse, black vest)
37. Last thing you bought at the store?
    cheese, cat food, diet soda, chips (for the boys), Special K Meal bars, butter.
38. Ever thrown up in public?
    yes. but that’s not as bad has uncontrolled diarrhea (fortunately it happened in an emergency waiting room – I got right IN!)
39. Would you prefer being a millionaire or finding true love?
    true love. but not how the question means it.
42. Who was the last person you visited in the hospital?
    gosh… have I visited anyone in the hospital since my mom died?? I truly can not remember.
43. Did you have long hair as a young kid?
    oh yes. very long.
45. Where would you like to go right now?
    home.
47. What kind of back pack do you have, and what’s in it?
    don’t use a back pack, but I do pack a “messenger bag” with my laptop, my school notebook, miscellaneous papers for things I need to have with me or take care of something, lots of “health & beauty aids” type of stuff, some knitting, my glucose meter, and some talisman items.
48. Last incoming/outgoing call on your phone?
    incoming: dr’s office; outgoing, my son.
49. What is one thing you are grateful for today?
    waking up.
50. What do you think about most?
    silly esoteric sh*t.

I really hate the blogger editor... no line breaks without adding the tag manually.

trips of a kind

    oh, my... so many days and no postings again. and there were days I had so much to say -- not that it was worth reading, though!

    i am trying to stay focused on school work and not get too wound up about Tibet yet. THAT is really hard to do, though. the weekend in Jackson sort of helped, and I have such lovely goodies from my little shopping adventure in Trish's stash. for the first time, I think I actually have enough pieces of dance clothing for a complete outfit: skirt, bra, turkish vest, hip scarf, belt. then there are some extra bits, like a fringe belt, and bell anklets. gee, now all I have to do is re-learn how to do the steps!

    it was such fun to see the MissiHippy troup dance again on Friday night. Hubby was along, and although he said he was turning away from the dancers because it was twisting his back, it was funny that he only seemed to do it when they danced toward him. if he thought *I* was going to get upset at him watching them or them flirting with him, he was wrong-wrong-wrong! Just as long as he doesnt' touch-touch-touch.

    sometimes it is hard to come back to P'ville after the being in Jackson. Yes, big cities have their drawbacks and problems, but so do small towns. I probably would hate living in Jackson if I was there (or if I was there, all my friends would be elsewhere!), but, it is nice to visit, and shop, and eat somewhere different.

    I bought one of these today. It is a 1.5-inch prayer wheel, which actually spins, and inside is a piece of microfilm with the Great Mantra printed on it over 1 million times. I was thinking about waiting to see if I found them in Tibet, but then I realized I wanted to have it with me everywhere I went in Tibet, so I ordered it.

    In other pre-trip activity, I'm going to load up all my music and some reading onto my three 1Gb SD cards for my iPaq,* and borrow #1Son's ipod shuffle too. I almost ordered one for myself yesterday, but I couldn't decide what I wanted. They are making the shuffles in colors now; I couldn't pick. Then there is the Nano: twice as much memory for only a little more money, but also twice the size. But that red one at 8Gb, for $250 is sure tempting.

I don't guess hubby's XM radio will work over there, but I'll fill up the rest of its hard drive for him and he'll have plenty of music along too. It's a hell of a long plane ride to China and back. I want a really good book to read too....

    Speaking of books, think I'll go read, or maybe ponder one of the meme Rissa posted this week, then go to bed. Night, all.

*nope, can't load up all three of them, then I'd have nothing to take digital pictures with, would I?? duh.

was I bored?

    Looking at the number of pick four's I did on Friday night, would you guess I was bored?? Just a bit. I was waiting for the group members in one class to upload their portions for our paper due on Wednesday. And trying to get the motivation to work on my portion (the introduction, conclusion and APA formatting). Most of the actual work wasn't done until Sunday.
    How is it one can be so bored when there is so much needing to be accomplished? My sweet mother would say that my "get-up-and-go got up and went." We managed to miss Sopranos last night. The DVR switched to Dresden Files, and since it doesn't repeat (or so we thought) we didn't change to HBO. Turns out the 8pm episode was a rerun, albeit a good one, and the 9pm episode was the new one. We could have watched both Sopranos and Dresden... but we were too far into Dresden before we realized we had seen it already. So, tonight, while 24 is recording, we'll watch Sopranos. I had to keep turning off Walton & Johnson on the way to work so I wouldn't hear them talking about last night's Soprano's episode.
    I suppose I should be panicking about school, but really, I think I'm pretty much on schedule for getting assignments and papers done. I have a whole week at the end of the term to write the actual final paper for one class, and I'm piddling along with the research for it just about every day. Then there will be another whole week to prepare for Tibet. That's lots of reading time, so I've decided not to fret about not being able to do it ahead... except that I WANT to read about Tibet, not library stuff. LOL

    Changing the subject... why do you think that out of the blue we dream about people from our past? I'd watched so much weird stuff on TV last night that I was sure I would have freaky dreams. But I dreamed of an old boyfriend, one I haven't thought of in  Y E A R S.
    We dated when I was a junior in highschool; he was a senior. The only time I usually think about him -- don't laugh -- is when I put on a pair of tight pants and reach my hand into the pocket.
    These "low-rider" pants the girls wear now are nothing new. We wore them in the early 70's only we called them "hip-huggers" and they had "bell-bottoms." I was quite thin then, especially in the hips, but I like to wear tight pants -- this was also the days of mini-skirts and h0t-pants. I can so clearly recall the afternoon that Jim came by my "Office Machines" class -- actually, he did so every day on his way to soccer practice out of his own class somehow! The doors were clear glass, and I'd see him in the hall and excuse myself to go to the restroom. So, we are standing in the hall (doing what kids *then* did when they were going together and could catch a moment alone in the hallway), when he laughed and said I was the only girl he knew who could actually get her hands in the pocket of her hip-huggers.... isn't that a weird thing to remember??
    Lordy, he was sweet. Good-looking in a bookish way, played soccer and lacrosse (wasn't really happy unless it was rainy, muddy and sloppy on the field). Just broke my heart when he broke it off. I really thought he was the one.

. . . . I don't think I really dated my whole senior year after he left, not until, gosh, I think it was Spring semester of my freshman year at college! I remember I had a crush on a boy from church that went nowhere, had to scrounge a date for the seniorprom, but I eventually made up for lost time. Hah! -- mostly with the Midshipman in Annapolis. Get your minds out of the gutter... I remained "pure" for a little longer than that . . . .

    But, Jim went off to West Point, and I think I only saw him twice before I ran off to Texas with my first husband. I know he went to paratropper training in GA, and got hurt, but I don't know where his Army career took him.

    So, anyway, isn't it funny how a good dream makes you feel?

pick four meme

    Ran across this meme while reading library/librarian blogs. People seem to modify it to suit them, and I have, too.

Four places I've lived:
Maryland
Tennessee
Texas
Mississippi

Four places I have been on vacation:
Grand Tetons, Wyoming
Puebla, Mexico
Freeport, Bahamas
Reno, Nevada

Four places I want to see:
Scotland
Italy
Peru
India

Four places I'd rather be:
St. Augustine, FL
San Antonio, TX
San Diego, CA
San Juan, PR

Four movies I could watch over and over:
Affair to Remember
Fifth Element
Sense & Sensibility
Highlander

Four TV shows I love to watch even in reruns:
House
CSI (Las Vegas, Miami, and New York)
Dresden Files
Monk

Four websites I visit daily:
Google
OCLC Bib Formats and Standards
Google Reader (library blog feeds)
Library OPAC

Four bloggers I read regularly (that I’m not tagging for this meme):
Yarn Harlot
Wendy Knits!
Yarn-a-go-go
ChicKnits

Four CDs (almost) always in my car:
Mask & Mirror (Loreena McKennitt)
Chocolate (Mayonesa)
Duets (Emmylou Harris)
Allison Krauss home-made compilation of four CDs

Four songs from my teens/twenties I still love to hear:
Vincent (Don Mclean)
Werewolves of London (Dire Straits)
London Homesick Blues (Jerry Jeff Walker)
Desperado (Linda Rondstat)

Four covers I like better than the originals:
Layla (Unplugged)
Iko Iko (think I have 5 different cover versions)
When you say nothing at all (Allison Krauss)
Hurt (Johnny Cash)

Four songs I sing in the shower:
... I wake up to talk-radio, so I don't sing much in the shower any more... if I do, it is whatever I just heard on the radio...

Four novels I like to re-read:
Little Women (Louisa May Alcott)
Secret Garden (Frances Hodgson Burnett)
Mists of Avalon (Marion Zimmer Bradley)
Outlander (Diana Gabaldon)

Four books that changed my outlook:
In search of stones (M.Scott Peck)
Joshua: A parable for today (Joseph Girzone)
Hinds feet in high places (Hanna Hurnard)
Diet Cure (Julia Ross)

Four magazines to which I subscribe:
Better Homes & Gardens
Interweave Knits
Diabetic Living
PC World

Four cookbooks I’ve actually used out of my very large collection:
Frugal Gourmet
Farm Journal Country Cookbook
Joy of Cooking
Bell's Best

Four jobs I've had in my life:
travel agent
telephone customer support
airport security (70's era)
home party sales

Four Vehicles I've Owned -- I think I've got pictures of them I can post:
1973 Chevy Malibu
1976 Datsun B210
1978 or 9 Buick Regal
1980 MGB Special

Four Restaurants I’d love to eat at again:
Evita's Italian (Ochos Rios, Jamaica)
Sweet George's (Kauai, unfortunately, doesn't seem to exist any more)
Phillip's Harborplace (Baltimore)
Columbia Restaurant (St. Augustine)

Four of my favorite foods -- evidenced above:
Italian, i.e., almost any pasta/red sauce entre
crabcakes, shrimp & crawfish
Cuban/Mexican/Carribean
Steak

Four people I'm tagging (who can whatever "four" they like from the above):
Mary Anne
Karin
Lisa
Rissa

get your zzzzzzzzz's

    I was a little early, I suppose in announcing Spring, which officially begins later today. S'ok, though, I know y'all will forgive me. That make this the Vernal Equinox, I suppose, so celebrate as you like!

    The big news for us is that hubby's sleep study, at least in his opinion, was a rousing success. Actually, that's a totally wrong metaphor, as he felt his sleep was much improved and that he felt noticably more alert and rested yesterday! Some time during the night of the study, they put on him a CPAP. His only complaint was a bit of irritation on his face, but he felt that was a result of too tight a strap, or something minor. Definitely worth the benefit. And, he continues to rave about the health benefits: lowers risks of stroke and heart attack, improves memory and metabolism (thus aiding in weight loss), etc. Read up on Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS) here and here and here.

    Now, back to re-learning how to update/create authority records! It's been 6 weeks since I last worked on this project! I just wanted to post this good news and these links . . . This is really an important and life-threatening condition -- snoring really is "no laughing matter."

suddenly, it's spring

    The azaleas have gone from a couple of blossoms at the bottoms (i.e., protected) of the bushes, to full-blown, full-bloom... and gorgeous! The "for-cynthia" (as my friend, Ann, calls forsythia), the pear trees, the red-buds and the dogwoods are all just beautiful. Of course, everyone's allergies are kicking in, too.

    I was up very late last night messing with an Excel file as part of a project for my collection development class, so I slept in a bit this morning. Once I was up, I found myself in the book-room and on the floor organizing some of my mom's cookbooks. For severals years before she passed away, she had subscribed to the Pillsbury Classic Cookbooks. There are a couple of issues missing (Oct '01, Oct '99, Feb '96 & Mar '96), and apparently Dad had renewed for a multi-year subscription not long before she passed away, because I have them through the end of 2001 (Mom died Dec '99).

    It was like spending the morning with Mom... we always spent a lot of time when I visited looking at cookbooks and magazines, and watching food/recipe shows. She had marked interesting items with the little bookmarks that were a perforated part of the subscription insert each month. Every once in a while, I would find one with the subscription insert still in place; it would make me think that perhaps she'd never gotten to look at it. Maybe she was too sick, or maybe it just got mislaid.

    But, it wasn't a sad time, really. It brought back happy memories of our times together. And it kept me away from the computer, where I had too much repetitive-stress action on my right hand and wrist last night! This short post is the only time I've been at the keyboard all day... but my wrist is still hurting. So, I'm heading to rub it down with something analgesic and go to bed.

    #2Son is here with me tonight, but I left DH at the sleep lab tonight. I wish I had taken a photo of him all wired up for the tests. Tomorrow, I think I'll check eBay for those missing issues.

spoiler ahead

    Don't read any further if you haven't seen (and plan to) The Guardian, with Kevin Costner. It's the movie about Coast Guard rescue swimmers. We watched it last night, and it was okay. A bit too reminiscent of Officer and a Gentleman and others. And I didn't like the ending... which leads me to my spoiler question:

    What is it with KC and self-sacrifical deaths? First there was Message in a Bottle, now this. I can't think of specific title(s), but I seem to recall others.

    And in the weirdly unbelievable heading today are 1) the Rock Paper Scissors League competition this weekend on the Gulf Coast, whose winner goes to the national competition in Las Vegas, and 2) all the Chow Downs on Spike TV this week/weekend. No wonder the world has such little respect for us any more -- although, ya know, there's plenty of weird stuff going on around this little blue marble. Feel free to chime in with anything that comes to mind...

    Time to make the donuts work on cataloging. Everyone have a wonderful Friday!

flattering, but

        embarassing.

    This afternoon I checked my webmail for the online classes I'm taking and found two requests from fellow students for file copies of my last assignment -- for which I had received the total possible points and high compliments from the professor. Both student requests were instigated by the professor. Atta, girl... I guess.

    Fulfilling earlier promises for more peeks at my purse stash:

I love all these bags with the embellished photos on them, especially the kitties. I picked this one up at Hudson's, of course.

These were a Christmas gift from my step-daughter in 2005.

But, this one is my favorite, because it looks so much like our Sasha.

meandering

    I know I don't post regularly any more (did I ever??), but seems like all I have to say is whiney. I'm not doing anything interesting, nothing but work and school, and I am pretty exhausted by the time I get home. As much as I despise day-light savings time, at least by the time I drive home these days it is still light and I'm a little more awake. But, like last night, for example, I wanted to do something but had no energy... and my eyes were SO tired! They actually 'quit' on me about 2:30pm; at least it felt that way... and this morning they are still fuzzy. Yes, Rissa, I will drink more water today. And I need to get an eye exam and new lenses, I'm sure. Too much tiny print in old books yesterday, plus all the reading for classes. See??? Whiney stuff.

    And here's some more........

    kinds of drivers who make me crazy: those who stop and won't go at a four-way, and those who go and won't stop... then there are those who speed in town but won't accelerate onto the interstate...

    I should stop and save this as a draft, then add at least one purse photo from my laptop... nah. I'll just post again at break.

Right.

    I am doing some research via blogging. How about that for different? Seems there is this movement afoot on the library scene that has come to be known as "Library 2.0." I set up the Google Reader for these blogs, and by golly, it's a rather convenient way to read blogs. But, in some ways, I don't get the hoop-la. It's almost exactly like reading newsgroups -- which was around long before *I* started doing in in the mid-nineties. Sure, the interface is different, and there are bells and whistles, but it is really the same approach...

    As for the Library 2.0, my paper will hopefully answer my primary question: what is the point/reason for the gushing? Is it hyperbole or is it a practical and worthwhile use of staff time. So far, I've read some interesting opinions, but, most just seem just infatuated with the toys.

(gotta run)

will i never learn

to keep my mouth shut?

    First thing at work this morning, I checked my e-mail -- just like everyone else does. The draft of a group assignment for one of my classes was in my inbox. I expected to have a couple of grammatical or spelling errors to comment on, BUT, the formatting throughout the document was inconsistent. I cannot afford a grade lower than a "B" on any of these assignments! So I spent an hour editing the document.

    Now here's the stupid part: I dropped by my temporary supervisor's office and told her I would owe her an hour on Monday because of the classwork ... nope. I had to submit leave-time for it because the pay-period ends today and I have no way to make up the hour.

    Back at my desk, I was in tears. If I had said nothing, no one would have known I'd spent that hour doing classwork, but noooooooooooooo! I have to be honest.

stupidstupidstupidstupidstupid . . .

    I realize it has been over 20 years since I have been in the workplace, but I do not remember being treated like a child in my previous jobs.

purses

    Amazingly, I seem to have a bit of the "spring cleaning" bug. I've been tidying up here and there -- but honestly, I was searching for something. A purse.
    Now, some people think I have a lot of purses. I can't helpt it. When they are cute and cheap, I buy them. (By the way, I was truly frustrated when I didn't have time to change my purse last month when I went to visit some people and did some "marathon shopping."

this is my current carry
    This is the one I was hunting for the last week and finally found this morning buried under a pile of new sheets I bought a while ago:

    It is a Nine West, but I'm not a designer or brand-name shopper. I only know this because the cashier made a big deal out of what a bargain it was.
    While I had out the camera, and was tidying up the bedroom (including doing the piles and piles of laundry), I took some photographs of my other little treasures, so I'll be sharing those in future posts. Aren't you thrilled?

rose ice

    My husband is a worse book-wh*re than I am. He haunts both the town library and used book store for interesting bargains. This morning he brought me three small cookbooks -- don't laugh so hard -- including this one:
    I just have to share the recipe for "Rose Ice" from this little treasure.

Wash half pint of rose petals; pound them to a paste, adding granually four tablespoons og granulated sugar. When smooth, add a quart of water and a pound of sugar, boil ten minutes; do not strain. When the mixture is cold, add the juice of four oranges strained through chhese cloth. Freeze carefully and serve in punch or wine glasses, garnished with fresh rose petals. -- Mrs. S.T. Rorer, Dainty Dished for All the Year Round, 1908.

self-connections

    I usually bump along on meme's after Rissa, though I skipped the "Inside the Actor's Studio" (Bernard Pivot)one)... maybe another time.

1a. What is one thing about your body that you hate, deny, talk trash about?
    Is hair part of your body? It upsets me that my hair has gotten so thin. It is embarassing, and I do talk trash about it as a defense mechanism, I guess. What REALLY bothers me is women and girls (okay, Pentecostals/Fundamentalists) with long, long hair who won't donate even a portion of it to Locks of Love! Their 'crowning glory' is nothing but vanity.
    Like Rissa, my flabby and paunchie tummy bothers me. Yes, it is smaller now, but that means it is saggy. But, what is up with this not having eyebrows any more?!?!?
1b. What can you do to make friends with this part and show it a little love?
    Keeping my hair colored is about the only thing I can do to make myself feel better about that; I use good shampoos and conditioners. Biotin is supposed to help. As for the tummy, I'm so glad to have lost the weight, I'll put up with the saggy tummy.
    The eyebrows, well, I have this nervous habit of plucking at them when I am under stress. Staying calm helps more than just that, thank goodness; and keeping my hands occupied helps. Last year I just about plucked the left one totally off; lately it's the right. And then... one of the women at Incense asked if I wanted my eyebrows 'threaded' -- I had to tell her I didn't have enough to bother with.
2a. What is one thing about your home that doesn't feel good?
    Except for the clutter, and the fact that I'm a terrible housekeeper (I need a maid), and there are a hundred things that need to be done (or finished), I love my house.
2b. What is one thing you can do to change that?
    Hmm... just said it I guess: get a maid. But what I'd really like to do is to finally have the light blue paint job finished and to create a Japanese garden outside the 'library.'
3a. Is there a relationship that you have difficulty with?
    The relationship with which I have difficulty is not one I am either willing to discuss on a blog or do anything about.
3b. What is something small you can do to either salvage it or come to terms with the way it is now?
    I am polite, and hard as I try not to do so, I keep hope that the future will not be as bad as I fear it will be because of this person.
4a. Is there something you are afraid to do, but would like to try it?
    I am afraid to get a tatoo. For a dozen reasons (all pretty good ones).
4b. What can you do to begin a plan to try it?
    Won't be doing anything. I will, however, probably get a third piercing in my ear. Which one should it be??

i got'em, y'all

what my momma always called "the-can't-help-its-and-the-don't-want-to's"

    so... I'm feeling a little overwhelmed lately. not getting a lot accomplished, and having a lot that needs accomplishing will do that.

    so... I'm feeling a little overwhelmed lately. not getting a lot accomplished, and having a lot that needs accomplishing will do that. work is going well, though (my temporary supervisor told me today that my work from last week showed improvement). my knee was even feeling pretty good until I pulled 50 books from the stacks today and pushed that cartful of items back to my desk -- it's aching toinght even after taking Aleve when I got back to my desk this morning and one after supper tonight. driving when it's aching is such a joy, too.

    I finally managed to finish and submit my application to TWU toinght.

For those of you who don't know, I'm not real happy with the program I'm currently in -- which may pass with time (and more classes), but I'm keeping an eye on other options.

didn't get any (more) laundry done tonight, nor my kitchen cleaned up. didn't find my tweezers or get my hair colored. didn't do a dozen other things. I did waste spend two hours with class chats -- a message board/email list could accomplish the same thing as what occurs in the one class, and I'm still waiting to "learn from my fellow classmates" in the other, and wondering why we aren't "learning" from the Ph.D.

    yesterday (Sunday) I spend browsing library-oriented blogs, having a work-group chat for one class, reading (really boring, twice as long as necessary) textbook chapters, and watching House on peekvid.com. then I gave in to my OCD-self and ripped back, a stitch at a time, the 3-knit stitch edges of the Peaks & Valleys scarf and fixed the row where I forgot to knit on the wrong side. It happened on both edges, one side about three inches from the beginning and the other about six inches from the beginning. I fixed all the stitches except the turn stitch at the end/beginning of the rows. I knew I'd screw that up, so I left it. I worked on it some more tonight while I sat through class chat.

oh! and I don't know why, but when I try to reply to your comments through my email program, my replies always bounce back to me. so, I'm not being rude, I'm just not sure how to fix the problem yet.

    now... it's time for bed. I know this because the neighbor's dog is barking.

daniel

    My friend/co-worker had her baby yesterday afternoon. They discovered a couple of months ago that the fetus had Parson's syndrome. Daniel lived only a couple of hours, but all his family had time to hold him before he left this world. Please take a moment to be thankful for the presence of all those you love, and to remember this family.

me-me-me-me-

    Wow. More than a month since I did a meme! No, I won't make up for lost time, but monkey-see-monkey-do and all that...
What curse words do you use the most?
    Hands-down it would be "sh*t" -- but the f-word has creeped in much more than I care to admit since (no, not "since we met," Rissa!) it got so prevalent on TV and in public... I do HATE to let it slip out in public with little kids around.
Do you own an i-pod?
    I have purchased two, both as gifts. But, since I have not yet mailed the one to my step-grandson, I may order him one with his name on it (like we did for our son) and keep this one. I get tired of unhooking my earphones from the computer at work every time I need to walk away. I *do* have a lot of music on my HP iPaq, so I have mixed feelings about having another electronic toy.
What time is your alarm clock set to?
    Sorry, can't stand it... To what time is your alarm clock set?
Monday through Friday, it is set for 5:35am, not 5:30, because Walton & Johnson don't usually begin until 5:35. I stay in bed and listen until their first commercial break (usually about 5:45), then get up and take a shower.
Would you rather take the picture or be in the picture?
    I would like to be in the picture, if I took a good picture! LOL Pictures of me are always terrible. And the ones I take are not nearly as good as I'd like them to be, or as good as my husband's.
What was the last movie you watched?
    At the movies, it was, hmm.... oh, yes! How could I forget: Pirates of the Caribbean 2. At home, sh*t! I can't remember.
What cd is currently in your player?
    A DVD, actually: Tibet, Cry of the Snow Lion.
Do you prefer regular or chocolate milk?
    I'll drink the no-sugar chocolate sometimes, but an ice-cold glass of skim milk is just fine with me.
Has anyone told you a secret this week?
    Well, things were said to me that I wouldn't repeat, so I guess that's a secret of sorts.
When was the last time you had Starcrack Starbucks?
    About a week or so ago. There is one on the first floor of the library where I work, but I seldom patronize it because there is a better coffeeshop on the way to campus (and another better one in another part of campus). Biscotti are cheaper at SB's than the good cafe, but, SB doesn't have ginger biscotti! Those are my one regular indulgence lately.
Can you whistle?
    Nope. Hubby can though. Loud and strong.
What are you looking forward to?
    The soonest event I'd be looking forward to is the possibility of getting in touch with someone I haven't seen since before Katrina.
Did you watch cartoons when you were little?
    Oh, my yes! When cartoons were GOOD. Bugs Bunny, Wiley Coyote & Road Runner, Yogi Bear, Tom & Jerry...
Do you own any band t-shirts?
    Probably not any more. My favorite one was a skinny little tank from a Waylon Jennings concert at Painter's Mill, MD.
What will you be doing in an hour?
    Most likely watching an episode of Shark or 24 or CSI:[??] off the DVR and eating something.
What was the last song you heard?
    Last one I can remember specifically was by Eric Clapton, the one with a drug name that I don't really want showing up in any Google search! LOL
Last time you cried?
    On my mom's birthday last week.
Desktop or laptop?
    Laptop, definitely!
Desiring any new ink?
    On my braver, quirkier days I think about "first" ink -- but it won't every happen. I am too chicken... and I've seen it done. No raw flesh look, thankyoouverymuch.
What’s the weather like?
    After a rainy morning, it turned into a beautiful, balmy day!
What were you doing an hour ago?
    Reading through the Walgreens sale paper.
How many hours of sleep do you need to function?
    I function best on about 9 hours, but I try to get my 8 hours and 20 minutes now that I'm working.
Do you eat breakfast daily?
    Yes. I rarely miss eating at least something.
What did you do last night?
   Ordered pizza, chatted online, sorted through a big pile of junk mail and stuff I'd set aside for 'later,' and knitted on my Peaks & Valley scarf.
Do you use sarcasm?
    Yes, but with caution... sarcasm is lost on way too many people these days.
Do you like mustard?
    Oh yeah, especially spicy, but all kinds are good with me.
Do you sleep on your side/back/stomach?
    Mostly on my side, and it makes my shoulders hurt. Too many years of having to do it because my stomach/liver was hurting.
Do you watch the news?
    Rarely, and not if I can help it! That's why I never know what's going on.
How did you get one of your scars?
    Many years ago when I lived in Texas, as I was leaving the bathroom, raised my hand to flip the light switch and scraped the top of my hand on the underside of the towel bar. It was a shallow cut, and didn't bleed much at all, but it left an ugly scar.