Whenever I Call You Friend

Do you remember that song?
I heard it on the radio the other day at a local pizza place.
We went there to sit down and eat our pizza.
It's not often that we do that - we usually get pizza and wings for takeaway, and then eat it at home.
Often the freshness of a pizza is diminished by this.
Does that make sense?
There's really nothing like sitting down to hot pizza fresh from the oven and with cheese so melted that you need a knife and fork to eat it or you'll burn your mouth.
I wish, however, that they had grape soda - instead I got orange - but there's something about sitting in a pizzeria and eating pizza and drinking grape soda that takes me back to when I was younger.
That's always nice.
This post, however, is not one about food.
Although it could be.
It's just that this Kenny Loggins song was playing in the pizzeria (along with some other great 70's songs - I'm so stuck in that era - one in which our pizzeria had grape soda).
So you don't remember it?
Here's a video (words only, sorry, no awesome Stevie Nicks singing along with Kenny):



I bring this up because last weekend I received an awesome present from my friend, Jennifer.
Now I sent her some yarn around Christmas time, and she knows that it was a RAOK, and she was in no way obligated to send me something back. I just wanted to do something nice for someone who is always helping others. They deserve special treats, don't you agree?
So I was totally surprised to find these pressents in my mail.
Love, love LOVE this project bag - aren't these sheep remarkable?

And chocolate - it's almost as if Jennifer knows that sustenance is needed if one is going to survive while knitting.

She's so thoughtful.
Then I decided to pay it forward.
My co-worker, Dave, bought pizza for five of us (it was a quiet work day), I thought that it would be nice if I provided the dessert after the pizza and wings.
(By the way, don't judge me for having pizza and wings twice within five days. Do. Not. Judge.)
Here are Dave and Andrea enjoying the dark chocolate bar.

I think they look happy with the chocolate, don't you?

You don't have to steal it, Dave, I told you I'd share!
We all thank you, Jennifer!!

Brought someone special to work

I came, and they tagged along.

Good morning, socks.

Long Weekend Knitting

Hubby and I took Friday off from work to do...nothing.
Absolutely nothing.
No plans, no need to go anywhere other than out to dinner and a movie (Dark Shadows - so weird) on Friday night with friends.
It was great.
We caught up on NCIS, Big Bang Theory, and tried to catch up on Hot in Cleveland, but he lost interest after the second episode.
And I knit. Or did I "knitted?"
Either way, it was a nice day.
And it was a great weekend.
I knit on the couch, I knit at the beach, I knit in the backyard, and I knit in the kitchen.
Here's what I got up to.
I finished my second sock to my pair of dimpled socks - remember this?

Hubby and I have approximately the same size feet. Not really, but we can wear the same socks, and he likes these, so I know that what I really need to do, considering that we live in the frozen north, is to make a bunch of socks like this to prepare us for winter. He agrees. I still have to kitchener the toe, but I was so psyched to be done that during a commercial break I ran upstairs and got some size six needles and cast on for a baby sweater/wrappy thingy. Here's the right front of the thingy:

Hubby asked me to make some baby booties for a woman at his work. Think he's bragging about me and my knitting? How could I disappoint him, right? So of course I've got to do a little wrap, and a pair of ruby red booties for the baby girl coming in July, I can't just make booties.
And work continues on my Multnomah using my special color Lorna's Laces sock:

I like the colors, but sometimes I don't, but then I do.
This is definitely not a spring or summer color, so I'll keep working on it, and then when November comes around, and it's cranberry time, you know I'll be digging this color.
The pattern, or is it the yarn, does seem to pool in spots, but I think once I start the feather and fan border this might create a striking contrast to the colors inside. Don't you think?
And up ahead is another long weekend.
I can't wait.
No plans for then either.
Except to knit, read, listen to audiobooks, watch movies, and sit in the sun.
Yes, all at the same time.
I have waited nine months to have decent weather, so I love to sit outside and take advantage of it.

She Works Hard for Her Money

Recently a former co-worker and I were joking about something networking via e-mail, and I asked her now that she has been promoted how her daily routine had changed.
This is a legitimate question as she is now the queen bee on her floor – not the office manager, but the senior executive assistant to the big boss.
Here is her reply:

This is my schedule:

• Saunter into the office, passing by the lower-class people out front (since I’m nice, I greet each of them)

• Enter my office with the magic lights turning on immediately

• Decide which shoes I should wear with my outfit

• Go into the ladies’ room and make sure that all of the spackle and super glue are holding my face together and that I don’t have any lipstick on my teeth

• Decide if I want coffee or tea to start my day – if tea, I handle that; if coffee I go downstairs and get it (since I don’t believe in the office manager’s method of washing these pots)

• Go back to my office and change my shoes for the first time of the day

• Glance at the headlines in the Wall Street Journal

• Peruse the D & C

• Check my email

• Check CNN and one of the local news sites

• Watch my phone ring and wait for someone else to answer it

• Change my shoes again

• Go check my mail

• Put my flats back on because my feet are already killing me

• By then it’s lunchtime and in the summer I expect the office manager to bring me tomatoes

• If no tomatoes, then back downstairs for salad but not before changing into heels and checking myself out in the mirror

• Change my shoes, eat lunch, brush/floss my teeth

• Re-apply lipstick/powder (repetitive throughout the day as you can imagine)

• Answering questions from the peeps out front because they’re all so damn stupid (excluding SN)

• You know, it goes on and on – definitely not easy being me…

Is it too early to think about New Year's resolutions?

I've been considering what kind of New Year's resolutions I can make this year.
With the New Year a short 30 days away (if I did my math right) it's really not too soon for me to consider how I can improve my life in 2011.
Some of the ideas that have been bouncing around inside my brain housing group are:

1. Co-writing a story/book with someone comes to mind.
Such as - you write a chapter, then I write a chapter, etc.
Just for fun, mind you.
Any takers?

2. Also I've been thinking that it would be great to do nothing but knit up all the sock yarn I have - make it the New Year of Socks, or something along those lines.
But I'm not sure how that would be for me - I have such knitting ADD that I don't even know if I could last two weeks knitting only socks.
It's a great thought though, don't you think?

3. Decluttering always has a place on the list, but that's something that will never be accomplished to the degree that it should be.

4. Maybe even give up one food I love for an entire month to see how I do - just kind of a test for myself.

5. Organizing my pantry comes to mind too, but that's hardly a New Year's resolution, more of a "to do" list item.

6. The last thing I've been pondering is how to focus on improving my "professional" life.
I took a seminar this summer that was underwhelming (glad the State paid and not me), but I did take away two things from there.
First, that in whatever you do you should always remember - Q-TIP.
Quit Taking It Personally.
See, now you can't shake that one either, can you.
Second, that you should focus 3 hours a month on professional development.
I never do that.
Ever.
But there are some certifications I'd like to get, and they would require me to take a HUGE test, so I would need to study.
Can I find time for focused study?
Only time (or the New Year) will tell.

Has anyone else been considering their New Year's resolutions?

Ugh, back to work

Yes, it's back to work today.
Where, oh where, is my winning lottery ticket???
The one that will afford me enough incoming cash so I can stop working.
TCM needs me!
They can't run movies without me being here!
My yarn needs me!
My books need me!
I can't go!!!
Alas, I must.
Two weeks off should be more than enough to reach zen.
(ha)
Well, at least I have MLK weekend on the 19th to look forward to.
It's a wonderful break in the midst of all that back to work hoopla.
So I'll be trudging through the snow today to get myself organized there at work.
Wish me luck!

My Bathing Suit Has Been Getting a Workout This Summer

Too bad that the body inside the suit isn't working out.
No pictures.
Please.
We have been super busy.
Well, I have.
My grammar class finished on 3 July (got an A - yea!) and then we had the 4th of July weekend.
We went to the beach, which DH constantly likes to remind me is not a real beach.
Hey, again, we're up north, if the beach abuts a large lake, then it is still a beach.
Then we spent time at Darien Lake and yesterday we went to Seabreeze.
And I was in a bathing suit each time.
No one's eyes were blinded either.
In between times I was helping out at Vacation Bible School the week of the 7th.
But I didn't wear my bathing suit, not even on water day.
I have a picture of the imps in my class but I'll have to post that later - so this is where I will insert a picture.
Here's the picture:

As well as one with DN2 looking like she's having good time:

(For the record, DH took this fuzzy picture. I'm just saying is all...)
It was a lot of fun, but then once VBS ended at noon I had to rush to get to work by 12:30.
So I took off on Friday the 11th and after VBS ended that day we went to the movies to see Journey to the Center of the Earth. I liked it, DN2 liked it, DH liked it, but the critics don't seem to care for it too much. (Let's be honest here; it had Brendan Fraser, how could it be a bad movie?)
Oh well, can't please everyone.
Of course I considered taking my knitting with me, because I have totally lost my mojo, but decided that since the movie is in 3D and I would be wearing those stupid glasses it would not make sense for me to bring it.
And speaking of 3D, I hate those movies.
Want to know why?
Have I already discussed this?
Well I will tell you again.
I can't see in 3D.
Well, that's not true, I can see 3D in real life, but at the movies I don't get the special effects.
Everyone else will be oohing, ahing, and gasping when the 3D part comes at them, and I'll be sitting there thinking, what? Did something just happen?
Kind of irritating and not scary at all.
I wear the glasses and don't get the extra cool stuff so not a lot of fun for me.
Now let me tell you about our Seabreeze experience.
The day was supposed to dawn sunny and hot.
It was sunny for a bit, but then it slowly became cloudy.
And the clouds continued to roll in. They weren't going back out over that big lake and towards Canada like they should have been.
No, they stayed right on top of us.
And then it started to rain.
You should have seen the people scattering and running for cover.
They were lined up under the overhang by the locker rooms, covering their heads with towels, and ducking into the shops.
Now let's consider this.
2,000 people in swimsuits in a water park and they are all afraid of getting rained on.
It was sublimely hilarious, to say the least.
Back to a regular work week now for the first time in 6 weeks.
I think I need a vacation.

Our First Knitting Meeting

Yesterday was our first knitting/crochet group meeting. We actually had a good turnout - of the 22 people who signed up, 16 actually joined us!
Well, okay, Flower and I are included in the 16, but I'm looking at complete numbers because we were knitting and crocheting too.
We will supply yarn for everyone as long as they are knitting or crocheting for charity, and in this case the first charity we've decided to participate in is for a Warm Up! America afghan. When it's done, we'll give it to the local nursing home.
There were some enthusiastic knitters and crochetiers, and now we just want to make sure we can sustain their enthusiasm for the group. After we work on afghan squares we have told everyone that we're open to new ideas for charity work.
I think we'll have a good time.
Not everyone who came to the meeting yesterday knew how to knit or crochet.
The learn to crochet group was the most popular:



And only two people wanted to learn how to knit:



But truthfully there wasn't enough room for everyone to sit on the couches so we had some of us sitting in the middle of the room at tables:



Sanctioned knitting in the middle of the day at work is a wonderful way to spend a Friday.

Charity Knitting

I'm putting together a knitting group at work.
It's not just for my office but for the entire campus.
I envision this as a networking/charity knitting group. Of course those who wish to crochet or participate in other crafts are encouraged to attend as well.
I've written up a five-paragraph order (of sorts) that identifies what we're doing, when, how, why, and with what materials.
Does anyone have any hints or sage advice that they could share that will help me as I embark on this new adventure?
I would appreciate it.

Keep on Working, keep on working

Back to the daily grind today. It was certainly nice having 3 days off from work, even if I was taking care of DH post-surgery. Being home is always better than any other alternative. The problem is the longer I stay home the lazier and more reclusive I become.

I did make it to class on Thursday night and it was much, much better than the first night. However, and this is a big however, there is one student in my class who is extremely intelligent. Good on ya. But he also never shuts up. Granted, all of his remarks are spot on but there were times when a student asked the professor a direct question and this student responded for the professor!

You could see from the looks on some of the students' faces that this is not going to be tolerated much longer. And this is only the second class session! It irritated me but then I began to find the humor in it and it quickly reminded me of how much I want a digital voice recorder, just to inflict this pain on my friends. A woman with whom I work is taking classes towards her MA in History and she said that there are some talkers in her class. The professor sent an email out stating that the class location may be changing and also asked that all the students who got a chance to talk during the last class sit in the outer part of the circle and let the others who didn't talk much get their chance. I thought that was quite a diplomatic way to have people shut up.

Other than that the class was a wonderful equalizer. I felt so underqualified and out of my element on the first evening of class, but this past Thursday we got into our school circle and all pretension (minus one student) fell away. Plus we're reading Ovid and it has reinforced the strength of my feelings -- I love the storytelling involved in Greek and Roman mythology.

Now I need to get to bed. It is not about getting a fresh start for work tomorrow. Oh no. It is 8:30 and much too cold to function. I'll leave you with a picture of the voice recorder I'm considering buying:

More snow on its way tomorrow. Off to get under the blankets and read Ovid.

Frost on the Windows

For those of you suffering from the heat and slightly cold temperatures -- it is freezing here!!
Correction, it is below freezing.
14 degrees outside - feels like 6 degrees (I'm reading this off The Weather Channel).
And I think my office is probably at about 40 something.
We have no heat at work - they turn it off for the 2 week shut-down in order to save money.
It is so cold I am shivering and afraid to move away from my space heater. Not exactly a cost-saving device, but it's saving my life right now.
Why am I here?
Good question.
(Perhaps I'm here so you don't have to be - ever think about that? Give it some thought.)
It is a perfect day for some hot (and I mean hot) tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich - my favorite lunch - which since I had Shepherd's Pie for lunch might actually be what I have for dinner tonight.
I understand that other parts of the country are pretty cold right now too.
My sympathy goes out to y'all.
Alright now, back to your regularly scheduled programs and try to stay warm.

Bummer

I didn't get to go.

JURORS SUMMONED FOR THE JUNE 7, 2007 JURY TERM:

Juror #'s B111 - B300 You are dismissed and you no longer need to check this web site or call. Thank you for your service.

If I could only perform my civic duty

Is it horrible of me to hope that the number B 285 is called and I actually have to report for Jury Duty this week?

I know, I know, be careful what you wish for.

Things you can tell just by hearing them #105

How I can tell we chose a brilliant, exceptional work-study student:

I'm in my office working and listening to iTunes (set on shuffle).
In walks the student with her timesheet for me to sign.
She asks, "Oh, are you listening to Neil Young?"
Me, silent with open mouth gaping at her in shock thinking, this child has heard of Neil Young?!?!
She says, "I have his greatest hits CD."
Me, still somewhat in shock, "You do? Now, do you have Live at Massey Hall?"
She says, "No, but I watched that with my boyfriend last weekend. It was great."
Instantly I walked out of my office and said to one of the ladies who I think is awesome (and not just because she openly admits to being a hippie, flower child in the 60s), "You know, there is another great reason why we hired M."
Hippie, Flower Child says, "Why?"
Me, "Because she likes Neil Young!"
Both of us crow over our exceptional, young, impressional, yet oh so brilliant work-study student.
I mean I thought only my kids know about Neil Young.
The man is still out there -- and chicks dig him!!

Forget the March hare, the lion is still here

It is cold today.
The announcer on the radio station I listen to out of Toronto (96.3) told the listening audience about how dangerously cold it is up there today and he said, "Teens, wear more than a hoodie today."
Too funny.
Yes, it is cold, so cold all you want to do is stay in bed, and some of my co-workers get to do that because the roads are closed in their county so they can't get to work!
What a deal.
Now if only my former co-workers (Jean and Sheri) would contact me and let me know what their cryptic, yet damning, email meant that they sent on Friday.
What's up ladies?

Another Work Year Ends

The work year is drawing to a close.
Another Friday and I'm here by myself.
I think I might lock the door.
Mostly because I'm playing my iPod rather loud.
Sing to me, Eddie!
And just to satisfy anyone's curiosity, this is the Vera Bradley case I received for Christmas:DN1 got the pink and green one which even though those aren't her colors (she's not a petal pink kind of girl - reds and oranges yes), I didn't want to have two black ones in the house, and oh yes, the black one is mine.
Yesterday DN1 got really busy in the house and moved things around - it was lovely!
Brava!
I'm so proud of her, and not just because she organizes my life. But she did help me create my own little Virginia Woolf room. I can't wait to get in there and shut the door and read, or knit, or listen to music sans interruption.
I'll post pictures later, because it will be awesome, oh yes.
A domani!