Thursday, September 29, 2005

I don’t want to work. I just want to bang on me drums all day.

I am soooo glad that tomorrow is Friday. This week has been hell on acid. At work, they have decided to implement a new system. Which might have been all fine and dandy, except the system is based on what was done several years ago and not on what things have become now. Plus, the higher-ups decided that training should be optional, meaning that everyone except our location would get the training. This week, we have been thrown in the system, with no training and no demo site to practice first. And to make matters worse, we are still using the old system so we are attempting to use, well, in total, 3 different systems to do the same thing. Monday, we are dropping the old tried and working ways, and strictly using the new-ish way. Joy.

I was watching a show the other day and the one woman says to the other, “you know I don’t handle change well. So let me freak for a few days and work things out.” That has been my week. Tuesday, we started using the system and chaos reigned and to add insult to injury, we were short staffed, so I was doing two jobs that require you to be in two different places. Tuesday, I went home exhausted. Wednesday, more stress and I was ‘freaking out’ and it was not good and I was tired and it was taking forever to do what I used to do in seconds and then, the system broke. And if I can’t use the system, then no one can. And by the end of the day, things were better. Today, the system worked and I obviously was feeling better cause the day went pretty well. One of my biggest complaints about the system is that pretty much, I am the only one who can do what I do now. No one can just jump in and help like they used to. So, I just do what I can in the time I can and hope it all works out.

And since several articles say you shouldn’t discuss work on your blog, we’ll move along to other interesting topics.

Have I mentioned how much I love the new Command strips by 3M? These are awesome. They are hooks that stick to the wall with a type of double sided tape. I started using them last Christmas to hang lights in the house, cause I don’t do decorating the outside of the house. Since last year, I had painstakingly painted the living room, I didn’t want to use tags and these promise to not ruin the wall. And they were awesome. They held the lights up and decorations, etc. And you can just buy replacement sticky parts instead of whole new product. So I decided to try some of the bigger units for hanging my broom/swiffer and housecoat. They are so cool - no damage to the wall, no worrying about filling all those holes at the end of time. Any way, I recommend them to all.

My garden is done. My parents came over and help D and I finish cleaning up the garden. The veggies are in and the ground is rotor-tilled. Winter may now arrive. Ooh, and I dry-cleaned my winter jacket. I am prepared. Course it is still September and the rain is still falling, but goodness knows, snow should be any week now that October is around the corner. I swear it is getting so you can count on if not a white Halloween, at the very least, a cold one and yet, Christmas is becoming greener and warmer each year. How very odd.

Saturday, September 24, 2005

Remember when…

Okay, so remember I thought that after August, things would slow down. Ha! Mark this day, cause I will admit I was wrong. September, though not as busy as August has been fairly packed. This weekend for instance – yesterday, our favorite Halloween store Custom Costumes did their yearly grand opening, so we were there, spending lots of money and showing our support. This afternoon was a get together with some friends. This evening is a trip to our favorite bar. Tomorrow the parents are coming to help finish cleaning out the garden and the bro should be showing up to take some of the goodies. And tomorrow evening is gaming night as usual. Then back to work.

October is getting busy too – On the 8th is a housewarming party for our friends – congrads again! The 9th has us at a reception for one of the August weddings. Then I start holidays – which at the moment seem to be filled with medical appointments and house duties. Eh, that will probably change. Though I have to work on getting the house decorated cause at the end of the month is our Halloween party. Yeah! Still working on the decorations and the costume. The theme is picked; the invites are out and the RSVPs are starting to trickle in. So now, I am looking forward to November, when perhaps things will quiet down. Of course, that month is a couple birthdays and getting for Christmas… so… next year, yeah, that is looking good to be a time to relax. Sure. Hehehehe.

I was a bad tipper today too. Well technically, I wasn’t. But I was a factor in the decision. We just calculated badly. Should have left $2 more for tip. But really, a tip is just that – a thank you for the help. So if you screw up the order, take a long time to refill the drinks and then screw up the bill, can you really expect a big tip? I am usually a decent tipper so if today, I didn’t have the change, oh well. It happens. Next time, the tip might be bigger. After all, tips are extra. We still paid the bill. I shouldn’t get a dirty look cause you didn’t like what tip you got.

That’s my rant for today.

Thursday, September 15, 2005

Things that make your eyebrows rise...

So I am reading a reference book that deals with how Generation X has changed the face of marriage for their generation. It is very interesting. There are lots of little blurbs that make your eyebrows rise and the imagination wander. Interesting tidbit - orgasm makes a woman's breasts larger so just before going out to someplace fun, you should have an orgasm and that will make the push up all that much more enhancing. Who knew? So far it is discussing how the Gen X woman is more confident about who she is and therefore, marriage is no longer the image of a subservient woman who puts her husband and family first and has dinner on the table and thinks of England during sex. The Gen X woman wants to be in control and show her man how to please her and believes in equality in the housework and fantastic sex in the bedroom. She prioritizes sex to be important and a fundamental part of a relationship. If she doesn't have good sex with a man, the likelihood of them getting married is slim.

Of course, the book works on generalizations and goodness knows, Gen X is just as insecure as the next generation, I just think in a different way. They tend to be scared to end up like the women of the past and so they fight hard to get a career and themselves established before settling down. But the insecurities are there – wanting to keep young, be on top of the game, be loved.

Also interesting was the top 3 sexual positions –(1) woman on top, (2) doggie and (3) missionary. Missionary is still in the top 3 positions despite being commonly thought of as a traditionally male dominant position. And the reasoning ran from it allows the clitoris to be stimulated more easily to the woman wanting to just relax and enjoy it without all the work. With the busy lives Gen X leads and goodness knows, it seems to just get busier, women are under as much stress as men and sometimes, you just want to give up the control. Most of the time, women like to lead, but occasionally, they want someone else to make the decisions, to follow through, to be there.

Anyway, I am only a third into the book and it is very interesting thus far. Hopefully, it will only get better. And I will share more tips. Heehee.

Oops, forgot to turn on the dryer. That will make the 4 loads of laundry go faster if I remember that step. Of course, what happened was the phone rang because it is Thursday, which means I am usually home doing chores so everyone calls. Didn’t hear that the dryer wasn’t going, until the washer stopped and I realized it was too quiet too soon. Oh well. Sighhh. Only 3 more loads to go.

Friday, September 09, 2005

And the award for Most Oblivious goes to…

Have you ever had a time when it seemed like everyone was out of sync with you and you just floundered in conversations and understanding? That has been me recently with a friend. She talks and I get more confused. It is like I am missing a foundation for the conversation and I am expected to just know what is going on. Today, I had an A-HA moment. Suddenly, much of what she has been saying starts to make sense. Okay, some of it makes more sense. But the problem lies in that now that she thinks I know all about the reasoning behind the conversation, she expects me to have an idea of what I think about it. I am just starting to understand what she has been saying and honestly, it is really far off from what I was thinking. I do need time to process and decide if I have an opinion on it.

My favorite line is from Beauty and the Beast (yes, the Disney one) where Gaston says, “I’ve been thinking” and his buddy replies, “A dangerous pastime” and Gaston replies, “I know.” That is so apt a description. I think about everything. What if is my favorite pastime sometimes. However despite how anal I am, there are things, especially fun and/or sexual things, where I tend to go with the moment. It is based on how I feel at the time it is happening. I can’t, no, I don’t want to over-think then because that often doesn’t lead to fun. That leads to me being safe and boring and mostly anal. The way most people see me. Heehee. There are times when I want to do the bad things. I want to push the line of societal rules to the edge and see what happens. Sometimes, what happens is sooo interesting. Thinking takes the edge out of it and you start what if'ing and thinking about consequences instead of just going with flow.

At work, a lot of my co-workers just see me as capable and so good at what I do. Even with friends, I have a side that doesn’t show. I try to portray a confident, friendly, positive and go to person. I actually had a supervisor ask me if I was so positive at home too. And when I said 'sometimes', she didn’t believe me. She honestly thought I was always positive. Puhlease. I have hidden facets, secrets, desires that no one knows about. I slip into the ‘depths of despair’ sometimes. Sometimes, it takes a while to get out. And goodness knows, my head is usually in the gutter. I like it there. Hee hee.

Ah, enough self-reflection. How about a recipe?

My favorite rice mixture – kinda Spanish rice, in a cheap way.

5 handfuls of rice (regular, not the minute rice)
1 med onion, diced
1 package long noodle soup (aka ichiban)
1-2 cans of vegetables (I usually use corn, beans or peas)
1 T oil
1 bouillon cube or onion soup mix
water as needed

Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add rice and onion. Stir often until onion is transparent and rice is brownish. Crush the package of long noodle soup and add to the rice. Add canned vegetables, long noodle soup mix, onion soup mix and ½ can of water. Cover. Let simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

I love this meal. It is so easy and not really time consuming. I usually serve with soy sauce and some grilled meat. Though I imagine you can add diced, cooked meat into the pan before simmering and then have a one pot meal.

Okay, back to me, I think the problem with my friend is I know what I think about it and it doesn't go with what she wants. So I would rather just not say anything and let things die down. I don't know where she got the idea that I would agree with what she is thinking. I guess part of me thinks that if she knew me as well as she thinks, she would know my answer already. And maybe she does, but she's hoping this time will be different. It won't. I learned that lesson a long time ago.

Laundry is calling, well, the dryer is making that done noise. So I must run.

Thursday, September 01, 2005

I am only anal when...

According to D, I get really anal about money just after I do the finances. I guess it is true. When there is lots of money in the account or even just the basic limit I have decided on, then I am not worried. But when the amount is less than that limit, it worries me. I have had it happen where the mortgage payment came out and the paycheque didn't go in and it is scary to go into the overdraft. So of course, I did the finances and D is joking about buying me an ipod for my b-day. And I am not finding it funny. I know these things are $250+ and that's not even for the best one. There are cars to pay off, a mortgage and of course, the house has problems. It would be nice to have an offical floor in the office, a working shower. Among other things, of course.

I admit that I am anal though. No one can ever accuse of me being in denial about it. I often say I am anal at work too. There are certain processes that I am very particular about, that I feel are important in the 'national security' level of important. The others, especially those about to retire in a few years, are so blase and it drives me nuts. Probably drives them nuts that I am so diligent about it.

The other interesting thing about work right now is the rumors flying. I find the problem lies in the generation gap in the company. The majority of the employees are nearing retirement so learning and new opportunities are not their priorities. I, on the other hand, am ready for a new challenge. They seem to think if money is thrown at me that I will be satisfied with my position. But I have done all I can really do. I have strived to undertake new tasks and short of spending some spare time doing computer tutorials to upgrade my skills (next on my list of to do), there seems to be nothing left to learn at work. Yes, more money would be appreciated, but it is certainly not going to keep me at a job that is limited in opportunities.

I am tired though and I still have to fold the laundry and put away the dishes. Back to the domestic me.