This is just too cool for words:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10964067/
Saturday, January 21, 2006
Tuesday, January 17, 2006
Feels like home
I just got back from a movie (Tristan and Isolde) with some friends from work. That probably doesn't sound like anything big, but somehow it is. I finally work in a place where I really respect and like the people that I work with, and I've made good friends with them. Yeah, we deal with crap, and sometimes we deal crap to one another, but we're a team and in the end we all come through. And I work with some of the most amazing women that I've ever met in my life - women who are so smart that I can't even fathom how cool they are and how cool it is that I'm part of that group. I work with really smart men too, but it's so awesome to be around such smart and powerful women.
And hanging out with them is just a blast. I had no idea when I took this job that I'd make such great friends out of my co-workers. So, somehow I finally feel like I've arrived. It feels like home.
And hanging out with them is just a blast. I had no idea when I took this job that I'd make such great friends out of my co-workers. So, somehow I finally feel like I've arrived. It feels like home.
Monday, January 16, 2006
Thoughts about working out
I'm going to share something that demonstrates just how lazy I really am. When I was in college, I used the IMA gym probably a total of 15 times throughout the whole 3-1/2 years I was in school (I graduated early). The reason I worked out so little is because the trip to the gym was, in and of itself, a workout. When I lived in the sorority, it was already pretty darned far away, and then when I moved out to an apartment with roommates, it was really far away. Not to mention that you had to pay for parking. So, I guess I must have worked off calories from all of the dancing I was doing at frat parties...or something...like not really being able to afford food all the time, or something. Not really sure.
Anyway, when I lived 45-ish minutes away from work and my gym, I was lucky to work out once a week. After a long day at the office, the last thing I wanted to do was go to the gym and then spend forever in traffic getting home. At least Kati and I walked several times a week. Now, why I can spend forever in traffic getting over to Seattle to walk with Kati, I'm not sure...except that I think I have more fun when I'm walking with someone because I can talk and it doesn't feel so much like a workout.
Now that I live within 5 minutes of work and my gym, I work out on average 3 times a week. I'd like to kick that up to 4 times a week, but I'm cool with 3 for the moment. For one, I can come home and relax a little bit after work before heading to the gym. Then I can change and go workout, and then come home and shower in the comfort of my own home. I should add that I belong to a REALLY nice gym, courtesy of my employer who pays a lot for employees to go to this gym. So, it's not like the locker room is bad or anything. On the contrary, there's tanning, whirlpools, saunas, and every toiletry that you'd ever want at this place. But, I like my own bathroom - call me crazy.
So, I guess that my health somehow depends on how close I live to my gym and whether I can drive there and back in a relatively short amount of time. I'm lucky that I don't have to hunt and gather my own food, or I'd probably starve to death. On the good side of things, I'm seeing results from my workouts, which is always fun. It doesn't show up on the scale because muscle always weighs more than fat, so the weight training I'm doing right now evens things out, but I can tell that things are fitting differently and feel better. I'd like to be nice and toned by the time I go to Hawaii with L. in September and on my family ski trip in December. That's plenty of time to get in shape and be much healthier :) Good times...
Anyway, when I lived 45-ish minutes away from work and my gym, I was lucky to work out once a week. After a long day at the office, the last thing I wanted to do was go to the gym and then spend forever in traffic getting home. At least Kati and I walked several times a week. Now, why I can spend forever in traffic getting over to Seattle to walk with Kati, I'm not sure...except that I think I have more fun when I'm walking with someone because I can talk and it doesn't feel so much like a workout.
Now that I live within 5 minutes of work and my gym, I work out on average 3 times a week. I'd like to kick that up to 4 times a week, but I'm cool with 3 for the moment. For one, I can come home and relax a little bit after work before heading to the gym. Then I can change and go workout, and then come home and shower in the comfort of my own home. I should add that I belong to a REALLY nice gym, courtesy of my employer who pays a lot for employees to go to this gym. So, it's not like the locker room is bad or anything. On the contrary, there's tanning, whirlpools, saunas, and every toiletry that you'd ever want at this place. But, I like my own bathroom - call me crazy.
So, I guess that my health somehow depends on how close I live to my gym and whether I can drive there and back in a relatively short amount of time. I'm lucky that I don't have to hunt and gather my own food, or I'd probably starve to death. On the good side of things, I'm seeing results from my workouts, which is always fun. It doesn't show up on the scale because muscle always weighs more than fat, so the weight training I'm doing right now evens things out, but I can tell that things are fitting differently and feel better. I'd like to be nice and toned by the time I go to Hawaii with L. in September and on my family ski trip in December. That's plenty of time to get in shape and be much healthier :) Good times...
Friday, January 13, 2006
No couch
Didn't fit up the last flight of stairs due to a railing issue. Plan B: look for a new couch that is smaller than 38"Hx90"Wx39"D.
Furniture woes
As I wrote about in an earlier post, I ordered a bunch of furniture for my condo. I spent roughly around $8500 on everything, which is pretty good for an entirely new set of bedroom, living room, and den furniture (side note: I just have to remind myself of this each month as I'm paying it off over the next 1/2 year).
Anyhow...the custom furniture that I ordered has yet to arrive, even though all of the places that I ordered from had dates that would have had me believe that I would be furnished before Christmas. That is obviously not the case as we're nearing mid January.
About a week ago, I called the place where I ordered my couch. They saw that the couch was completed and was being shipped to them, where they would then ship it to me. I scheduled the delivery for 1/13 and the lady said that they would call on 1/12 to confirm. Do you think I got a phone call today? If you guessed no, you're completely correct. So, I called when I got home and the lady said in a very matter-of-fact voice, "well, you still owe 1/3 of a balance on the couch." So, I responded, "yep, and when I paid the first 2/3, the gal said that the last 1/3 would be charged automatically when the delivery was scheduled." I got a "hmmm" in response to that. So, I ask if that will affect the delivery from happening on 1/13 and she says that she hopes not, but she's not sure. She can't give me any better answer than that. You can be sure that when my couch arrives and I get the little how-did-we-do card, I'll share my opinion about their poor communication skills. First, I paid enough at this place to get a couple of phone calls when the damn couch was ready, and when they figured out that they still had 1/3 of a bill to be paid if it's not just some automatic process that happens at the same time delivery is scheduled. Second, their original estimate of 4-6 weeks was completely incorrect, and really annoying at this point.
After that conversation, I called one of the other places that I ordered the bookcases, media cabinets, chairs, and TV stand from. Everything is still being finished, so it will be delivered to their warehouse on 1/24. I ordered this furniture on Halloween, and was told 7-9 weeks.
Tomorrow, I'm going to call the last place and probably find that a team of highly skilled monks is individually creating and blessing each thread that goes into the chair I ordered, so the original 6-8 week estimate will extend to 68 weeks. That could be a bit of an exaggeration, but who knows at this point?
Can ya tell I'm pissed about the whole situation? Yeah, me neither... ;)
Anyhow...the custom furniture that I ordered has yet to arrive, even though all of the places that I ordered from had dates that would have had me believe that I would be furnished before Christmas. That is obviously not the case as we're nearing mid January.
About a week ago, I called the place where I ordered my couch. They saw that the couch was completed and was being shipped to them, where they would then ship it to me. I scheduled the delivery for 1/13 and the lady said that they would call on 1/12 to confirm. Do you think I got a phone call today? If you guessed no, you're completely correct. So, I called when I got home and the lady said in a very matter-of-fact voice, "well, you still owe 1/3 of a balance on the couch." So, I responded, "yep, and when I paid the first 2/3, the gal said that the last 1/3 would be charged automatically when the delivery was scheduled." I got a "hmmm" in response to that. So, I ask if that will affect the delivery from happening on 1/13 and she says that she hopes not, but she's not sure. She can't give me any better answer than that. You can be sure that when my couch arrives and I get the little how-did-we-do card, I'll share my opinion about their poor communication skills. First, I paid enough at this place to get a couple of phone calls when the damn couch was ready, and when they figured out that they still had 1/3 of a bill to be paid if it's not just some automatic process that happens at the same time delivery is scheduled. Second, their original estimate of 4-6 weeks was completely incorrect, and really annoying at this point.
After that conversation, I called one of the other places that I ordered the bookcases, media cabinets, chairs, and TV stand from. Everything is still being finished, so it will be delivered to their warehouse on 1/24. I ordered this furniture on Halloween, and was told 7-9 weeks.
Tomorrow, I'm going to call the last place and probably find that a team of highly skilled monks is individually creating and blessing each thread that goes into the chair I ordered, so the original 6-8 week estimate will extend to 68 weeks. That could be a bit of an exaggeration, but who knows at this point?
Can ya tell I'm pissed about the whole situation? Yeah, me neither... ;)
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
Airline
Tonight I caught an episode of Airline, which is a show that documents the lives of several Southwest employees and various people passing through the airport.
I forgot how much that show annoys me. In terms of things that drive me nuts, it's right up there with people who don't flush the toilet or wash their hands after using the restroom, mothers who don't watch their children in public places, and drivers who don't use blinkers. I find all of those things unsettling for various reasons, but the travelers on Airline are right up there for just being plain, ol' obnoxious.
Coming from a family where several people work for the airlines, I can tell you first hand that airline employees are not there to make your life difficult during travel. In fact, airline employees would love for things to run smoothly so that they don't have to deal with snide remarks from travelers who get the impression that coordinating hundreds of flights, thousands of people and bags, and taking off and landing successfully is somehow easy.
I'm not saying that traveling isn't frustrating, or that it doesn't suck when your bag is lost or your flight is canceled. I am, however, saying that you should just give the people who are helping you a break. They're working the best with what they have, and a shitty attitude from a passenger isn't going to fix the plane or suddenly reroute a bag from mid-air. Just try to remember to bring a good book, some music, an extra pair of underwear, and any important medications with you in your carry-on bag and breathe. Then thank God that it no longer takes days or weeks at sea to get to many of the places we now take for granted.
I forgot how much that show annoys me. In terms of things that drive me nuts, it's right up there with people who don't flush the toilet or wash their hands after using the restroom, mothers who don't watch their children in public places, and drivers who don't use blinkers. I find all of those things unsettling for various reasons, but the travelers on Airline are right up there for just being plain, ol' obnoxious.
Coming from a family where several people work for the airlines, I can tell you first hand that airline employees are not there to make your life difficult during travel. In fact, airline employees would love for things to run smoothly so that they don't have to deal with snide remarks from travelers who get the impression that coordinating hundreds of flights, thousands of people and bags, and taking off and landing successfully is somehow easy.
I'm not saying that traveling isn't frustrating, or that it doesn't suck when your bag is lost or your flight is canceled. I am, however, saying that you should just give the people who are helping you a break. They're working the best with what they have, and a shitty attitude from a passenger isn't going to fix the plane or suddenly reroute a bag from mid-air. Just try to remember to bring a good book, some music, an extra pair of underwear, and any important medications with you in your carry-on bag and breathe. Then thank God that it no longer takes days or weeks at sea to get to many of the places we now take for granted.
Monday, January 09, 2006
In a past life, I was lola, a sultry leopard
According to this "test":
"Not much is certain in life — past or present — but we know this much about you: In your last life you were a sultry leopard named Lola. You were a showgirl, with yellow feathers in your hair and a dress cut down to there. You would meringue and do the cha-cha. And one night at the Copacabana (the hottest spot north of Havana), you fell in love with Tony, the handsome bartender. Tony fought Rico (he wore a diamond) for you and won. The two of you grew old and happy together, joyfully dancing your lives away at the club to the soulful tunes of Barry Manilow."
Hmmmmm...
"Not much is certain in life — past or present — but we know this much about you: In your last life you were a sultry leopard named Lola. You were a showgirl, with yellow feathers in your hair and a dress cut down to there. You would meringue and do the cha-cha. And one night at the Copacabana (the hottest spot north of Havana), you fell in love with Tony, the handsome bartender. Tony fought Rico (he wore a diamond) for you and won. The two of you grew old and happy together, joyfully dancing your lives away at the club to the soulful tunes of Barry Manilow."
Hmmmmm...
Friday, January 06, 2006
Dumb computer software
My friend burned a CD recently and lent it to me. I threw it into my computer and listened to it, but of course all of the tracks show up without any information - no song title, no band info, etc. So, I listen to it but have no idea who's playing or what the songs are actually called (aside from what I glean from the chorus in the songs).
Anyway, I throw the same CD in my 4 year-old Sony CD player, and what do I get? SONG TITLES on the display! That's right - my friend plugged the info into whatever software they ripped the songs from originally, and that information got burned to the disc. And it shows up on my CD player. Now, why can't my computer software display the same information?
So many questions, so little time...
Anyway, I throw the same CD in my 4 year-old Sony CD player, and what do I get? SONG TITLES on the display! That's right - my friend plugged the info into whatever software they ripped the songs from originally, and that information got burned to the disc. And it shows up on my CD player. Now, why can't my computer software display the same information?
So many questions, so little time...
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