If you get the chance, you should watch “Lost Twin Cities” as produced by TPT (Local PBS). I had recorded it a while back and watched it last night - it was really quite interesting, especially for a transplant to the area who didn’t necessarily know much if any of the history. Did you know that the LA Lakers originated in the Twin Cities? Did you know that Minneapolis used to have a minor league baseball team just like St Paul still does? Did you know there was a baseball field at Lexington and University? (Explains why that corner is still a hole.) Very interesting, especially since many of the architectural features were buildings that were destroyed in the 50’s, so they’re not currently part of the skyline.

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Today when I got into work I discovered something terrible. My computer wouldn’t turn on. Flashing lights, yes, but no actual power. So, IT was contacted. Unfortunately, they have people out across the state installing new monitors etc in offices, so I was deemed low priority. That is, until about 3:30 when called them to find out why I still couldn’t use my computer. Then I was bumped to high priority. By 4:30 when I went home, still no one had called to see what’s going on. So I left. And wouldn’t even let me use leave time, but deemed it necessary that I go home and not upset her by further offering to use vacation hours. Fine by me.

So now I feel completely and entirely disconnected with the world at large.

What ever did people do at work before computers were invented? Other than clean my desk, reorganize my office supplies, and read the Glamour magazine I purchased while on break… I was twiddling my thumbs all day.

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You’ll never guess what I didn’t do last night. I didn’t do it today, either. Wanna know, huh huh? I didn’t write my paper that’s due tomorrow. Ha! And I’m not gonna tonight, either. So there. Such a slacker, I am. Well, not exactly. I mean, I’ve already written 6, and we only had to write 3, so… slacker isn’t exactly the right word. I brought my book with me today thinking I might write it here at work, but… well, after looking at the question again, there’s no way this paper is going to be good. It’s not the type of question I answer well, and so why bother when I already have several more acceptable grades.

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My employee health newsletter (which is not published by my agency, but purchased and passed around for our general well-being) is usually not helpful to me, and occasionally laughable. Like last month, when the helpful tip was that I should go outside for 15 minutes every day between 11 and 2, even if it’s not sunny out, in the winter. Clearly, the writer had never experienced a Minnesota winter. Even if it was just on my return trip from Starbucks, which would only be about 5 minutes, my coffee would get cold, I would be freezing, and I’m quite sure I would be sick more often than not.

But anyways, I digress.

This month they decided to help me with my goal to not be stressed out by the holidays. Because, let’s face it, holidays can be stressful (especially when trying to juggle more family than I’m used to), and I love Christmas most of all and don’t want any shadows to be cast upon the joy of the season. I thought it was nice of the newsletter to provide these tips, even though most of them weren’t new. And I thought I’d share them with you because, well, I can.

“6 Ways to Simplify the Holidays” (from Unplugging the Christmas Machine by Jo Robbinson and Jean Cappock Staeheli, republished in HOPE Health Letter, December 2006) (my comments in italics)

1. Acknowledge that you can’t do it all. Ask each family member to write down what they want to do most. Then decide on two or three things that will be meaningful to all. This was a new idea to me, and if I had more family members to consult, I think it’s a great idea.
2. Give yourself permission to say NO to any invitation that you don’t want to accept. I always believe in saying No. It’s one of the things I’m good at.
3. If you have two or more sets of relatives to visit, try to combine family celebrations or visit neutral territory, like a vacation home. Alternate Christmas and Thanksgiving with different sets of parents from year to year. Two or more? Doesn’t everyone have at least two sets to visit? Between and I, we have 4, if we only count parental units. is so lucky - this year she can just make everyone come to them.
4. Feel free to establish new traditions. There’s no reason to continue something you no longer enjoy just because you’ve always done it that way. I love traditions, even the ones I complain about (like lutefisk on Christmas Eve). Especially at Christmas, traditions seem important to me. This year I have to try to find a new candlelight service to go to, since I won’t be going home to Illinois for… the first time ever. It will only be the second Christmas Eve at my grandparents’ house that I’ll miss. So… new traditions it is.
5. Don’t make food the focus of your gatherings. Consider catering all or part of your holiday meal. Um… I have nothing to add to this one. I’m not really in charge of any gatherings that I foresee, so… this will have to be left to others.
6. Avoid stressful gift-giving myths such as: You need to spend the same amount of money on gifts every year; if someone gives you a gift you must reciprocate; it’s necessary to continue the gift-giving cycle once it’s started. Talk to friends and relatives - they may want to stop the obligatory gift giving, too. Part of me loves it when families cease with the gift-giving, though it does take some of that childlike joy out of the event. I will miss watching my 93-year-old grandfather rip open his presents this year - he always starts tearing away at the corner before it’s his turn, which is really cute to watch. But as far as gift-giving goes… I like making gifts for people (though I did that a lot last year, so I’m not really doing that this year), and I like group gifts (like how and I are getting a set of pots and pans), and I like the gift of time (like how and went to a concert together for… someone’s birthday or Christmas or something).

Note: I am wearing my 30-year-old sweater today, the one knit for while they were still dating. It’s olive green and only a little bit baggy on me, which just goes to show that is not that big of a guy. Of course, he was still growing after they got married. I love this sweater, even though it’s wool and makes my neck itchy.

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1. Rhyme :: Nation (Rhythm Nation, really)
2. Substantial :: Changes
3. Instant :: Oatmeal
4. Greed :: Pride
5. Brad :: Pitt
6. Season :: to remember
7. Accomplished :: Woman (think Pride and Prejudice)
8. Invite :: Only
9. Sparkle :: -y
10. Rainbow :: Brite

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Happy Thanksgiving!

Yeah… not really that much to say. I have been incredibly productive at home this week, which is probably why I don’t have much to say. I finished the curtains for ’s bedroom finally - her birthday present (yes, her birthday was in August). I got almost everything on my “to do” list done last night, except for vacuuming. I packed all my stuff for the long weekend up so I can go to ’s house straight from work, which means that I am carrying a crap-ton of stuff. Hope the bus isn’t crowded. Anyone have a solution to the hassle of carrying winter clothes for a weekend in a backpack (as in, winter clothes take up waaaaay more space than summer ones do) to that doesn’t involve … living together?

I’ve been a superstar in Access this week at work. I finally recreated a report that had been done manually for… decades, I swear. Amazingly, I actually got everything to work, and only broke it once or twice. Maybe it doesn’t sound like a big deal to you, but up until now I’d been manually doing math and entering numbers into an Excel spreadsheet, which is never a good option when all the information is already in a database somewhere.

Yes, yes, I know, incredibly boring. Boo-hoo.

So tonight I am going to Cub, and then I will either do my homework or make a pumpkin pie - we’ll see what I’m feeling like when I get back. is going to a concert and so I’m left to entertain myself, which is also known as “Wednesday night.”

Tomorrow we have two turkey dinners, followed by a wedding on Friday, and another turkey dinner on Sunday. Suffice it to say, my pants may not fit on Monday, at which point the world will rejoice and women everywhere will stop hating me.

Alright, I should go. , have fun in Ohio with the fam… , say hi to your Mom for me (insert filthy inappropriate your-mom joke here). All the rest of you… go get fat on turkey! And remember some things to be thankful for, even if it’s just… “Kelly won’t be posting any more boring entries for the rest of the week.”

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**Yes, I totally stole that pic from one of the blogs I read today, but I’m way too lazy to check which one it was. But I didn’t steal bandwidth, just the image. Promise.

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1. Teacher :: ’s Aide
2. Fifty :: One
3. Crossword :: Puzzle
4. Stuffed :: Animal (2nd thought - Shirt)
5. Family :: Affair
6. Purr :: Cat
7. Toad :: the Wet Sprocket
8. Cocktail :: Tom Cruise
9. Insecurity :: Blanket
10. Magical :: Being

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I forgot to mention that, for kicks, I tried on a skirt last night at Macy’s that was too short and quite hideous (think orange and green plaid flannel, with a belt). There was a moment in the dressing room, while threatened to get my camera, that and I wrestled with the door (me trying to lock myself in, her on the other side, obviously). I’m sure, had any Macy’s Associates been around, they would have been completely disgusted by our behavior. But, alas, they weren’t. In case you were wondering, this absolutely tragic skirt was on sale for $40, which was 50% off the original price. And it was the only one left on the rack, so clearly other people didn’t think it was hideous. News flash: they were wrong.

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I realized I haven’t written yet today. You wanna know why? Because today has been absolutely bo-ring. Plus, went home early from work today, so there’s no one to IM with to pass the time. He deserves the break, though.

Between the food and the margarita last night, I did not feel well when I awoke this morning. The food, while delicious, was not exactly my usual fare, and was quite yummy, and I ate a lot. My tummy did not like this. The margarita made me verrrrry sleepy, until it was time to actually go to bed, and then I could not fall asleep. Even when I thought I had, I realized I was awake. And I woke up several times in the night. It was almost a relief when the alarm rang, except that I was dog-tired and my stomach felt icky. Which is actually what got me out of bed. Just the general ickiness feeling was enough to overwhelm the “I should sleep for another 12 hours” feeling.

It has been suggested that I go home sick. This is a bad idea. First of all, I’m not sick, and would just waste the day away at home. Secondly, I’m taking the bus out to ’s house tonight, so even if I did go home, I’d have to be back downtown by 5, which, when the suggestion was originally made, would have only given me four-ish hours at home, at the most, which just isn’t worth it. Call in sick, yes. Go home for the rest of the day, yes. But not go home and come back. Thirdly… OK, I don’t have a thirdly. I’m bored out of my mind here, and that could actually be enough to send me home, were it not for the above. Oh, and that the backup girl for phones is gone, so I’m technically “needed.”

, and I had a good time out last night, even if I did discover that I either need to drink margaritas more often, or never again. We met up at the mall, did some shopping - I got a new turtleneck sweater, because I need more than three, duh. After we shopped our little hearts out, we headed over to Chili’s for margaritas, chips & queso, and with the hopes of getting a hot male waiter (not my hope, and I wasn’t terribly optimistic, since most of the times the three of us go out they stick us with the girl waiter - why, we don’t know, because a cute guy could get a bigger tip, but whatever, I digress). Yummy appetizers, strong margaritas, good conversation. Fun was had by all (I think, at least). and I walked ourselves over to Cost Plus World Market afterwards - a terribly exciting place if you’re the only patrons in the store and more than a little buzzed. Heck, I really like the place when I’m stone sober.

Baby shower this weekend - still haven’t figured out exactly how I’m getting up there, or rather who’s getting me up there. It’s times like this when a car could be helpful, but they’re so few and far between. Of course, once the nephew/niece is born, there will be many more times like this…. Maybe I can figure out how to teleport before Christmas? Whatdya think?

And see, now I’m just boring you all with my boring day. I’ve had work to do, here and there, but it’s just super-boring. And today is not the day to go messing with a database structure.

Oh well, the work day is “almost” over at least - just another… hour and a half. Well, it’s less than 100 minutes. Maybe I’ll go get some cheese popcorn to make the afternoon go faster.

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Last night I did something that is horribly uninteresting, except for the fact that it’s been on my to-do list for longer than I care to admit. I cleaned out my fridge. Only my stuff - I take no responsibility for the disgusting leftovers my roommates leave in there. But, the bottom two drawers, the vegetable crispers, those are where I keep my stuff. And now… only one of them has stuff in it. There was so much… growth of new life forms going on, it was scary. But now, it looks like I have no food. Win-lose situation. Should I go grocery shopping? No, not tonight, because I will be away from my fridge for the whole weekend. So… no grocery shopping until Monday, or maybe Sunday night if I get back from the baby shower with enough time. There aren’t many meals next week chez moi, but I do need to make a pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving dinner at ’s.

I also cleaned up the huge pile of crap that had been sitting in front of my second bedroom door since before Halloween. And took care of my hand-washables. And… did a load of laundry which is hanging up drying by my radiator as we speak (our dryer’s quarter receptacle is full, so no drying right now).

The woman who answers phones keeps disappearing without letting me know, which means that I don’t know I’m supposed to pick it up until many rings. It’s annoying, especially since I need to be friendly when I answer, not pissed off.

Lots of snacky treats hanging around the office, including chocolate cake, leftover from the retirement party yesterday. It’s also cold in here, and super-dry, which has made me feel more tired than I actually am. My eyes just want to stay closed.

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No, no I think not. And I need a nap. I want to go home and sleep. Wah. Yeah, I know, what a whiner I am.

But everyone else has gone home for the day, or is downstairs at the retirement party. There’s no one to talk to, nothing to do. Just me and these dusty rose cube walls.

Oh, that’s fun. My bank’s website is down.

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Can we institute nap time at work? I could bring my underused yoga mat in so I could sleep on the floor in my cube.

I wasn’t all that tired this morning, but it’s crept up on me this afternoon. Why today, you ask? Probably because the last two nights I didn’t get to bed until 2, why, I don’t know - some of it was homework, some of it was not being able to fall asleep. And then I woke up this morning at 5:15 - I fell back asleep, thankfully, but interrupted sleep is always of a lesser quality. It doesn’t help that there’s little work to be done and I can’t seem to find a way to occupy my mind with anything resembling intelligent thought. I can’t even find anything good to read on the internet.

There’s a retirement party this afternoon for a co-worker, so I don’t think any more work will be arriving in my cube. OK, I do have some work to do. I have to make labels for three file folders, and then file a few sheets of paper in them. I have to add someone’s phone number to a list. I have to put the spare power cord for a laptop back in with the other equipment. I have to remove one sentence from a web page. Do you see where this is going? If my brain was closer to working at 100%, I’d work on fixing the database that I started changing yesterday, but I think I might do more danger than good.

Last night, I put pictures, real, updated pictures, in the frames above my fireplace. I’ve got two open spots still, and realized I have no pictures of or of ’s parents. And, of course, soon space will have to be made for my new nephew or niece.

Speaking of him/her, I went to Borders last night and bought two baby books to go with the tomato beanie hat that for Sunday’s baby shower. I totally forgot to take a picture of the hat, and it’s all wrapped. Oh well. Going with the tomato theme, I got a VeggieTales board book, “God Made You Special,” and a Charlie & Lola book (which is for older readers, but they’re really cute stories - you should check out the kindergarten one), “I Will Never Not Ever Eat A Tomato.” I had to put a note in the front of that last one saying it was from Aunt Kelly, who has always been a picky eater, and still doesn’t like tomatoes.

My mascara is sticking to itself today, which means that every time I blink my eyes get stuck. It’s really annoying.

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The BBC brought to my attention an article entitled, “Pakistan votes to amend rape laws.” I was interested, since I think that in the Muslim-controlled countries the rules concerning women and sex are ridiculous, including getting lashes for “adultery” if you don’t have 4 male witnesses to a rape. Who wants witnesses to a rape? Isn’t it bad enough? Anyways. What sparked my attention was this quote:

A woman is raped every two hours and gang-raped every eight hours in Pakistan, according to the country’s independent Human Rights Commission.

WTF? Every 2 hours? Remind me never to go to Pakistan. Why are there still women living in this country? Are any of them un-molested? This is a tragic statistic (and apparently an underestimate, since many rapes go unreported) and it angers me greatly. Of course, not really being the activist type… I’m just going to talk about the injustice and leave it at that. But maybe someone else will do something? Where would one even start to change that situation?

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I was looking through old photographs last night - finally started to fix the content of the picture frames that I hung up over the fireplace a while back. It’s really amazing the power that a photograph can have. I found the scrapbook that my last church gave me as a parting gift, and relived all the happy times I had there (hint: there were no pictures of in it, which helped me forget that… unpleasantness) and all the special people and the kids and all the fun. But there were also pages in a photo album from college that I had to skip entirely, because I couldn’t bear to look at them. And there are the pictures of myself where I look horrible and I cringe, and those where I look horrible but it was such a fun time/experience/memory that I love the picture anyways.

So, over the next few days I’m searching through all my digital copies of pictures to fill the rest of the frames, because I didn’t have nearly enough in print. Would you like to nominate any of your favorites?

popularity: 9%