(no subject)
Jeff posted his video of Carousel. Since it really was everything I wanted it to be and is the thing I would probably like most to remember about Conflikt, I thought I'd share it here.
Conflikt
We got back today from Conflikt (local filk con). It was a lovely convention full of many wonderful friends and highest highs and super low lows.
As usual, I spent much of the weekend behind the registration desk helping Jeff so he could go and see parts of the con he would normally miss. This year they had us right outside the main concert space so I could hear the concerts, even when I couldn't be inside watching. I really like working there because I get to see everyone but the table provides a nice personal space buffer that helps me deal with my anxiety.
This year I also got to be a performer!
( Talis Concert )
( cello performance )
( accident )
The most astounding part of all of this? The Conflikt folk chipped in financially through the rest of the day and left me with enough money to either fix Lark outright or get a good way through the fixing. (I'll be talking to the luthier where I bought her tomorrow and I'll know better then.)
I am astonished and floored and awed and flattered by the outpouring of support yesterday and today. I don't have the words or the space to say what all the generosity and caring really meant to me. Saying simple thank yous don't seem to be enough, but they are all I really have. To everyone who helped in any way? Thank you!
As soon as my Lark is all fixed up, we will continue to play and hope that is an even better thanks!
As usual, I spent much of the weekend behind the registration desk helping Jeff so he could go and see parts of the con he would normally miss. This year they had us right outside the main concert space so I could hear the concerts, even when I couldn't be inside watching. I really like working there because I get to see everyone but the table provides a nice personal space buffer that helps me deal with my anxiety.
This year I also got to be a performer!
( Talis Concert )
( cello performance )
( accident )
The most astounding part of all of this? The Conflikt folk chipped in financially through the rest of the day and left me with enough money to either fix Lark outright or get a good way through the fixing. (I'll be talking to the luthier where I bought her tomorrow and I'll know better then.)
I am astonished and floored and awed and flattered by the outpouring of support yesterday and today. I don't have the words or the space to say what all the generosity and caring really meant to me. Saying simple thank yous don't seem to be enough, but they are all I really have. To everyone who helped in any way? Thank you!
As soon as my Lark is all fixed up, we will continue to play and hope that is an even better thanks!
(no subject)
Yesterday we remembered those lost on 9/11. Today, I will remember all the other people with lives torn and tumbled by our response to 9/11.
local question
Does anyone local have an electric/gas powered hedge trimmer we could borrow for a day?
C++ programmers:
My brother is trying to do a final C++ project for one of his classes and is finding himself rather lost. He needs to make either a file merge program or a line justification (make different lengths of text lines all be the same number of characters) program. I'm pretty sure he spent most of the night working on it and isn't any closer to figuring it out.
Do any of my programmer type friends have some time today to answer some questions or give some advice? (I have the project assignment guidelines, if anyone wants to see them...)
Do any of my programmer type friends have some time today to answer some questions or give some advice? (I have the project assignment guidelines, if anyone wants to see them...)
still thankful
Last night was a frustrating evening. I've been feeling a little blah today. I figured some thankfulness would be a good antidote.
I'm thankful for my job. It's not a full time job, but it helps with the family budget and the flexibility lets me also do the other things I want/need to. At the same time, I'm thankful for projects with extra hours. Half time is doing really nice things for the bank account... :-)
I'm thankful for our Lilly cat. My mom had to put my sister's cat to sleep yesterday. She was old (especially since she was about equal parts indoor/outdoor) and had a good run. My family is missing her today and it's reminding me of our Mattie cat who passed on last Dec. I also just read about a Maine Coon breeder down in Portland who has to do a fast move and find homes for most of their cats. I really, really wish I could help. Instead I'll go give my Lilly another scritch and a treat and be grateful we found her.
I'm thankful for getting to go over to Jeff's parents for the Thanksgiving weekend. The weather as we drove over the pass on Saturday was beautiful (well, after we crossed the summit... :-) and traffic was light. I'm grateful we didn't have to come back Sunday night (along with all the other traffic). Jeff's swing shift can sometimes be a pain, but the ability to return from a trip Mon morning is a definite bonus!
I'm thankful for my job. It's not a full time job, but it helps with the family budget and the flexibility lets me also do the other things I want/need to. At the same time, I'm thankful for projects with extra hours. Half time is doing really nice things for the bank account... :-)
I'm thankful for our Lilly cat. My mom had to put my sister's cat to sleep yesterday. She was old (especially since she was about equal parts indoor/outdoor) and had a good run. My family is missing her today and it's reminding me of our Mattie cat who passed on last Dec. I also just read about a Maine Coon breeder down in Portland who has to do a fast move and find homes for most of their cats. I really, really wish I could help. Instead I'll go give my Lilly another scritch and a treat and be grateful we found her.
I'm thankful for getting to go over to Jeff's parents for the Thanksgiving weekend. The weather as we drove over the pass on Saturday was beautiful (well, after we crossed the summit... :-) and traffic was light. I'm grateful we didn't have to come back Sunday night (along with all the other traffic). Jeff's swing shift can sometimes be a pain, but the ability to return from a trip Mon morning is a definite bonus!
thankful
Jeff and I had a lovely time hanging out with our friends yesterday. And then I slept the sleep of the sated. It's the first time in a long time I haven't been out Black Friday shopping. Usually I at least go to Fred Meyer for their half off sock sale. This year I bought a few things at the JC Penney online store and called it good. I've decided that, while I like going out and shopping the Black Friday sales, I enjoy it way more when I'm doing it with my mom. There are a few things I kind of wish I could go get, but nothing that won't be on sale again. Probably even for about the same prices... :-)
In the mean time I'm planning on staying home, playing WoW, working on Christmas presents, practicing for my chorus concert next weekend, and going to the Night Kitchen tonight. It's going to be a lovely, low key kind of day!
So, things I'm thankful for today:
1) looking out the window and not seeing snow. I love snow. I think it's beautiful. I decorate with snowflakes. But I also hate driving in the icy, sleety, nasty stuff that snow turns into on our roads. Unless Jeff is home and willing to go somewhere, snow means that I stay home.
2) my lovely, low key, not much in the way of plans day. I need more of them.
3) going to the Night Kitchen tonight!
4) possibly also going to Mr. Gyro's for lunch!
5) that Jeff had to work today and not yesterday
6) that Jeff's work is able to schedule things so no one has to work more than 2 holidays a year.
7) that Jeff has a steady, well paying job that he even likes (most of the time).
In the mean time I'm planning on staying home, playing WoW, working on Christmas presents, practicing for my chorus concert next weekend, and going to the Night Kitchen tonight. It's going to be a lovely, low key kind of day!
So, things I'm thankful for today:
1) looking out the window and not seeing snow. I love snow. I think it's beautiful. I decorate with snowflakes. But I also hate driving in the icy, sleety, nasty stuff that snow turns into on our roads. Unless Jeff is home and willing to go somewhere, snow means that I stay home.
2) my lovely, low key, not much in the way of plans day. I need more of them.
3) going to the Night Kitchen tonight!
4) possibly also going to Mr. Gyro's for lunch!
5) that Jeff had to work today and not yesterday
6) that Jeff's work is able to schedule things so no one has to work more than 2 holidays a year.
7) that Jeff has a steady, well paying job that he even likes (most of the time).
thankful
Happy Thanksgiving all! I'm sitting in my office watching the light snow fall. It's very pretty, but I'm pleased to hear that this is (probably) the last gasp before things start getting warmer. I'm thankful that we had already made plans to stay in town this year long before there was ever snow craziness on the horizon. (assuming the weather cooperates, we'll go over to Jeff's parent's house Saturday morning.)
I'm thankful for the friends and family in my life. I'm thankful that I had friends who were excited we didn't have Thanksgiving dinner plans so they could have us over. I'm thankful that I have even more friends around who we could have also joined. There have been times in my life where the people I considered friends were few and far between. I'm thankful that this is not one of those times.
I'm also thankful for my family: the one I grew up in, the family that came with my wonderful Jeff, and my sister's new family. All of them are so many kinds of awesome in so many ways! I hear horror stories about so and so's in-laws and feel blessed to have family that I love hanging around with!
Probably most of all, I'm thankful for my Jeff.
Life's pretty good, eh?
I'm thankful for the friends and family in my life. I'm thankful that I had friends who were excited we didn't have Thanksgiving dinner plans so they could have us over. I'm thankful that I have even more friends around who we could have also joined. There have been times in my life where the people I considered friends were few and far between. I'm thankful that this is not one of those times.
I'm also thankful for my family: the one I grew up in, the family that came with my wonderful Jeff, and my sister's new family. All of them are so many kinds of awesome in so many ways! I hear horror stories about so and so's in-laws and feel blessed to have family that I love hanging around with!
Probably most of all, I'm thankful for my Jeff.
Life's pretty good, eh?
thankful
It's another cold morning. Right up at the top of my thankful list is my lovely, warm house. This is my favorite place that I've lived, probably since I left my mom's house. I love the location (park Right Next To My House!), I love the landlord, and it's my favorite layout of all my apartments. The upstairs neighbors have their amounts of crazy, but are, on the whole, pretty nice people. Oh, there are always things that I can complain about, but that's not what this post is about. So they get filed in the 'what to watch for when I go house hunting again' folder.
I'm thankful that Jeff had a safe commute yesterday. He drove in, hoping that he would be able to find safe routes and not be at the mercy of stuck buses. His commute was much faster and easier. Luckily, we had enough sun to help get the main roads fairly clear (for which I'm also grateful).
I'm thankful for my goofy cat. We miss our Mattie cat still, but Lilly is all kinds of fun (and funny). We're crazy about her!
While it seems an odd thing to be thankful for, I'm thankful for my toaster oven. I got it at our last house where we were living in a friend's basement. I didn't always want to climb the stairs to use the shared kitchen, so my mom gave me a toaster oven. More of a mini countertop oven, really. I haven't stopped using it just because I'm in a place with my own easily accessible kitchen. It's perfect for baking small batches (4 muffins, breakfast for just me), it takes very little time to pre-heat, I can use both the toaster oven and the big oven when I'm in a hurry or am trying to get 2 things done, and it's great for cooking small amounts in the summer when I don't want to heat up the kitchen too much. It makes my life easier!
I'm thankful that Jeff had a safe commute yesterday. He drove in, hoping that he would be able to find safe routes and not be at the mercy of stuck buses. His commute was much faster and easier. Luckily, we had enough sun to help get the main roads fairly clear (for which I'm also grateful).
I'm thankful for my goofy cat. We miss our Mattie cat still, but Lilly is all kinds of fun (and funny). We're crazy about her!
While it seems an odd thing to be thankful for, I'm thankful for my toaster oven. I got it at our last house where we were living in a friend's basement. I didn't always want to climb the stairs to use the shared kitchen, so my mom gave me a toaster oven. More of a mini countertop oven, really. I haven't stopped using it just because I'm in a place with my own easily accessible kitchen. It's perfect for baking small batches (4 muffins, breakfast for just me), it takes very little time to pre-heat, I can use both the toaster oven and the big oven when I'm in a hurry or am trying to get 2 things done, and it's great for cooking small amounts in the summer when I don't want to heat up the kitchen too much. It makes my life easier!
Thankful
I like the idea of posting thankful thoughts all week. Course it will probably be the same post on the various places I post, but there you go. :-)
For yesterday? I'm thankful that 1) I didn't have to go anywhere and 2) Jeff made it home safely. He didn't actually get home until just after 1am, but he made it home. And I had food hot and waiting for him when he did.
For today? I'm thankful for a lot of things. I'm grateful for the house I'm living in. 20 degree weather would be miserable in some of the places I've lived. I'm also thankful for the central oil heat that can take an inside temp of 66 and turn it into 70 fairly quickly. Yesterday I ran the heater probably 3 or 4 times total. For the rest of the time, we can supplement with little stand alone radiators. I would be remiss if I didn't also express my gratitude for the clear skies and sunshine I woke up to. Yes, that makes it even colder and likely won't even help get rid of the ice. But it lifts my spirits and makes the snow outside look even lovlier. (I'm again grateful that I don't have to go anywhere today and hope that Jeff's commute isn't nearly as long tonight...)
One more thing to be thankful for is my job. My wonderful, flexible, work at home job. We recently started on a new project that has me working at least half time (up from 5-10 hours a week). My bank account is loving it, even if my daily time management/scheduling issues are not. :-)
For yesterday? I'm thankful that 1) I didn't have to go anywhere and 2) Jeff made it home safely. He didn't actually get home until just after 1am, but he made it home. And I had food hot and waiting for him when he did.
For today? I'm thankful for a lot of things. I'm grateful for the house I'm living in. 20 degree weather would be miserable in some of the places I've lived. I'm also thankful for the central oil heat that can take an inside temp of 66 and turn it into 70 fairly quickly. Yesterday I ran the heater probably 3 or 4 times total. For the rest of the time, we can supplement with little stand alone radiators. I would be remiss if I didn't also express my gratitude for the clear skies and sunshine I woke up to. Yes, that makes it even colder and likely won't even help get rid of the ice. But it lifts my spirits and makes the snow outside look even lovlier. (I'm again grateful that I don't have to go anywhere today and hope that Jeff's commute isn't nearly as long tonight...)
One more thing to be thankful for is my job. My wonderful, flexible, work at home job. We recently started on a new project that has me working at least half time (up from 5-10 hours a week). My bank account is loving it, even if my daily time management/scheduling issues are not. :-)
(no subject)
Several of my friends have been making fun of people calling today's snow accumulation snowpocalypse.
I both agree and disagree.
( blah, blah, blah )
Am I happy I didn't have to go anywhere today (yea working at home)? Absolutely!
Am I worried about Jeff trying to get home by bus after work tonight. Of course. (especially since he drove to the park and ride--my little car isn't set up to drive in this stuff...)
Do I wish that people would drive saner in the snow? Yea, but I also understand that most of us really don't get the chance to practice all that much. I'd probably be just as much to blame if I was out driving... Let's all be grateful I didn't have to go anywhere!
Do wish that there were more snow plows and equipment to handle the snow? duh.
Do I understand why we don't? you bet.
So, while part of me laughs at the idea of this being a huge storm, I also understand why it's so disruptive.
And now I'll go back to worrying about Jeff's commute home...
I both agree and disagree.
( blah, blah, blah )
Am I happy I didn't have to go anywhere today (yea working at home)? Absolutely!
Am I worried about Jeff trying to get home by bus after work tonight. Of course. (especially since he drove to the park and ride--my little car isn't set up to drive in this stuff...)
Do I wish that people would drive saner in the snow? Yea, but I also understand that most of us really don't get the chance to practice all that much. I'd probably be just as much to blame if I was out driving... Let's all be grateful I didn't have to go anywhere!
Do wish that there were more snow plows and equipment to handle the snow? duh.
Do I understand why we don't? you bet.
So, while part of me laughs at the idea of this being a huge storm, I also understand why it's so disruptive.
And now I'll go back to worrying about Jeff's commute home...
Christmas Show time!
Much as I don't want to think about the holidays, yet, it's time for us to start selling tickets for our chorus Christmas show. Come join Voices Northwest on Sat, Dec 4th at the fabulous PUD auditorium for a fun show! Showtimes are 3 and 7:30 pm. Tickets are $15 for adults and $12 for children (under 12) and seniors. You can get tickets from me, at the door, or via paypal on our website!
Hope to see you there!
Hope to see you there!
sigh...
Dear WA voters who voted against the taxes: I better not see you at the head of the whiners when your favorite park closes or your child's school has to drop whatever arts/extra curricular activities are left or you can't get a police/fireman to come to your house.
Dear Tim Eyeman: I think you should get 2/3 voter approval before trying to increase your spending (better yet? just GO AWAY!).
Dear government leaders: since you have been given a directive to start cutting, I hope you will consider all jobs instead of JUST the teachers/police/firemen that interact with the public. Don't be like a school that I worked at where a SpEd teacher and instructional assistant were cut to help fund a new middle manager with 3 times the salary of the teacher...
Dear Tim Eyeman: I think you should get 2/3 voter approval before trying to increase your spending (better yet? just GO AWAY!).
Dear government leaders: since you have been given a directive to start cutting, I hope you will consider all jobs instead of JUST the teachers/police/firemen that interact with the public. Don't be like a school that I worked at where a SpEd teacher and instructional assistant were cut to help fund a new middle manager with 3 times the salary of the teacher...
Confessions of a morning person
I am a hardwired morning person. I have been my whole life.
( slightly rambly post here )
Sometimes I really hate my inner morning person... :-) On the other hand, at least I can see pretty sunrises from my office window! :-)
( slightly rambly post here )
Sometimes I really hate my inner morning person... :-) On the other hand, at least I can see pretty sunrises from my office window! :-)
(no subject)
Happiest of birthdays to my most wonderful and excellent Jeffrey!
We're having a lovely, relaxing day full of sunshine, playing around on the computer, going for a bike ride, eating comfort food (chicken nuggets and foofy salad!), and going out to dinner with Jeff's parents (yea Buca Di Beppo's kitchen table!).
Last night we got to hang out over at Gene and Mike's with Kristin. It was a very nice evening!
We're having a lovely, relaxing day full of sunshine, playing around on the computer, going for a bike ride, eating comfort food (chicken nuggets and foofy salad!), and going out to dinner with Jeff's parents (yea Buca Di Beppo's kitchen table!).
Last night we got to hang out over at Gene and Mike's with Kristin. It was a very nice evening!
Jeff's birthday is coming up
I've had a few folks ask me what Jeff is interested in for his birthday. I didn't realize he finally added things to his Amazon Wishlist, so I thought I'd post the link here for folks still wondering. :-) I didn't see Jasper Fford books on there, but we've recently started reading that series as well and only have the first book. I would also point out that there's a new Terry Pratchett book that's been recently released... :-)
He's also mentioned that he likes a lot of the things on Think Geek.
Hope that helps!
He's also mentioned that he likes a lot of the things on Think Geek.
Hope that helps!
I LOVE Concrete5 hosting tech support!
So, I have learned to love the Concrete5 content management platform for easily created websites that other people can update.
My chorus decided to switch our hosting over to the Concrete5 hosting and left me the job of moving the database, something I have no clue how to do. They have been extremely helpful every time I've run into a problem. I don't have enough nice things to say about the help I've gotten from them.
I don't know that I'd host every website there, (I think my website will do just fine over on Dotster, but then I don't need to do the things that my chorus does) but I think it will work very well for my chorus' website!
Ok. Off to lunch and some shopping with my mom and sister!
My chorus decided to switch our hosting over to the Concrete5 hosting and left me the job of moving the database, something I have no clue how to do. They have been extremely helpful every time I've run into a problem. I don't have enough nice things to say about the help I've gotten from them.
I don't know that I'd host every website there, (I think my website will do just fine over on Dotster, but then I don't need to do the things that my chorus does) but I think it will work very well for my chorus' website!
Ok. Off to lunch and some shopping with my mom and sister!
no party this year
My cold it getting better. Slowly. Slowly enough that I don't even want to think about cleaning and hosting any kind of get together. I'll have to plan a game day sometime this summer instead.
We've also scaled back the eat out plans. Jeff and I will be eating lunch at Mr. Gyro's (85th and Greenwood)probably around 2pm. The food is yummy but there isn't much sitting space. Still, let me know if you want to also happen to be there about the same time to share lunch with me! :-)
We've also scaled back the eat out plans. Jeff and I will be eating lunch at Mr. Gyro's (85th and Greenwood)probably around 2pm. The food is yummy but there isn't much sitting space. Still, let me know if you want to also happen to be there about the same time to share lunch with me! :-)
ready to fall over now
Jeff and I are home from Norwescon. Well, we have been for a couple of hours and Jeff is already asleep. I had some last minute work stuff I had to do before I could call it quits (which I am about ready to do now)...
Norwescon was a lot of fun. I actually started the con healthy this year. I hadn't been sick all spring. I was hopeful of making it through the con healthy. I failed my constitution roll, though, and started getting sick Sunday. I was in denial until Monday morning, though. I blame not sleeping very well in the 'comfy-but-not-my-bed.'
So, this year I was once again the IT setup/teardown lead. This is my last year doing this job, although I will likely still help with setup/teardown in some capacity in the future. :-) My second (Drew) was really great and will be a fine lead next year! I also got to deliver the Easter candy from the con to the hotel. That is seriously the best job in the entire convention. Several stations that I deliver candy to do a happy dance when I get there. And then fight over who gets the Reces Peanut Butter cups... :-)
This year, I took time off from staffing and actually went to some panels (mostly costuming)! I enjoyed Ieva's costuming panels a great deal. I even went to one where we started a duct tape double that I can use for a dress form when I finish it. That was fun. :-)
Getting sick wasn't so fun. It's not the worst cold ever, but it's highly annoying with lots of nose blowing and the attendant chapped upper lip/nose. I decided early on not to go to chorus tonight even though we have our friends and family performance next Monday. I really, really want to get better before I have to go to chorus contest in 2 1/2 weeks!
But the big 'excitement' for the both of us was unloading at the storage unit. I had a stack of art panels decide to defy my book-endness and knock me back against the side of the truck. Someone almost immediately braced them and I slid down and crawled out. I didn't really get hurt (mostly shaken), although I did kill my flowy split skirt in the escape. la sigh. I'm finding now that I have a few new aches that I didn't have before. They did make me stop helping at that point. I guess I need to learn that the storage unit load in and I do not get along very well...
After dinner we had to go back to the hotel and look for Jeffrey's wedding ring, which had turned up missing during dinner. Luckily, disaster was averted and we found it. Yea good things! But all that meant that we didn't get home until almost 9. Then we cuddled the cat and I started trying to catch up.
Well, I think I'm rambling now. I have turned in most of the things I was supposed to do and I need to set up my breathing machine and go fall over now.
Norwescon was a lot of fun. I actually started the con healthy this year. I hadn't been sick all spring. I was hopeful of making it through the con healthy. I failed my constitution roll, though, and started getting sick Sunday. I was in denial until Monday morning, though. I blame not sleeping very well in the 'comfy-but-not-my-bed.'
So, this year I was once again the IT setup/teardown lead. This is my last year doing this job, although I will likely still help with setup/teardown in some capacity in the future. :-) My second (Drew) was really great and will be a fine lead next year! I also got to deliver the Easter candy from the con to the hotel. That is seriously the best job in the entire convention. Several stations that I deliver candy to do a happy dance when I get there. And then fight over who gets the Reces Peanut Butter cups... :-)
This year, I took time off from staffing and actually went to some panels (mostly costuming)! I enjoyed Ieva's costuming panels a great deal. I even went to one where we started a duct tape double that I can use for a dress form when I finish it. That was fun. :-)
Getting sick wasn't so fun. It's not the worst cold ever, but it's highly annoying with lots of nose blowing and the attendant chapped upper lip/nose. I decided early on not to go to chorus tonight even though we have our friends and family performance next Monday. I really, really want to get better before I have to go to chorus contest in 2 1/2 weeks!
But the big 'excitement' for the both of us was unloading at the storage unit. I had a stack of art panels decide to defy my book-endness and knock me back against the side of the truck. Someone almost immediately braced them and I slid down and crawled out. I didn't really get hurt (mostly shaken), although I did kill my flowy split skirt in the escape. la sigh. I'm finding now that I have a few new aches that I didn't have before. They did make me stop helping at that point. I guess I need to learn that the storage unit load in and I do not get along very well...
After dinner we had to go back to the hotel and look for Jeffrey's wedding ring, which had turned up missing during dinner. Luckily, disaster was averted and we found it. Yea good things! But all that meant that we didn't get home until almost 9. Then we cuddled the cat and I started trying to catch up.
Well, I think I'm rambling now. I have turned in most of the things I was supposed to do and I need to set up my breathing machine and go fall over now.