The sun's shining a lambent winter white through the clouds this morning, just over the mountains, hazy in the distance. We've had snow: piles of it, but intermittent, leaving us with less than an inch at a time. But it has finally stuck, and we find more each morning when making each trip in to work (and often back from work), hazardous with the stupidity of people not used to these conditions driving tons worth of steel and gas and combustibles.
Yesterday at 4:30 or so I ran into one of my colleagues leaving. Her husband is a meteorologist, and she told me that he had called and told her to leave work right then, since they were expecting a squall of white-out conditions between 5 and 6.
Of course, that was when I was leaving work. But right after I was told, I warned my next-door office neighbor here at work--the other writer, who's from New Jersey (south Jersey, as she states so emphatically). She just about panicked there in front of me. She hadn't had much experience with driving in snow: her area simply didn't get it much, and when it did, things just shut down because they didn't have the equipment to handle it. Then she came here for college, and didn't have a car here during her college career. It was only when she began working here (a year or two ago?) that she had to drive in snow.
If I could be so blunt, it's situations like this that contribute to the problem. It makes me glad I learned to drive in Wisconsin and had to learn how to deal with snow: at least now I feel pretty confident that I don't act like an idiot in it.
When I left, it was certainly snowing, and certainly slippery in spots, but absolutely nothing that should cause the tangle of traffic I had to deal with once I got to the main drag I was headed towards. People with plenty of room (and/or no one in front of them) cars and cars ahead of me (which I could see because of the hills around here) hitting the brakes hard whenever they felt the slightest bit of slippage, only making things worse for themselves. People so anxious to reserve their spot in the line of cars crawling along that they charge forward when the light turns even if someone else is fighting a skid during a right turn into their lane.
It made me late for yoga. I'm not bitter, just irked. Others were later than I, and I didn't interrupt since the instructor delayed for those who were stuck in traffic ridiculousness. Could be worse.
Snow aside, somewhere along the line, I got hooked on squash: it's become almost a comfort food for the winter--warm and sweet and filling. I blame our CSA for providing such awesome winter squashes, but we only get one every two weeks. I finally broke down and actually bought one from the grocery store yesterday--a butternut, and while it was good, it just didn't compare. I made my usual squash mess late last night: it'll probably last me a week, and I'll enjoy the heck out of it every time. It's basically cooked and mashed squash (is that redundant? mashed squash?), sauteed onions, toasted almond slivers, and ginger. I threw some carrots in last night's version, having remembered the fantastic carrot ginger soup from Stone Soup and how well that worked, and it worked in the squash dish as well. I think I'll continue to do that. The carrots and onions (as well as the squash, usually) all come from the CSA, and it's good to be able to put them all to a creative use.
Now I just need to figure out something to do with all the potatoes that we're getting. On the up side, I generally don't have to worry about them going bad.
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Busy + holiday denouement
Have I mentioned that I'm busy? Right. Busy doesn't cover it.
Which, of course, means that I've fallen behind on several things. Most of the most urgent pieces of my work, though, have stayed on track, miraculously.
In any case, I meant to mention that photos from family holiday madness are up, and have been since just after New Year's. I also, of course, meant to email the family that asked for notification of when/where the photos were up, but misplaced the piece of paper with the list of email addresses until today. Which means that hopefully I'll email right after this.
Maybe I'll even let them know where this drivel is. ;)
Which, of course, means that I've fallen behind on several things. Most of the most urgent pieces of my work, though, have stayed on track, miraculously.
In any case, I meant to mention that photos from family holiday madness are up, and have been since just after New Year's. I also, of course, meant to email the family that asked for notification of when/where the photos were up, but misplaced the piece of paper with the list of email addresses until today. Which means that hopefully I'll email right after this.
Maybe I'll even let them know where this drivel is. ;)
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Busy, busy
So of course the day I decide to wear my new heels to work is the day that I walk out to find that snow has finally stuck overnight. I'm hoping this isn't indicative of the day to come.
But I doubt it. It's a relatively clear day, both in weather and in comparison to my meetings-filled Monday and Tuesday. No joke: yesterday I had meetings 9-12:30 and 1-4:30 straight. I used the half hour to dash home to find the wallet I'd forgotten there and to pick up the sushi I'd forgotten to bring with me (other J., I blame the sushi-craving squarely on you).
The afternoon meeting, if anybody cares, can be watched here: the Network of People meeting, meant to link IT throughout Penn State, though in reality another platform for horn-tooting much of the time. I'm not complaining: some of it was interesting and relevant. But I do wish I could have picked just the sessions that were.
Heels issue aside, I'm pleased with today's outfit. For me, it's smashing: gray pants with white, black, pink, and red pseudo-pinstripes; pink long-sleeved suiting shirt, white fuzzy cardigan. I wouldn't have been caught dead in it a few short years ago. But that was an extended anti-pink kick.
Which came up in a meeting yesterday. A department had sent out an invitation to a women in science program to prospective students--on pink paper, a choice I think the whole room agreed was a mistake. Not that we had any say: it was just a digression in conversation before the meeting really began.
In other work news, we're full steam ahead on the redesign, assuming it gets approved by the directors at the end of the month. And that my boss doesn't have a heart attack caused by the stress of having to work out where my workload goes once that becomes my primary project. We'll see how that goes, but I'm hopeful.
Outside of work, still busy busy. Some gaming, but mostly being behind on projects I need to turn my attention to: sending last Sunday's request list to the other DJ; working on creating new bylaws for the sorority I'm in; updating the contact information spreadsheet due to change in membership; planning for the game I run Friday; keeping up with the decant circle I'm running of BPAL scents; helping H learn the jewelry-making thing I do; celebrating a friend's unbirthday hopefully someday soon (today's his birthday, but he decided he didn't want to celebrate it today).
Busy, busy: but what else is new?
But I doubt it. It's a relatively clear day, both in weather and in comparison to my meetings-filled Monday and Tuesday. No joke: yesterday I had meetings 9-12:30 and 1-4:30 straight. I used the half hour to dash home to find the wallet I'd forgotten there and to pick up the sushi I'd forgotten to bring with me (other J., I blame the sushi-craving squarely on you).
The afternoon meeting, if anybody cares, can be watched here: the Network of People meeting, meant to link IT throughout Penn State, though in reality another platform for horn-tooting much of the time. I'm not complaining: some of it was interesting and relevant. But I do wish I could have picked just the sessions that were.
Heels issue aside, I'm pleased with today's outfit. For me, it's smashing: gray pants with white, black, pink, and red pseudo-pinstripes; pink long-sleeved suiting shirt, white fuzzy cardigan. I wouldn't have been caught dead in it a few short years ago. But that was an extended anti-pink kick.
Which came up in a meeting yesterday. A department had sent out an invitation to a women in science program to prospective students--on pink paper, a choice I think the whole room agreed was a mistake. Not that we had any say: it was just a digression in conversation before the meeting really began.
In other work news, we're full steam ahead on the redesign, assuming it gets approved by the directors at the end of the month. And that my boss doesn't have a heart attack caused by the stress of having to work out where my workload goes once that becomes my primary project. We'll see how that goes, but I'm hopeful.
Outside of work, still busy busy. Some gaming, but mostly being behind on projects I need to turn my attention to: sending last Sunday's request list to the other DJ; working on creating new bylaws for the sorority I'm in; updating the contact information spreadsheet due to change in membership; planning for the game I run Friday; keeping up with the decant circle I'm running of BPAL scents; helping H learn the jewelry-making thing I do; celebrating a friend's unbirthday hopefully someday soon (today's his birthday, but he decided he didn't want to celebrate it today).
Busy, busy: but what else is new?
Monday, January 01, 2007
year in review 2006
I wrote this year in review yesterday, so the time references may be a bit wonky. But in any case, here it is, somewhat edited since the original version was huge:
January
First started debating going to Convergence.
Got a beautiful gift from a beautiful girl (C.), who also randomly ran into someone I'd once worked the club gig with that month--only many, many miles away from the club in question. And I came up in conversation. Creepy.
Turned down a semi-regular who tried to offer me a hundred dollar bill to go dance with him while I was working at the club job. To that I responded: Can't leave the booth. Them's the rules. (But I did not say aloud what I was thinking: that I was just as happy to abide by them.)
Also had some difficulty juggling obligations, voluntary or otherwise (or once one, now become another). But also realized that I'm happiest when I'm manageably busy, though keeping a balance is key.
February
My namesake at work (for whom I changed my first name used there to a nickname, though I've since switched back) left. This made my stress level go nuts, as somehow or other we had to handle the same workload with one less person, and it was about three months until we got her replacement in--and that was actually fast for our office.
Made a couple of mix CDs inspired by the club job: one of pop nonsense and one almost purely composed of remixes. Mused that I'd have ridiculed myself for such a few years back.
Did a photo shoot with some friends that was a good time.
March
The avocado tree I keep at work officially became taller than me. Busy there. Busy busy busy. Which bled over into my personal life because if I'm drained at work, I don't feel like I have much energy for anything else after I'm done.
Had some aggravating printer issues, fixed by buying a new, relatively cheap inkjet. Which is just about to run out of ink, I might add. I should look up what cartridges it takes.
76 degree weather mid-month turned into snow blowing sideways the next day.
A bit later in the month, ran into my at-least-yearly hawk visit. Photographed hir in the tree outside, leading to one of my favorite photos when s/he took off.
Started to take more pictures again, after having mostly retired the macro series. Glad to get back to it, though.
April
Still appreciating my grand-boss. Finally visited Beaver Stadium for the first time, albeit at a time when it was mostly deserted, on assignment for work.
Trip to New Orleans: killer, in every way. Well, perhaps not the literal sense. Though it did kill my feet. Just not used to that much walking daily. Met up with fantastic friends, including an amazing host not pictured there, went to a few smashing concerts, saw some amazing places there. Saying that it was a life-changer seems so dramatic, but it was. The post-Katrina landscape made a big impact, along with the differing levels of recovery in different areas. But just being there and soaking in the place and culture to the extent I could (having a native guide, so to speak, helped incredibly) changed my perceptions. Expanded my thinking. I love that. And travel does it for me most easily. Just wish I could do it more.
May
An excerpt from my reflection on New Orleans after the fact, written in May: "Going back through photos from the neighborhoods I explored in New Orleans, I'm still at a kind of loss. . . .
But that may be the lesson, right there. Sometimes it's beyond you, and that's okay. And sometimes you just go on with life as usual, and that's okay too. It's necessary, even. To continue. . . . And they will. And New Orleans will get through this."
Very appropriately, I finished Do You Know What it Means to Miss New Orleans? this month. And then started in on the writing about it, and cleaning up photos from the trip. Managed to post a few.
Our office's spring conference happened near the end of the month. More crazy busy ensued. Good sessions there, good connections. Killed video game zombies with my grandboss.
Switched physical offices, moving to the one next door with less sunlight but more quiet, and a tad more remote.
Learned a new weave in the bracelets I make, one result of which went to B. for Christmas this year.
June
Penn State's Web Conference and PACAC's conference (Pennsylvania Association for College Admissions Counseling) happened somewhere in here and were both pretty damn good, I might add. Excellent connections made at both, and a few outstanding sessions. Helpful. Motivating. I hung out with the keynote speaker from the former for awhile quite by accident (Jeffrey Veen of Google, if you're wondering).
My new compatriot at work arrived during this month somewhere before PACAC. A relief, though it didn't take all the pressure off of me, of course.
PACAC was at Hershey, PA this year, and as I said then: "the hotel provides you with enough chocolate to drown a horse if you want it. Upon check-in and check-out, they hand you two chocolate bars. A basket full of chocolate was their answer to a housekeeping screw-up (they swiped my soap by accident). Rather than the hard candies that some conference locales provide next to the water in the back of the session rooms, they provided a selection of Hershey's chocolate. You get the idea."
I also got to host long-time online friend C. for a few hours' worth of tour and dinner.
Hit up a Nine Inch Nails concert near Pittsburgh hereabouts.
July
Hit up the fourth of July fireworks from a cornfield with friends.
Conducted an experiment in eating local, which was a pretty resounding success.
Had a visit from another hawk, and got plenty of pictures this time.
Arts Fest and People's Choice, local art exhibitions, were nice diversions mid-month.
Spend a Summer Day, a five-day-long huge event for prospective students, happened near the end of the month. It makes work insane, and this year was no different. Though next year might be: we'll see how things develop. I do know, however, that we're adding another day to it.
August
Enjoyed my newly-fixed-under-warranty sunroof. A lot.
Went to Indianapolis for Gen Con and to meet up with a bunch of old college buds. Took a more-local friend with me, ostensibly as a birthday gift, but more so I could enjoy his company. Good times. Ended one day with a rooftop Sun Salutation during sunset in the middle of the city: very cool.
The initiation of the web committees happened this month at work, though they wouldn't form properly until the next month. Their tasks and effectiveness is also still in development, but I was immediately made co-chair of our public site's committee. Going pretty well so far.
More New Orleans posts went up this month, this time with more commentary. I like those posts best of all, I think. I got the main points I wanted to get out of my head onto the screen safely.
The worst DJ I'd ever worked with, behavior-wise, was let go this month. And things have only gotten better again, thankfully.
And then the students were back, making our little city's population explode over the course of a week or so.
September
Must've been really non-notable, and/or really busy, because I didn't write at all this month, it seemed like. I think I joined our CSA for fresh, local fruits and veggies this month. Though it may've been August. Or October. I simply don't remember.
Took a nasty fall at the end of the month, injuring my shoulder. My first major injury, it seemed like. I was in pretty constant pain for a good week, though nothing was broken or dislocated or anything.
October
Started making the soybean nonsense with supplies from our CSA. I still love that dish when I make it.
Got in contact with N, an old high school friend, again. A good touchstone.
The best conference I've been to yet, I'd say, happened near the end of this month: HigherEdWebDev. Some excellent sessions, good networking and comparison of institutions and practices, and lots of photos taken.
Had a fun Halloween season: dressed up as V from V for Vendetta at work, and helped with the costume contest at the club job.
November
Stress got upped again as our priority application date approached. This month was a virtual nightmare at work. I didn't have a whole lot to say.
Went with Dax and S. to her family's for Thanksgiving. Started making Danish stars (julestjerner) during the drive to and from the Philadelphia area.
December
Started out with the holiday party of the club job. Had some fun both dancing and taking pictures.
More work on the stars: perfecting the wax/glitter finishing technique. Spent some time over at Dax and S's, continuing out DVD-watching streak. Also took some photos of the resident kitties.
Put up more of my photos in my office, got some compliments. I still love that.
Online drama sucked up some of my attention in here. And near the end of the month, more craziness at work: "See also: We have ten fires. Please put them all out. Yesterday.
Strangely enough, though, it's going oddly well. I'm not panicking or stressing or anything. Just move to it, handle it, rinse, repeat."
Heard about a crazy proposed solution for global warming, which came up in a conversation with my ex, strangely enough, though I didn't hear about it from him.
I'm just back from the usual holiday whirlwind trip to Wisconsin. More on that if I have time. Met up with C. on the way there, and H. on the way back. Awesome to see them both.
Yesterday, celebrated S's birthday with fondue of both chocolate and cheese and an excellent gathering and conversation at Dax and S's. Tonight, working the club gig. It is Sunday, after all, and the days of the week stop for no man. Or DJ. Or light jock/customer service specialist.
You get what I mean.
January
First started debating going to Convergence.
Got a beautiful gift from a beautiful girl (C.), who also randomly ran into someone I'd once worked the club gig with that month--only many, many miles away from the club in question. And I came up in conversation. Creepy.
Turned down a semi-regular who tried to offer me a hundred dollar bill to go dance with him while I was working at the club job. To that I responded: Can't leave the booth. Them's the rules. (But I did not say aloud what I was thinking: that I was just as happy to abide by them.)
Also had some difficulty juggling obligations, voluntary or otherwise (or once one, now become another). But also realized that I'm happiest when I'm manageably busy, though keeping a balance is key.
February
My namesake at work (for whom I changed my first name used there to a nickname, though I've since switched back) left. This made my stress level go nuts, as somehow or other we had to handle the same workload with one less person, and it was about three months until we got her replacement in--and that was actually fast for our office.
Made a couple of mix CDs inspired by the club job: one of pop nonsense and one almost purely composed of remixes. Mused that I'd have ridiculed myself for such a few years back.
Did a photo shoot with some friends that was a good time.
March
The avocado tree I keep at work officially became taller than me. Busy there. Busy busy busy. Which bled over into my personal life because if I'm drained at work, I don't feel like I have much energy for anything else after I'm done.
Had some aggravating printer issues, fixed by buying a new, relatively cheap inkjet. Which is just about to run out of ink, I might add. I should look up what cartridges it takes.
76 degree weather mid-month turned into snow blowing sideways the next day.
A bit later in the month, ran into my at-least-yearly hawk visit. Photographed hir in the tree outside, leading to one of my favorite photos when s/he took off.
Started to take more pictures again, after having mostly retired the macro series. Glad to get back to it, though.
April
Still appreciating my grand-boss. Finally visited Beaver Stadium for the first time, albeit at a time when it was mostly deserted, on assignment for work.
Trip to New Orleans: killer, in every way. Well, perhaps not the literal sense. Though it did kill my feet. Just not used to that much walking daily. Met up with fantastic friends, including an amazing host not pictured there, went to a few smashing concerts, saw some amazing places there. Saying that it was a life-changer seems so dramatic, but it was. The post-Katrina landscape made a big impact, along with the differing levels of recovery in different areas. But just being there and soaking in the place and culture to the extent I could (having a native guide, so to speak, helped incredibly) changed my perceptions. Expanded my thinking. I love that. And travel does it for me most easily. Just wish I could do it more.
May
An excerpt from my reflection on New Orleans after the fact, written in May: "Going back through photos from the neighborhoods I explored in New Orleans, I'm still at a kind of loss. . . .
But that may be the lesson, right there. Sometimes it's beyond you, and that's okay. And sometimes you just go on with life as usual, and that's okay too. It's necessary, even. To continue. . . . And they will. And New Orleans will get through this."
Very appropriately, I finished Do You Know What it Means to Miss New Orleans? this month. And then started in on the writing about it, and cleaning up photos from the trip. Managed to post a few.
Our office's spring conference happened near the end of the month. More crazy busy ensued. Good sessions there, good connections. Killed video game zombies with my grandboss.
Switched physical offices, moving to the one next door with less sunlight but more quiet, and a tad more remote.
Learned a new weave in the bracelets I make, one result of which went to B. for Christmas this year.
June
Penn State's Web Conference and PACAC's conference (Pennsylvania Association for College Admissions Counseling) happened somewhere in here and were both pretty damn good, I might add. Excellent connections made at both, and a few outstanding sessions. Helpful. Motivating. I hung out with the keynote speaker from the former for awhile quite by accident (Jeffrey Veen of Google, if you're wondering).
My new compatriot at work arrived during this month somewhere before PACAC. A relief, though it didn't take all the pressure off of me, of course.
PACAC was at Hershey, PA this year, and as I said then: "the hotel provides you with enough chocolate to drown a horse if you want it. Upon check-in and check-out, they hand you two chocolate bars. A basket full of chocolate was their answer to a housekeeping screw-up (they swiped my soap by accident). Rather than the hard candies that some conference locales provide next to the water in the back of the session rooms, they provided a selection of Hershey's chocolate. You get the idea."
I also got to host long-time online friend C. for a few hours' worth of tour and dinner.
Hit up a Nine Inch Nails concert near Pittsburgh hereabouts.
July
Hit up the fourth of July fireworks from a cornfield with friends.
Conducted an experiment in eating local, which was a pretty resounding success.
Had a visit from another hawk, and got plenty of pictures this time.
Arts Fest and People's Choice, local art exhibitions, were nice diversions mid-month.
Spend a Summer Day, a five-day-long huge event for prospective students, happened near the end of the month. It makes work insane, and this year was no different. Though next year might be: we'll see how things develop. I do know, however, that we're adding another day to it.
August
Enjoyed my newly-fixed-under-warranty sunroof. A lot.
Went to Indianapolis for Gen Con and to meet up with a bunch of old college buds. Took a more-local friend with me, ostensibly as a birthday gift, but more so I could enjoy his company. Good times. Ended one day with a rooftop Sun Salutation during sunset in the middle of the city: very cool.
The initiation of the web committees happened this month at work, though they wouldn't form properly until the next month. Their tasks and effectiveness is also still in development, but I was immediately made co-chair of our public site's committee. Going pretty well so far.
More New Orleans posts went up this month, this time with more commentary. I like those posts best of all, I think. I got the main points I wanted to get out of my head onto the screen safely.
The worst DJ I'd ever worked with, behavior-wise, was let go this month. And things have only gotten better again, thankfully.
And then the students were back, making our little city's population explode over the course of a week or so.
September
Must've been really non-notable, and/or really busy, because I didn't write at all this month, it seemed like. I think I joined our CSA for fresh, local fruits and veggies this month. Though it may've been August. Or October. I simply don't remember.
Took a nasty fall at the end of the month, injuring my shoulder. My first major injury, it seemed like. I was in pretty constant pain for a good week, though nothing was broken or dislocated or anything.
October
Started making the soybean nonsense with supplies from our CSA. I still love that dish when I make it.
Got in contact with N, an old high school friend, again. A good touchstone.
The best conference I've been to yet, I'd say, happened near the end of this month: HigherEdWebDev. Some excellent sessions, good networking and comparison of institutions and practices, and lots of photos taken.
Had a fun Halloween season: dressed up as V from V for Vendetta at work, and helped with the costume contest at the club job.
November
Stress got upped again as our priority application date approached. This month was a virtual nightmare at work. I didn't have a whole lot to say.
Went with Dax and S. to her family's for Thanksgiving. Started making Danish stars (julestjerner) during the drive to and from the Philadelphia area.
December
Started out with the holiday party of the club job. Had some fun both dancing and taking pictures.
More work on the stars: perfecting the wax/glitter finishing technique. Spent some time over at Dax and S's, continuing out DVD-watching streak. Also took some photos of the resident kitties.
Put up more of my photos in my office, got some compliments. I still love that.
Online drama sucked up some of my attention in here. And near the end of the month, more craziness at work: "See also: We have ten fires. Please put them all out. Yesterday.
Strangely enough, though, it's going oddly well. I'm not panicking or stressing or anything. Just move to it, handle it, rinse, repeat."
Heard about a crazy proposed solution for global warming, which came up in a conversation with my ex, strangely enough, though I didn't hear about it from him.
I'm just back from the usual holiday whirlwind trip to Wisconsin. More on that if I have time. Met up with C. on the way there, and H. on the way back. Awesome to see them both.
Yesterday, celebrated S's birthday with fondue of both chocolate and cheese and an excellent gathering and conversation at Dax and S's. Tonight, working the club gig. It is Sunday, after all, and the days of the week stop for no man. Or DJ. Or light jock/customer service specialist.
You get what I mean.
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