Anne’s blog

Productive...

nobody@vox.com(Anne) — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 16:03:44 -0500

Today was a better day. I got my hair done this morning which always feels good. Then I got a bunch of errands taken care of. It was time to replace some make-up items and restock on groceries.

I am also so thrilled! Rusk has started making a line of hair products free of "harsh chemicals". Paraben free, sulfate free, etc. and are also made with organic main ingredients. They smell mighty nice too. I highly recommend if anyone is looking for new products.

After the hair I went to *gasp* the mall!! I never go to the mall, but it is easier than trying to order my MAC make-up online. MAC has retro white eyeliner! I am so stoked. (Yes, I am a geek when it comes to cosmetics.) I also picked up a basic bronze/brown eyeliner and a couple jars of foundation (one stays packed for travel, the other goes in my bathroom). And while I was there, I made a quick stop by the Philosophy counter too. I needed some more eye cream and lip gloss. The gal there was very cool (and good with the suggestive selling I might add) and introduced me to the new cherry scented Christmas body wash. YUM! So I left with a bottle of that too.

Then I tackled Costco and the grocery store.

Now I am back home, groceries are put away (mostly) and I made a late lunch. Time to go play with the dogs and kitties and then maybe watch a movie later.

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Gah!

nobody@vox.com(Anne) — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 21:46:33 -0500

I had a down and out panic attack this evening...somehow I feel like I am forgetting some major deadline for work. But I am not. I don't think. I think maybe it has to do with wrapping up this big joint venture project that I've been working on. There were so many document due dates and database update requests - now that they are over my brain doesn't know what to focus on. My adrenaline is STILL pumping...I want to go to bed at a reasonable hour because I have a busy morning tomorrow, but I don't think sleep will be coming anytime soon.

Of course, I still have a crap-load of stuff to do on Monday before I leave town again, but nothing that can't wait until then to get done, and nothing Earth shattering if it doesn't get done then. So, I don't really know what my deal is. I think maybe that it might be that I agreed to help out my sales partner at work and do a coaching call with one of her branches in the very near future (a yet to be determined date). I love what I do because it is mostly one on one and face to face. I dislike group conference calls with people I have not met.

That and I think I am stressing out about the up coming year. We have a TON of changes coming at us and I don't think our team has the manpower to handle them all.

Also, there is Thanksgiving...and Christmas. So, my big plan was that this year was my year to relax...no family, no big functions. Just some peace and quiet with the dogs...well, OK, romping and playing too. Instead, my quiet Christmas turned into a trip to New Orleans and Thanksgiving week I am going to Seattle - I will work out there Monday and Tuesday and then spend Wed and Thursday with family and then travel home (an all day trip) on Friday. It is going to be a whirlwind trip...the cost of extending the ticket over the weekend was insane...and it would also have put Moo at the kennel for almost two weeks straight due to a work trip the following week. Don't get me wrong, I am grateful and even excited to get to go home for turkey day. And Christmas should be neat. I've never been to New Orleans before - we will be staying in the French Quarter - but I seriously feel like I was cornered into going. As much as I want to see the place, this isn't the time of year or way I wanted to do it. And both trips mean that Sadie will be with friends the entire week of Thanksgiving and at the kennel with Moo over Christmas...and Moo is at the kennel for both trips. That added with all the travel for work that has come up and I feel like she is ALWAYS at the kennel and that I am NEVER at home.

And next year, I had hoped to get home a few times throughout the year to see Caleb - but we are now being pressured (at least I feel like we are being pressured) into saving our PTO for the end of the year since it is dead around Christmas and New Years. Except that that isn't my problem and I shouldn't be expected to use MY time off because of planning and management issues. Bah. I guess I just have a lot frustrating me right now...mostly these holiday trips. So much for a nice quiet season at home.

And don't get me started on the electrician issues. I am never here and since Neil said he'd be taking care of it, trying to coordinate with his recent travel isn't something I want to try to do. He knows (or ought to know) what his schedule is...since he needs to be here, it seems that it would be easiest for him to just call and schedule. But between the first guy never calling back and then more travel, it just isn't getting done. The next major fiasco is going to be replacing the carpet since it is all fraying at the seams and along the room edges...the list is never-ending.

Right now I just need to focus on not completely losing my cool over the holidays. And my New Years resolution is going to be to just say no next year. I WILL have my peaceful holiday at home...even if I celebrate it all by myself (with the critters, of course!).

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"Blah blah blah, Ginger."

nobody@vox.com(Anne) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:55:40 -0500

(If you're wondering about the subject line...go look up Gary Larson's Far Side comic about what dogs hear.) :)

Not much new happening here - yesterday was Veteran's Day, as you all probably know...it is a new "paid holiday" for us which was strange. I did end up doing a tiny bit of work, but then spent the rest of the day watching movies and doing laundry.

Last night Neil took me out to a Spanish tapas place. The food was great, but I think all the staff was on heroin. No one was talking to each other, the guy who sat us looked annoyed that there were people there he had to deal with...you know, those pesky customers and all! And you'd think for a place that makes its money selling small portions/plates of food they would check back regularly to see what else they could bring out...but no. That was not the case here, unless of course you were the two, blonde thirty-something females at the table behind us. I'm guessing we won't be back since there are plenty of other places with great food and matching service that are easier to get to.

Work is...work. Lots of travel through the end of the year. Lots of change. Lots of people stressing out. Eh, it pays the bills. Right now I hesitate to move to any other team because who knows what is going to get reorged after the first of the year. Right now, I figure better safe than sorry, even if it is a lot of travel. And today I finally wrapped up my portion of a huge project, so that feels good. Now tomorrow I just have to do some second level file reviews for a couple team members and sit through a couple con calls before the weekend is finally here.

The doing laundry part (from above) was largely washing clothes that had been sorted into piles for organizing that the cats had decided to pee on. Not sure what is up with that, but it all got a good soaking in enzyme odor remover and washed. And now I have learned to only organize what I can get put away the same day.

I am almost done going through all my clothing. I have t-shirts, shorts, and sweaters left. And then a huge trip to Goodwill to drop off all the excess. It feels good to get it all cleaned out, if not a bit depressing when looking how much I am getting rid of. However, if I am to be realistic, they are items I will never wear...ever. Or they are items that I simply will never fit into comfortably again, no matter how much weight I loose.

Both dogs seem to have gotten past whatever made them runny yesterday which is good. Now if this weather would just move along...the post-Ida dreariness is getting old. I feel like I am back in the Northwest again!

I have nothing else to report. Just plugging away at life, one day at a time.

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Random Saturday Stuff

nobody@vox.com(Anne) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 13:29:27 -0500

It is a gorgeous fall day outside today...mid-60's with a light breeze. I love it! I've opened all the windows to air the place out and it feels good. The cats are loving it as well...lounging on the windowsills, smelling outside smells and sleeping in the sun.

Mostly working on getting laundry done - the big stuff, like all the animal blankets and bed covers. Maybe later I will do something exhilarating like clean out the litter boxes or vacuum. Heh. Sometime today or tomorrow I also need to finish going through my clothes. I have sweaters, t-shirts, and shorts left to do.

For entertainment I am watching stupid, thriller-type movies and having romp sessions with the dogs. Sadie LOVES chasing the laser-pointer dot (aka The Dot) around the house. The cats like to join in too...Moo will then grab the nearest toy and chase Sadie with it. She doesn't get The Dot, but she does get that Sadie is playing and so she tries to play with her. Sometimes Moo will decide the kitties are more fun to play with than a toy and then things get a little crazy for a bit. Bonnie doesn't mind, but OP gets a little freaked out. It isn't nice, I know, but it is pretty funny to watch.

While scooping the yard today, I noticed a bunch of small "den" holes all over the side yard and down the hill a ways. I have no idea what made the holes...I am hoping something cute and furry and not slithery with fangs. I'll be keeping an eye out for the residents. It is bigger than an insect type thing (which is good!) and doesn't look like any kind of mole hills I've seen. Maybe a gopher type thing? I don't know. We'll see.

Time to change out the laundry.

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Food

nobody@vox.com(Anne) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 10:46:11 -0500

I find people (and by people, I mean people who are mere acquaintances or even perfect strangers...I find I have a different set of 'rules' for people whom I consider friends) who openly admonish another's eating choices to be interesting (in an annoying sort of way). This week while I was on the road, the manager of the branch I was reviewing caught me eating a Clif Bar for breakfast. She very quickly jumped into a diatribe about how much sugar they had in them and how I really ought to be eating something else. She then went to her office and came back with three different "protein" bars that she likes.

Two were Special K bars...one was their meal bar, the other a smaller "snack bar"...and the third was an Atkins Advantage bar. What I had to explain to her was a) I wasn't eating the Clif Bar as a "protein" supplement or anything like that...that it was simply my way of getting some nutrition in me in the mornings when I am on the road (I really don't do breakfast...ever). And that b) though the Clif Bar maybe has more sugars and thus a few more calories in it, it has WAY less fat, more potassium and less sodium than any of the bars she was offering me (the Atkins bar is only 170 calories, but of that 100 are from fat...in my opinion, unless you are actually ON the Atkins diet, this is not really the way you want to be eating on a regular basis). Of course, my most adamant argument with all foods, was that my Clif Bar was made with "real food" ingredients...like organic rolled oats, organic soy beans, and sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup and the other myriad of unpronounceable ingredients in her bars. And because my bar was packed full of real soy and rolled oats, it actually filled me up rather than me having to try to pretend I was full after eating a much smaller, much more chemical bar. I mean really, why does a protein bar need dye in it?

Anyway, I am sure she thought I was nuts, but in the end conceded that I did know about what I was eating and took her bars back to her office.

She is a nice enough lady and we got along great regardless of the crazy food incident, but it isn't the first time that has come up during my travels. I am also somewhat amused because she was telling me about her personal training sessions and how she is disappointed that she isn't loosing more weight with the work she's been putting in. I kept my mouth shut and just did the generalized sympathizing thing, but if I remember correctly, sugar is much easier to burn overall than fat is...and based on the way she told me she was eating these protein bars (like in between meals rather than as meal substitutes) I wasn't all that surprised that she wasn't shedding the pounds.

I mean, it is all in moderation, right. If all I eat is sugar and no fat, I will still have issues. Whatever. You go do what you think is best for you, and I will go do what I think is best for me. Now, if we could just get an electrician to call us back so I could have use of my treadmill once again...

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Labs

nobody@vox.com(Anne) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 09:12:39 -0500

This morning as I took first Moo then Sadie out for their mid morning potty breaks there was a TON of crashing through the bushes down in the clearing. Finally, I caught a glimpse of two, very happy, very free yellow labs! LOL They both look healthy - one is definitely younger than the other. My guess is maybe mom and kid or something like that. The younger one was bouncing and jumping on the other one and putting on play moves. The older one was just enjoying being out and smelling smells.

I called to them, but they just looked up at me and then went romping off the other way. I will check around this afternoon while I am out and about to make sure there aren't any posters up looking for them. And I will check to see if they are still around this afternoon/evening...if so, I will try to entice them with some food and will put an old dog bed and some blankets on the patio for them since it is getting really chilly overnight.

Sadie wanted to go play with them - Moo didn't see them, but I think she smelled them because she got into an excited play stance too.

I am hoping they live around here and just made a quick break for it and will be back home safe and sound soon! Seeing them has made me realize that I am really not set up to help pups if they come along. I am not sure how Moo would be with another dog or dogs in her house...she definitely gets scared-agressive toward unknown people. I wouldn't have worried about dogs except after the attack by the neighbor dog, I think she is more on edge about that sort of thing now. Hopefully, we won't ever have to find out, but I'd also like to be more able to help if dogs came along that really needed it. I guess it is time to finally get around to cleaning out the garage...if I do, there is plenty of safe shelter room out there.

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I got hung up on...

nobody@vox.com(Anne) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 21:05:13 -0400

in favor of the pizza delivery guy. Joy.

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Finally...

nobody@vox.com(Anne) — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 23:48:56 -0400

I'm feeling human again. The Crud seems to have finally lost its grip. My chest is still tight...feels like I can't get a full breath, but no coughing and my sinuses are back to their normal level of stuffy (allergies and all).

I still owe Amanda one more "word" entry...maybe I will get around to that this weekend sometime.

Tomorrow will be full of exciting things - mostly yard work. I need to move one of the abelia, it isn't happy in the full-on sunshine. It gets too hot here for it in the summer. I have a good spot on the side of the house where the other two are that should make it happier. Next spring I will get a couple more crape myrtles to finish off the front lot line where the abelia used to be.

After that, I need to pound fertilizer stakes in around all the other trees and shrubs. Once that is done it is on to wrapping the water pipe and re-insulating the wall where the broken one from last winter was replaced. Maybe I will even attempt to patch the sheet rock. Maybe.

Last but not least, I need to clean out my garage. The spiders are in full-force this fall...I need to get them cleaned out of the indoors areas (black widows galore out there - eek!). I also need to figure out a way to store the plastic wading pool that the dogs use. I want to somehow hang it from the ceiling, but that may be a project I need additional hands to accomplish.

Good times! After all that I might try to get around to cleaning out my closets - I need to figure out what fits (ugh) and what doesn't. I have to be realistic, I have a lot of stuff that I will never fit into again. Once I get through it all I will bag it up and haul it off to Goodwill. I also have a filing cabinet that should go. We'll see...that might wait until next weekend.

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Costco & other retail adventures

nobody@vox.com(Anne) — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 22:36:16 -0400

Seriously - I know better than to go grocery shopping when I am hungry...so what WAS I thinking going to Costco in such a state?!? Actually, with this cold thing I have going on, I didn't feel hungry when I left the house, but judging from what I brought back, I must have been - in fact, I had to make two trips through because so much of what I got was canned or in glass containers. I could barely push the cart at the end of round one! (I do partially blame Neil, though, he wanted a case of Prosecco which is what I had to go back for due to weight and size of a case of wine.)

I must have also been dehydrated. Ha! I have more bubbly water in varying flavors and brands than I know what to do with. I am excited, though, I found some organic raw cheddar there - I am hoping it is good. It is made "locally" in Redmond, WA (which is local to my family and to Costco's headquarters LOL). I also grabbed a box of Clif bars - I need to start taking some sort of portable protein with me when I travel for work. I rarely eat breakfast because it usually makes me nauseous (on the road breakfast constitutes a cup of coffee and a banana) and then half the time I end up working through lunch...so by the end of the day I am totally fried because of lack of any nutrition other than coffee. Hopefully, these will help a little with that.

I also got a box of vitamin C packet things...aside from trying to kick whatever I have now, tis the season and I should try to better fortify my immune system.

Other than food (mostly dry goods, but I got a couple lovely salmon sides and some ahi steaks), I restocked on cleaning supplies and paper products and some toiletries. Of course, I forgot to stock up on yogurt for Neil (I can't stand the stuff, personally) and cream cheese for the bagels. I guess tomorrow I will make another quick trip to the grocery store. I was literally out of everything...

Aside from restocking my larder, I also ordered kibble (Pet Food Direct), salmon oil & flea goo (Costco) for the dogs; for the cats I got some toys and a second litter pan (OP, it turns out, is VERY particular about his box being clean which is a bit of a problem when I am gone for a couple nights), and some tartar control toothpaste for the pooches (Drs Foster & Smith).

I had to get a new laptop bag because OP decided the one in the office here made a good option as a litter box while I was out of town last week. Thank goodness there wasn't anything important in it! I ordered two that will be here Monday - same bag in tan and also orange. It was hard to tell what either color really looked like in the photos, so we'll see. One will be returned - eBags is an awesome place to shop online for bags of pretty much any kind. they often have free shipping deals and usually have prices comparable or better than what I see in retail stores. And their returns are free (i.e. shipping is included in the return label you can print from their website).

So, aside from an oil change and a trip to the vet for Bonnie and Sadie (annual shots), I am DONE spending any more money for a good long while. I have to start saving up for new tires for the truck later this fall - that is going to put a serious, serious dent in my budget.

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Five Words Meme - Photography

nobody@vox.com(Anne) — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 20:24:23 -0400

Only two more to go!!

This one is a fun one...I grew up around photography. My dad loved it and was always taking pictures (my mom has about 30 photo albums full to prove it! LOL) - he even built himself a small dark room when I was a kid. I remember my first camera was a 110mm tiny little point and shoot thing. I want to say it was a kit/build-your-own sort of thing, though I am not sure if my memory is serving me right. It would be fitting though, since almost everything we had or did as kids started out as something to build (airplanes, trains, dollhouses, etc.).

When I was in 7th grade I took a photography class where we learned to develop black and white film and such. I think I must have borrowed my dad's camera for the class, because at that point, I don't remember having one of my own. I am not sure what happened after that...right around that time is when I seemed to have stopped taking pictures. I mean, not completely, I have handfuls here and there of events and such, but then nothing for a long time. And as I think back, most of the photos I have from that era were taken by other folks.

Neil is the reason I got back into photography. (He takes wonderful photos... particularly portrait types.) I got myself a digital camera and started shooting again...most of my subjects were whatever was convenient - fish, Sadie, birds at the feeder outside. Hmmm that sounds pretty much like what I still do! I finally splurged and got my DSLR...which, even as little as I've picked it up lately, was one of the best investments I've made.

I needed something to do...and photography was already something I liked, I could do it with Neil, or I could do it on my own. I am not a social person by nature; in fact, I am a downright hermit unless forced. The camera has given me a shield to hide behind when I am out and about. I am not sure I am any more social than before, but I am more likely to get out once in a while. And I am proud of a lot of my work - it seems I have finally found something that I have a little natural talent for (that I can do on a regular basis - I was very good at playing the flute, but it isn't exactly an easy pastime to keep up with). Granted, I have a lot to learn and a long way to go, but I find more and more these days that I don't end up needing much post-processing...and that ultimately is my goal. I mean anyone can learn to use Photoshop...I want to learn to take a good photo. I will admit that all of my photos are taken in color, so any black and whites or sepia toned ones have been processed, but I find with digital, they come out better that way rather than using the settings on the camera.

The other great thing with photography is that (though it can be) it doesn't have to be an expensive hobby. More just one-time costs with the digital world and then you can shoot to your heart's desire. Don't get me wrong, I am currently lusting after the Canon 24-105mm f/4 L IS. I made the mistake awhile back of finding a great deal on a wide angle L series lens...and then I learned how much of a difference they make in color, sharpness, and general clarity of the pictures. Right now I use the 28-135mm IS...this one will eventually replace it as my all purpose lens. Someday. Heh. Even Neil had not really played with the L lenses until the wide angle. He now sports the nice big 100-400mm! (It is fantastic for bird shots!) LOL So now, instead of a normal girly obsession like say shoes, I lust after glass.

I share almost all my photos on Flickr, which I love as a hosting website. (I hope they don't fall part now that they are owned by Yahoo...but I guess time will tell.) It is handy since my family is all the way across the country and my friends are spread all over it. Hopefully the curious will see some things they like there, that they find pretty, or intriguing, or silly...I figure, if I have in some way captured the attention of someone with one of my images, then I have been successful.

Last up:

~ marriage

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