Excellent

So, it's been a productive morning so far. I'm doing two loads of laundry, as I had nothing to go to work in. While I worked on the regular laundry, I started rummaging through the bags and piles of old/winter clothes that were in the walk-in closet that got wet to see how bad things are. About 75% seems okay. Some things will have to be thrown out. Others can be washed. But as I went through them, I found a bag that had been untouched, and inside was an old VCR that a friend had given me awhile back. I'd totally forgotten about it.

Now you must understand that my VCR had died, meaning 1) I could not watch any VHS tapes, 2) I couldn't record for posterity (as opposed to the cable's DVR, which is transitory) and most importantly, 3) I couldn't watch any DVDs, as my DVD player has to be routed through a VCR or at least something with the right plugs as my TV is old and doesn't have the right input. I had looked into getting an RF converter (which seemed to be what was needed) and that was okay, but also I looked at DVR-VCR combos, which are pricey, but could be very useful. Until Brandon asked me about whether I had the capability to record a show on DVD for him, I did not realise that such things had come down in price to be affordable to most consumers, which was embarrassing for someone who is a gadget girl/techie (although in truth, I'd call myself a medium techie. A lot still goes over my head. But I can handle most software issues on a home computer, and most hardware issues, can run lots of cables, etc.)

Anyway, this was like a bonanza. And it didn't get wet at all. So I took it out to the living room and hooked it up, and it works great. I can watch DVDs on the TV again, which is much better than doing so on my computer monitor. And by the time I got everything functioning, it was time to put my clothes in the dryer, so now I'm just letting them dry. I'll be kind of cutting in close for when I have to leave for work, but at least I'll have nice, clean clothes. I did most of my T-shirts that weren't in the closet because next week, during the short work week, is employee appreciation week at work and we can wear jeans all week. Yay!

Things went rather well at work yesterday despite the fact that all of the hospitals in the system went smoke-free as of then. I didn't hear any complaints (of course, I'm not in the trenches in dealing with the public, as I mainly serve the staff). Someone put a sign on the gazebo out back, which was a smoking area, that it was for sale/lease, lightly used, smelling a bit of smoke. The rest of the hospitals in Lexington are non-smoking, I think (at least UK, Central Baptist, and St Joseph are--I don't know about the other tertiary care facilities like Cardinal Hill and the Ridge). We delayed as long as possible because unlike the other facilities, we don't have a street up near the hospital. Our hospital sets on over 20 acres of grassland, and it's a decent walk down to the street. I, for one, like having a non-smoking environment, but I'm not a smoker, and my asthma is very sensitive to cigarette smoke. But I could see where it would be an inconvenience for those who do. It amazes me that all of the University of Kentucky is now smoke-free, not just the hospital--very different from when I was in school. I guess it's the trend, and a good one in my book. I'm glad Lexington has a municipal code against smoking in stores (except say, tobacco stores). It's not like I go to bars much, but it is nice to be able to do so, say if there's a concert or something, and I love being able to go into a restaurant and not get hit with the stuff.

Well, I'd better get ready so I can just pull the clothes out of the dryer, get into clean ones, and go. Have a great day.