I have a splitting headache

So I've taken some Tylenol and I am going to lie down for a bit.  Hope I don't miss the ball drop.  I'll set a couple of alarms to make sure.

Yay! I'm off work tomorrow and I have lots of stuff planned (subject to change, of course)

Things I have to do sometime either tonight or tomorrow:
1. Two weeks’ of game notes.
2. A book review.
3. Straighten up the bedroom.
4. Sort laundry.
5. Give a libation of honey to Hekate for the turning of the year.
6. Water the plants.
7. Fill the fish tanks and work on the pumps for each.

Things I’d like to do:
1. Read.
2. Watch some DVDs (including ‘Downton Abbey’, which I am terribly behind on.
3. Listen to some music.
4. Have a quiet evening at home.
5. Watch the New York ball drop at midnight tonight, either on my phone (yes, there’s an application for that), or on TV.

No alcohol, parties, etc., but then I don't like to be out on the roads with the drunks on New Year's Eve. Happy New Year! May it be bright and wonderful and bring you happiness and blessings. It's so hard to believe we're just a few hours from 2015!

Good grief

I put my phone on fingerprint lock last night and got locked out this morning,  and couldn't remember the other password,  my Google password,  etc.  My PIN was not an option.  After so many tries,  only the alternative password will work.  So I had to go to a store and have it factory reset. I mostly had music and pictures on an SD card,  so that was fine. So I have been downloading lots of apps from Google and Amazon and getting my customising settings back.  Needless to say,  I've gone back to a PIN lock. Also,  of course,  YKWIA and A laughed their butts off.  Sheesh.

Well

I had a decent day at work today, although it was a little hard to go back after having five days off, and I can’t say I was fully into it, although I was productive and such. It wasn’t horribly busy in scheduling, and everyone who isn’t on maternity leave was there, so we didn’t really get behind like a couple of weeks ago. I managed to get my charges in, but I still have some work to do on the referrals and reconciliation of surgery charges to catch up on from being off Friday, but I should be able to do that tomorrow. I checked my personal time off and once Christmas Eve, Christmas, the 26th, and New Year’s are accounted for, I should still have about two-and-a-half days left, and I’ll get about 10 hours on this next cheque in addition, so almost four days. I’m tempted to take January 2nd off, but I really should try to keep building up time and do something other than using it for doctors’ appointments.

I also tried to figure out exactly what was going on with that cheque I sent the other day through overnight (excuse me, it’s now called priority express) mail. Turns out it made it to New York but they just left a notice on Saturday because no one was there to receive it, even though I’d asked the postal clerk who waited on me if they would leave it since I hadn’t requested a signature and he said they would. It hadn’t been re-delivered as of 4 pm. I checked with the post office, and the recipient has to request re-delivery, it looks like, so it’s possible that the letter I spent $20 to get there as soon as possible might be delayed further. It has to be there by sometime on the 31st. So I called the company I was sending it to and spent 35 minutes on hold between two extensions to be told that if for some reason the letter does not reach them by the 31st, the loan I’m trying to pay on will not automatically default as of January 1st, most likely, anyway, and she noted on my account that I had sent it Friday by priority express mail. I feel a little better, but I’m pretty darn frustrated. While tracking is a wonderful thing, it seems to mess up any of my dealings with the post office. For example, if I order an item from Amazon or somewhere like that and they send it with tracking—even with something on the outside saying the carrier should leave the package if no answer—I simply cannot get it at my apartment, even though we have four postal containers for packages. Instead, I have to have it sent to work, and I don’t know exactly what to do when I no longer have a job there, as the main mail stores around here aren’t open late, such as after normal business hours, and if I have to go over to someplace near the post office, well, I might as well get a PO box at the actual post office, the nearest of which is a quarter of the way around town.

I tried to get some medication for some friends and myself today, but unfortunately wasn’t able to get to their house and then over to the pharmacy before they closed, so I’ll be going directly from work tomorrow in the hopes of getting it. YKWIA and I are also going to make a promised cake for someone whose birthday was back in October, but we had some issues (I was sick, for example) during that time and we weren’t able to make it. The goal is to get it done before the end of the year, so tomorrow I’m going to the grocery and get a few dairy items so we can do that. Tonight I fixed some fish and rice for a friend and we watched another episode of ‘Hart of Dixie’ on Netflix. I must admit, the show is really growing on me.

Now I’m home, the Christmas lights are on, and I’m trying to catch up on writing on this blog. I also need to finish a book review and work on the game notes in the next few days.

YKWIA found a video earlier that was just hilarious, by ‘Saturday Night Live’. Trust them to take the whole torture report and make things actually funny. I especially like the jab at Time Warner Cable:



I laughed myself silly. Okay, I should probably sign off for the night. Hope you have a great new year!

In the last couple of days I have

1. Gone to the library.
2. Returned a few library books.
3. Paid my electric bill while I was there.
4. Tried to set up a bill pay through my bank, but it wouldn't allow me a date earlier than the absolute last day it was due.
5. Took my cable/internet equipment back to Time Warner Cable and explained that I was cancelling service.
6. Went to the bank and got a cashier's cheque.
7. Mailed an overnight envelope with the important bill in it, to the tune of $20 for postage.
8. Drove to Danville.
9. Visited with my mom and her family overnight.
10. Read part of a book on my Kindle.
11. Exchanged gifts.
12. Returned to Lexington.
13. Decompressed over at a friend's house.
14. Took a friend to the grocery store.
15. Watched a Netflix movie with a friend.
16. Visited to nearly 2 am.
17. Went over at 9 am to get their house ready for the game.
18. Played the game.
19. Talked about some issues that came up during my visit with my mom.

Now I'm home, listening to music, and preparing for bed. Hope you had a good holiday break. It seems weird to be going back to work after a five-day break, but it's good to have been off.

For a goy

I make a mean latke,  whether potato with shallots or a cheese style that had lemon zest and had you separate the eggs and beat the whites before adding them to the mixture.

Today was fun.  We visited,  I helped rearrange some things in my friend's library,  and then I made the latkes,  which everyone enjoyed.  I doubled both recipes,  thankfully,  or there wouldn't have been enough.

I got a shirt from another friend as part of that package that says 'You are about to exceed the limits of my medication',  which I love. Thank you Tammy.

Okay,  I have to figure out my agenda/itinerary for tomorrow.  Hope you had a good holiday. 

Up

Actually, I've been trying to get up since about 5:30 am, when I woke up the first time and then about every half-hour after that. Apparently you can take the girl out of Christmas, but not take the Christmas out of the girl, even if she is pagan, in her mid-forties, and seriously not expecting any presents from Santa this year. For those of you who celebrate it, though, may you have a very Merry Christmas and a fabulous New Year!

Reading

By the way,  if you have an Android phone or tablet or a Kindle Fire,  go to the Amazon store and pick up today's free application,  a narrated,  animated version of the story (in English)  that is normally $4.99. It'll probably be free till about 3 am EST,  or Midnight Pacific time.

I just have

The holiday lights on.  I've been burning a spruce-scented candle.  I've cleaned up all of the house except the bedroom,  which I'll try to work on Saturday.  It's mostly finding places for clothes. I've taken out two bags of trash and four of recyclables.  I've shredded two bags of documents.   I feel like I've accomplished quite a bit today.  I've been listening to the radio (non-Christmas music,  mostly).   Now I'm considering reading for awhile, and then turning in by ten or eleven.  I probably won't blog more tonight.  So take care,  have a wonderful night,  and may you enjoy whatever holiday you celebrate with people you love and who love you as well.

By the way

in 24 posts from now, I will be celebrating 10,000 posts since October 2001. Ten thousand. Wow!

Well, I'm chugging along

The package was over at their house when I got there, so I snagged that. I called and left a message for them so they'd know, and then I called my mom and arranged the visit with her. I'm sitting here with the tree all lit up (okay, so yes, my holiday was Sunday, but still...I'm in the holiday spirit), and I have everything ready for latkes tomorrow. Friday morning I'm going to work on the bills and other errands I have, and then head to Danville sometime in the afternoon to see my mom. Saturday I'll work on the game notes and finish up working on the house, hopefully. Sunday there's the game prep and the game.

Google Now on my phone sends me cards with stories it thinks I might like, and today there was one on Samsung producing a video with emphasis on the fact that the Samsung Galaxy S5 (which I have) is water-resistant, that I thought was cute. There's also one about the phone and Christmas sweaters. I'm not a Christmas sweater kind of girl, but I did find it interesting. Let me share them here:





Yes, silly, I know.

Okay, it's time to get back to doing things around here, and wrapping a present for my mom that I cleverly found a way to provide without current funds. In case I don't write again, if you do celebrate Christmas, may you have a wonderful 'silent night' and enjoy your holiday, and also I hope everyone who celebrates Chanukah had a fun time with it.

So

Turns out one bill I have absolutely must be paid by the 31st or Very Bad Things will happen. Mailing the payment was a bust.  I called the nearest post office,  but they were closed.  I went to 'my' post office,  which is over between Tates Creek and Nicholasville roads, so really nowhere near me.  I was going to overnight my payment,  even though it would be $20 and I needed to use a kiosk because the regular desk was closed,  and re-read my instructions to find I needed to enclose a cashier's cheque instead of a regular one.  I had seen a sign on the door of my bank the other day that made me think they were closed on Christmas eve,  so that was that,  I couldn't do anything till Friday.  So I went and got the things for latkes and some gas ($1.77 a gallon with Kroger points!),  noticing that the bank was actually open.  But I was back by my apartment and didn't want to go halfway across town again to mail it.

Also the cable office is closed today,  so I can't take care of that till Friday.  And the electric company and library are closed today too,  so I can't do any of that until then.  Oh,  well.

I'm going back out in a bit to check on that package.  Otherwise it's just working on the house and checking in with my mom regarding our visit.  I've cleaned the kitchen and washed all the dishes.  But there's still a lot to do.  But right now,  I'm going to take a break.

It was nice

To sleep in until 9 this morning,  although I've already had two phone calls from creditors today.  The good thing is I did get paid today,  but I can't really talk to them until I work out how much I can pay and to whom.  But I should mostly get caught up.

First order of business is to eat breakfast (I did stop by the store last night late and get a few things,  seeing as the deposit would hit very soon.  I try not to do that,  but hey,  sometimes you do have to.)  Then I need to work on some things around here. Later I need to work on the finances,  find out if the cable company is open so I can return their equipment,  and go by my friends' house to see if a package bearing gifts for all three of us was delivered,  as it is rainy and they will be visiting family,  so they're afraid someone might take it.

I also need to check my latke recipes and get the ingredients,  as the stores will be closing early today. I'm going to make some for my friends,  one of whom is Jewish and the rest of us just love them,  even though Chanukah ends today,  I think.  I'll make them tomorrow when we spend some time together,  so better late than never. I make both potato and cheese lakes,  and I personally prefer the latter.

I also need to get more gas in the car for visiting my family.  Yesterday my friend gave me $5 while we were running errands.  That brought the tank from the gas light on to nearly a quarter,  as the gas was $2.00 a gallon and I went ahead and used some points for 10 cents off.  I have an additional 30 cents off (I use two cards) I can use today.  Amazing though--I haven't seen prices like this in years,  even when I worked at a gas station.  I remember it being $4.15 a gallon and we had drive offs galore.

Okay,  I should get going if I'm to get anything on my list completed.  Hope you're off today,  too.

I must admit

that is is more convenient to use a cable connexion for the Internet, rather than posting via my phone or using my laptop tethered to my phone or as my phone as a hotspot, hence the fact that I haven't blogged over the last few days. Plus, I've been pretty busy over the weekend, and I basically have come home and just crashed. Today I expected to do just that. I was in check-out again, for one, and then went over to my friends' house to work on something that lasted till 10 pm. But I came home and popped some popcorn for dinner, ate a clementine (hey, they were about all I had, except for some oatmeal and some canned spinach), and then had some hot chocolate. Fortunately I would normally be paid on Christmas, but instead will be paid Christmas Eve, or even, hopefully, near midnight tomorrow, so I can take care of some bills that have been piling up and causing my phone to ring 12 or more times a day. But tomorrow is my last day to work this week. I have a lot to do while I'm off:

1. Pay bills.
2. Take back my cable box and modem.
3. Really work on the house.
4. Fix latkes for a friend for Chanukah.
5. Work on a project with him rearranging his library desk.
6. Go visit my mom.
7. Finish the game notes.
8. Play the game.
9. Return a book to the library.

So there's a couple of videos I enjoyed over the weekend, one found by Brenda and the other by YKWIA, that I'd like to share here:

First, the one Brenda told us about:



and then YKWIA found this very sweet love song:



Hope you enjoy them. Okay, it is getting late. One more day of work before I get a five-day break, so I should get to bed and get up early and do well. Good night!

Apparently

I am more likely to keep my cool under pressure while wearing a Santa hat. I wore one today because our holiday countdown theme for the day was bells,  and I have a bell tied to the hat.  I was also in a red blouse,  which is rare for me.

The day was very busy.  We were one person down due to illness,  plus the three on maternity leave.  I was in checkout for the third day in a row, and was there until 3:45. I even ate lunch while I answered the phones.  (Our boss got us lunch from Columbia's.)  So once I left that department I took the time to hydrate,  check the regular mail,  that sort of thing.  I had come in an hour early to get some things done,  mainly for the library.  So for tomorrow I should be able to play catch up on the data entry and library stuff,  plus some things left over from scheduling.  We're also having a potluck/Secret Santa exchange.

I perked up a bit after work,  but now I'm losing steam.  So I think it's time to say good night.

Cowards and barbarians

Taliban Militants Attack Pakistan School: More Than 140 People, Mostly Schoolchildren, Are Killed at Military-Run School in Peshawar

Taliban gunmen stormed a military-run school in northwestern Pakistan and killed at least 141 people, methodically shooting schoolchildren in the head and setting fire to some victims in a horrifying 9-hour rampage.

Shahrukh, a 17-year-old survivor of Tuesday’s attack in Peshawar, said many students were assembled in the school auditorium when the gunmen burst in and started spraying bullets. He was shot in both legs and fell to the ground.

“I saw them set one of our teachers on fire in front of me,” he said.

That's the only way I can describe those who would do this, particularly in the name of God.

Another really busy day, and tomorrow should be even more so

We were down two people today in scheduling, so I stayed until 2 pm, and then did some scheduling back at my library desk for some complex stuff that didn't involve being on the phone or talking with the family, but was best done with my full attention. Tomorrow we're supposed to have many more people in clinic, and if we're still down a couple of people, it will be very difficult. I'm going to stay till 3 pm to help out. Still, you can only do the best you can.

One nice thing about this week is all the free food. Today we had a pizza party due to meeting a return rate on an important survey. They ordered Donato's. I ate a couple of small pieces of thin-crust veggie pizza. Tomorrow my scheduling boss is going to buy us lunch from somewhere to thank us for all our work despite being short-handed. Thursday we have a potluck in that department and a Secret Santa exchange. That afternoon there's an ice cream social. Ah, the holidays. So that means I don't have to buy lunch till Friday, and then I'll probably bring my own. I spend way too much money in our cafeteria over the course of a week, as I usually have breakfast and lunch there, and sometimes dinner, too. They also have a heavy emphasis on starches and fried foods.

Still, I've done well today with my eating. My blood sugar was 100 on the dot just now. Usually when I'm stressed I forget to eat and take care of myself properly, but I've really made an effort to.

Okay, I'm using my phone's hotspot, so I shouldn't stay on too long. Hope you're having a good week.

There is nothing quite like

Coming home,  taking one's shoes off,  putting some orange ginger lotion on them,  and then lying down with a fan on one's feet. It's especially good if you stand all day,  but relaxing even with a desk job.

I have not been this tired in awhile.  We had a very busy day and I was in scheduling.  We were short-handed,  and I wound up in checkout for about six hours.  I'm usually doing another job there for four hours at a time,  and only covering the window when someone is at lunch.

So now I'm home,  and I've taken care of some business,  and now I'm going to rest.  I may go to the library in awhile,  as I have a book that has arrived that I had on hold. If so,  I'll take the laptop and blog some more.  We'll see.  I've had a headache most of the day and I want to see if it will ease up before I go anywhere. So I am going to lie down in a darkened room and rest for a bit, for now,  anyway.  If I don't write more tonight,  I hope you have a good night.

I am tired of fishing

The filter mechanism out of the little three-gallon aquarium where the betta is. It tends to pop out of its suction cups and float on the water.  It's done it twice tonight. As a result,  it is no longer pushing water over the filter's lip,  so it really isn't doing anything useful anymore.  If I can,  I'll replace it soon.  In the meantime,  the fish will have to be content with water changes and a large bubbling air stone.

In the process of cleaning

I went looking for the AC adapter for something and managed to tear apart two closets and some totes.  While I found some other things,  of course,  I didn't find what I was looking for. So although in some ways I got a lot done, especially in the living room,  now the bedroom is a total disaster.

As I was going through boxes,  I found some bulbs that were sprouting.  I think they're daffodils.  So I put them in a pot with some new soil,  and put that in the front window.

I lost my cable today.  I think I'm going to let it go.  The price is ridiculous considering how little I watch TV, and I have a digital antenna for local channels, and I usually watch TV and Netflix with a friend at his place, and while I do use the Internet,  I can also use my phone for almost everything and my data plan includes a hotspot service that can run WiFi for several gigabytes a month. I could save $120 a month for the cable and Internet and another $20 a month for a phone that piggy-backs on the cable.

Okay,  I need to start putting the place back together.  I watched the local news, but I think it's time to go back to listening to music while I clean.

I have re-potted the little pine tree

This time I didn't put lights or garland on it,  and I added another stake.  I put the lights around the window instead,  and found a bulb for that funky light strand so it won't blink. The larger ornaments were put on the larger tree.  I put on little bells,  some snowflakes,  and tiny ornaments made for an even smaller tree.  It seems much happier.

I got up early this morning

and ran a couple of errands for my friends. Now I'm home and considering a plan of action to really clean the house. The living room is particularly bad, as I got needles all over the place, still have to take care of the little tree, and there are boxes everywhere from tree decorating. I can barely get around the living room. I also need to put some dishes away, load the dishwasher, give the bathroom a little attention, and collect my laundry so I can do it tomorrow.

This could have been written for me

and for many women, or people, for that matter. It's a sweet song with a good message.

:)

As I mentioned last night, my little Charlie Brown tree toppled last night while I was helping a friend put up his tree. He had given me his old one plus some ornaments his mom had given him, which tend to be folksy and I chose ones that weren't as overt as Mary and Jesus. Santa is there, but Santa is partially pagan in origin, and there are angels, which are not limited to Judaeo-Christian belief. But mostly it's snowmen, bears, winter things, and gift-giving in theme. And I finally have a tree that will support my Hallmark mistle-toad, which grins when you pull the tassel. :) That one I've had for years. There's also a few that were given to me, one when I was 8 by a teacher. So it's very homey. This is still a little too Christmas-y for my taste, but it'll work as a Yule tree for this year. Next year the plan is to find ornaments exhalting nature, perhaps birds or a solar theme. (And yes, I do recognise the incongruence of that and an artificial tree, but I am too poor to buy live trees big enough, and I don't like the idea of cutting down the tree, even if it is sustainably grown. I think the gods will understand.) In the meantime, I'm going to try to salvage the live tree and get it set back up, this time in the bedroom. I've moved the flamingo and spider plants out here to the living room to give it some space. I'm hoping when I re-pot it, the leaning will cease. But having just spent an hour and a half putting the tree up, I think I'll take a break. :)

So

I just got home,it's just now noon, and I've accomplished everything on my list except tree decorating (although I did manage to get the tree and ornaments out of the car and inside the house) and of course 'Grimm', which doesn't come on till 9 pm. I did not actually find a belt that was acceptable. The only ones in my size were a dull lime green. I don't care for that colour, and they barely fit, as in, the first hole might have worked. I'll try to get one a size up online when I have some money. Most of the Gabriel Brothers belts were about $3.99, though, so I was a bit bummed on that front. But I got some holiday cards that were nice for 99 cents a box (I got two, so that's enough for all the departments at work and maybe for friends (I do have a few old cards that would probably be better for friends). I found my co-worker's gift, something that would normally sell for about $40 that was only $10. I also found a totally unmarked phone case that fits my phone, is purple, and is in the shape of a book. How can anyone resist such a thing? Well, I had them do a price check and it was $4.99, so I did take it. But I got out of there with very little money spent, then headed over to the gas station, where gas was $2.38, but with my Kroger points I got it for $2.18. :) I understand why our little Speedway that used to be in front of that Kroger was eventually torn down and a Tire Discounters is there now. Business really suffered, although we had great and loyal customers, too. But our 3 cents off a gallon with a card couldn't compete with one that gives you up to $1 a gallon when you use your fuel points.

When I got the tree and ornaments out of the car, I found a bag of canned goods I'd forgotten to bring in last night. I'm having canned peas right now. :)

When I went to the pharmacy, the owner gave me a tote bag with their logo on it for each of us who use them.

It's pretty cold outside, but sunny, so that's nice. I did consider going to the cinema today and using those free tickets. But I think I'll stick around the house for the afternoon, work on it, and put the tree up. But first, I'm going to take a midday nap, because I haven't been able to do that since I was off after getting hit by the car. Oh, and I almost got hit today in my parking lot when I was coming back from putting the fan out, and I stopped as soon as I realised it was about to hit me, and the guy was quite surprised to see me, so I don't know what on earth he'd been doing up to that point, but obviously hadn't seen me. In his defence, the sun may have been in his eyes. But it was a inauspicious was to start the day. And just now a truck tried to turn right while I was still clearing the intersection at Alumni and Man O'War, and almost went into me. Is it any wonder I get nervous while driving?

So I've been up for about and hour-and-a-half

and I've got the house looking decent, if not actually clean and happy. I'm waiting for the bank to open. Once it's 9 am, I'll take the books by the library (the branch opens at 9:30, and one was due yesterday), get what I need at the bank, pay my rent, check with the pharmacy regarding the new medicine, and then try to run the rest of my errands, which can only be done if I can find things really cheap, as I have very little I can spend. I was thinking of looking for cards, the belt, and the present for my co-worker at Gabriel Brothers. As far as lights for the tree go, I may just use the ones I have in the windows right now--they're long enough between the two strands and multicoloured, which I like. The strands on the little Charlie Brown tree are too small, and one is, well, odd, sort of little mulitcoloured flames, and I've never seen that style before or since. I usually put it on the tree at work, but I didn't do lights on it this year.

This is the first morning in awhile that we've had frost on the windows. I've already been out, to take out the trash and recyclables and also a fan that died. Some time ago I'd let my friends have my old fan, and they're letting me have it back since I sleep to it, even in the winter. So last night I slept much better than I had in about three weeks.

In case you haven't guessed, due to my long list of things to do, I'm off today. I've carefully built up enough personal time off to have enough time for the holidays and a few more days, and today there's no clinic or surgery, as we have a seminar the doctors, residents, and other staff go to. I don't attend the lecture usually, and things would have been very quiet for most of my work, so my bosses let me have the day off. I'll also take three days at Christmas (two of which are our holidays, but the 26th is not, but it's a Friday, so why not have a five-day weekend?), but I'm just taking January 1st off, I think, not that Friday. Next week, however, sounds like it will be very, very busy. So I'm going to try to enjoy things as best I can while I'm off.

Okay, the bank's almost open. Time to get this show on the road.

'Oh, no! I've killed it!'

So I came home from helping a friend put up his Christmas tree only to find my little Yule tree lying on the floor, with most of its dirt spilled out of the pot, looking like a sad little Charlie Brown tree indeed. I righted it, and decided that I will deal with it in good time, but not right at this moment. Poor thing. I'm not entirely sure I can save it. It lost a lot of soil, although it didn't break or anything when it fell. But man, it's messy. I really must take care of that as soon as possible, though, as it is on carpet. Thankfully it's not damp soil.

Today I went to my family practice and saw both the doctor and the physicians assistant, and despite the fact that the Sharpie ink came right off in the shower, I did explain the anxiety situation, and was prescribed a low dose of Buspar and referred to a behavioural health practice which is across town but in my insurance network. So that should help.

Tomorrow will be very busy. I need to:

1. Straighten up the house early in the morning, as they're coming to inspect the appliances and it's a wreck
2. Pick up the Buspar from the pharmacy
3. Run by the library before they open and give in some books
4. Go to the bank
5. Pay my rent
6. Buy a small Secret Santa gift
7. Find some holiday cards
8. Look fora belt (I've had one for almost three decades, where the loop has come off. the belt has stretched beyond its original dimensions to the point where I'm putting the tongue through the braid and not the holes of the strap, and tucking the tip under the strap instead)
9. Get lights and go through some ornaments for the larger, artificial tree A gave me
10. Put up the tree and decorate it
11. Watch 'Grimm' with YKWIA

Oh, and we're not playing the game Sunday as Brenda has another commitment. I'm not sure what I'm doing Saturday. I still haven't seen Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part I, and I have a free movie ticket and a voucher for a small drink and popcorn for free. Hmmm....

A reminder from a friend

To talk with my doctor tomorrow about the anxiety I am having when driving in rush-hour traffic.  It is rather blatant,  but I think it will help me remember.

About time

Amazon's X-ray makes its way to Kindle for Android, at last

Amazon is finally bringing Kindle's X-ray feature to Android devices, three years after it launched and two years after it became available on iPhones and iPads. X-ray, for those who haven't had the chance to use it yet, provides some sort of an encyclopedia-and-dictionary-in-one for each book you read.

I do normally read on my Kindle Keyboard, the e-ink reader (I prefer e-ink to backlight), and not on my Android tablet or phone, but it's nice that it is available.

This sounds really great

Public-art project will put Kentucky's groundwater to music

Two stations will be at McConnell Springs in Lexington and Mammoth Cave National Park in southern Kentucky. Two other sites under consideration are a spring at Carter Caves State Park in Eastern Kentucky and one at Land Between the Lakes in Western Kentucky.

That data measures five values for groundwater: acidity, flow, temperature, conductivity (its capacity to pass electrical current) and turbidity, or clarity. Values of each measure will be assigned to Sollee's recorded cello phrases, which will be played through 20 large pipes.

"When the data hits a certain point, it will play the note, so it's a dynamic soundscape based on Kentucky groundwater," Nash said in July, during a demonstration of a prototype at the Downtown Arts Center. The demonstration used recorded groundwater data.

Tomorrow

Both Santa and the bloodmobile are coming to our workplace. I plan on giving blood, but I may watch Santa arrive and pet the horses (our Santa comes on horse-drawn carriages, with beautiful draught horses, as we rarely have enough snow for a sleigh when he comes). Of course, then I'll have to wash my hands thoroughly, as I am terribly allergic to horses. Then I'll go to the bloodmobile and hope that I have enough iron in my blood to donate. (Sometimes I don't, although I've been taking chewable vitamins, which should have helped).

Okay, time to work on some things before it gets too late. Good night.

My moose family and the skeleton at work are in a holiday mood

Today I:

1. Did not manage to get to work early like I have been and as a result was really rushed.
2. Stayed in scheduling longer than I expected to cover someone who didn't go to lunch until right when I was supposed to leave.
3. Forgot to change jobs at the time clock in the middle of the day, so I'll have to have someone add that.
4. Accepted a quote for next year's electronic journals and got the ball rolling to be invoiced.
5. Proofed a book review.
6. Put up lights in my cubicle, as well as my moose family decorations, a snowman--and a Santa hat is now perched on the skeleton's head.
7. Talked with YKWIA about the joys of dog ownership.:)
8. Stopped by Speedway and used my points to get a $10 cash card, which I then used for gas.

Now, I've eaten dinner. Things I should do tonight:

1. Start the game notes (one of my characters got shot in the game; she got better, though--I wish we had special magical healing in the real world).
2. Straighten up the house.
3. Watch 'The Librarians', which should have recorded last night.
4. I also have books to return to the library, but I think I'll wait if I can to do that when I'm over by there Thursday for a doctor's appointment. Granted, the library is practically across the street, if you count the fact that it's also a quarter of a mile away. I think I have till then.

Here's my little Norfolk Virginia pine doing an excellent job as a Charlie Brown Christmas tree

although technically it's a Yule tree.

This gives me goosebumps (and I'm not even Christian)

although I do love Christmas music, and a cappella music. Pentatonix does an excellent job.



This might even be better than their rendition of 'The Little Drummer Boy', which is wonderful. Check them out.

Starting to get in the holiday mood

Today I:

1. Put up the tree at work (see below). I didn't have any lights, but I think it worked well, plus I could put it on one of the shelving units rather than on the floor where it would look tiny. The Little Golden Book ornaments were made by a coworker who used to oversee the library. The snowmen are tongue depressors the inpatient unit made, and the crocheted angel is one a now-retired co-worker gave me. The angel on top is porcelain and red-haired. This tree is probably about 25 years old as near as I can figure, at least (but adheres to all regulations regarding flame retardance).
2. Listened to an a cappella holiday album by Pentatonix
3. Enjoyed a free holiday lunch at work, where they fixed some fish for those of us who don't eat prime rib or chicken
4. Went to a holiday social after work and spent time with my co-workers and eating cheese and dessert (the hors d'oevres were made with meat)
5. Watched a Christmas episode of 'Grimm' with YKWIA
6. Hung up holiday lights in my windows (multicolour, steady)
7. Put lights (white, steady) and garland (pearlescent clear) onto my little Norfolk Virginia pine at home. By that time it was midnight, so I"ll wait till tomorrow to put most of the ornaments on. I also have holographic-etched silver snowflakes to go in the windows.

I really should find a tree skirt for the one at work. It would look even better.

A pretty decent day so far

It started out with an appointment where the doctor called in sick, so I got there and the receptionists were scrambling to alert patients and reschedule. I went ahead and rescheduled, with their gratitude for having a decent attitude about it (hey, doctors get sick, too, sometimes, and I don't need any more germs). I dropped some books off at the library before they opened and got to work at the regular time. I'd originally planned to work in scheduling tomorrow instead of today because of the lower patient count and the appointment I had, but instead I helped out today there.

Work went well. Now I'm home and have talked to YKWIA a couple of times on the phone and have eaten something. I need to start on the game notes. I think I was about an hour into them last time I worked on them. Then I want to do some things around the house and maybe watch something. So for now, I'll leave off here. I may write later tonight.

I think that's the first time

I've actually watched all the seasons of a show available on Netflix. I'm not a binge watcher, and I prefer to watch shows with friends. But we watched the last episode of 'Haven' today, and season 5 isn't on Netflix yet. :( And that means I won't hear the happy music in the opening for awhile, either:



I'm tempted to buy the theme from Amazon, although it's 99 cents for about 54 seconds of music, which I think is a bit much. Maybe next time I get a credit. There's a piano version in Prime Music, but it's not the same, and I prefer the original.

Okay, I've got a field of vision test and a trip to the opthamologist early tomorrow, so I should think about going on to bed. But I'm glad we finally saw the fourth season through, even though it ended with so many questions that will hopefully be answered in the fifth, which will hopefully be on Netflix sooner than later.

Been listening to this a lot lately

Awww....

For more on Rescue from the Hart, as well as updates on Layla, check out their Facebook page.

Weird coincidence, something I don't normally believe in, but which seems to be the case

My Page-a-Day calendar that suggests books to read each day had PD James' Death Comes to Pemberley for November 27th. That is the same day that the author of The Children of Men and a host of murder mysteries died at the age of 94.