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1. What sign marks the end of the summer for you?
Labor Day. When Target puts all the back to school stuff on clearance. Used to be when I actually went back to work as a teacher. Weather-wise, summer here ends about mid-October.

2. What plans, if any, do you have for the rest of the summer?
Work, including the strongly advised and/or non-optional OT hours they keep handing down. At least we get to choose the OT hours, as opposed to a few years ago when we'd be assigned 5 hour shifts, usually on one of our unscheduled days.

3. How would you describe your summer/winter so far – too hot, too cold, too wet, too buggy or what?
Monsoon actually happened this year. It rained this morning, then warmed up again, but the wind has picked up in the last hour. It won't rain, but it brings the temp down. Along with more rain (which is really not much but still more than last summer), it's not been as hot. I think last year had a record number of days over 110 degrees.

4. Summer often means open windows and the sharing of conversations, music, games and so forth with everyone. What sort of neighbor are you? Loud or considerate?
Hahahahahahahahahahahaha...hahahaha. Windows won't open until at least September, and that's only at night. I'm a considerate neighbor and try not to be loud.

5. Aside from spouses and pets, have you had any trouble with pests recently?
We still have the gnat issue. It's only like 1-2 a day. Still can't figure out where they come from. Oh, and today when I asked Sarah to check the air filter size, she found a termite trap behind it. I don't know how I didn't see that before. No termites or evidence of them were found when the house was inspected, and I haven't seen anything since moving in. But yikes, something to think about.

YAY!!!

Jun. 9th, 2020 07:55 pm
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I passed!!!!! WOOOOOOO!!!!!! Finally done with that stupid class!

I skimmed a few chapters of the textbook, and then decided to just get the test over with. The final was only 50 questions, whereas the practice was 85. I thought for sure that I got around 60%, but the results screen just said PASS. My actual score will be emailed in 2 days.

I have one more class to finish the designation, which is really just resume padding. It's on business and commercial insurance. If personal insurance was this challenging, I think trying to understand and remember something completely out of my field will be worse.

Day 28

Apr. 17th, 2020 08:01 am
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I wasn’t counting the days until Wednesday Today is day 28 of being at home. Even before AZ “shut down” I was limiting my leaving the house. Just got an email saying we WFH until May 15 at the earliest. Last date gives was April 30. I am trying to be positive but right now I’m having a short pity party. My sister said go out and get food. I think I will. Or at least go for a drive.

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My reading (and listening) has slowed down, but I've done some. Most recently (in March) I finished The Other Wes Moore, by Wes Moore, which I highly recommend. I started Unsheltered by Barbara Kingsolver, but it sits neglected by my desk most of the time. I tried reading between calls but I'm not good at shifting focus quickly enough. An audiobook called The Innocents by Michael Crummey that I had on hold became available. The parts about the kids trying to survive were good, but I gave up 2/3 through when the book basically became The Blue Lagoon in 1800s Newfoundland. I looked up some reviews and while most were glowing with praise, a few people felt the same way I did. My stockpile of podcasts needs to be replenished, so I started another library audiobook today. It's another memoir, which I like far more than fiction these days, called The Only Girl in the World. It's also another like The Glass Castle or Educated where the more I read, the more I go o_O at this girl's parents.

So, does anyone else have the notification bell with the red dot here on LJ? First thing I usually do when I get on here is look at my inbox messages. Still kind of bitter that for whatever reason, I don't get notification emails anymore. LJ tried to blame my mail server. Anywho. I love the red dot on FB, not so much here. It's not always accurate. It said 6, then I checked, making the dot disappear. Later on it said 98??? Whatever.

I think I'll go sit outside and read Unsheltered. That or watch a movie. I like having a day off in the middle of the week, but not that I have to go to bed at a normal time tonight for work tomorrow. It limits my evening activities.

drive-by

Mar. 18th, 2020 09:51 pm
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Been reading posts, and saw that several of you have some crappy situations. Know that I am thinking of y'all. Sorry for the lack of comments on your posts. Part is time constraints, part is not having the words to say.

Having technical issues with my new work station, so had to use someone else's today. Since work is trying to get as many people as possible to start working from home, the help desk is completely overwhelmed. I can't work from home yet, and only time will tell if they will make me.

I finally got to take a few calls today. I definitely needed the person who was shadowing me, and I didn't get any super complicated calls. The other new person did. Hoping tomorrow I get some of those calls. Friday I don't know if I have her shadowing me, and I might be alone on Saturday, which is my first official day. Combo of people's schedules and people working from home.
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I dream about it every so often. Usually about chicken mcnuggets. Yet, I won't go. I think my willpower is weakening.

Last night I started watching Howards End on PBS. I was quite intrigued, and didn't even need to get my phone from the kitchen. It's also on Amazon, and Natalie told me recently I should watch it. I might watch the rest before PBS shows it. Afterwards, I tried watching Sanditon, but I just wasn't feeling it.

I have not started studying for AINS 22 yet. It was on my to-do list for today, and then I decided to work on my decade recap. I feel like my decade is boring, and sadly lacking in the relationship department, but it'll get posted eventually. I also have 4 loads of laundry on my bed that need to be put away.

Over the weekend I helped Heidi move, and only have 2 small bruises to show for it! Logged few miles in walking and many flights of stairs. It felt good after my sit-down job all the time. Speaking of work, my manager has left and I'm temporarily back with Lisa, my first manager. They also rearranged a bunch of people. The 3 who got promoted got quite literally put alone in a corner, which makes me very much sad. Sure, they leave in a month, but they didn't have to get moved AWAY from the rest of us. I was out on Friday, when pretty much everyone else on my team is off anyway, so I didn't have to be lonely that day. The next team moved a row over so I have people near me, who I talk at as if I'd known them forever. Ha. Hope I'm not annoying anyone.

Now for some memeage.

late Friday Five: words
1. How much slang do you use?
Not much...? I know I use some, but I can't even think of any off the top of my head. Is 'lol' slang?

2. What are your favorite words?
plethora, qualms, frick (one of these things is not like the others!)

3. How much do you curse?
Far more as an adult than I'd ever dare to as a kid, and yet, still not that much. I use it sparingly and when appropriate, you could say. When I was teaching, I swore A LOT in my head. It's a good thing I didn't have the habit of swearing all my life, as I'm sure I would have let a word or 3 slip out audibly in the classroom, which I'd never be able to live down.

4. What makes a great conversation?
Interesting topics where all participants can keep up and contribute. Also when catching up with friends I haven't seen in ages.

5. How often do you have "deep discussions?"
Not as often as I'd like, because I'm usually too chicken to start them. I used to complain a lot about teaching to my other teacher friends, which involved a lot of analysis of why everything sucked so much.


366 meme

10 What was the last film you saw at a theatre/cinema?
Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker. I liked it.

11 Have you ever been asked for your telephone number and you didn't want to give it? What did you do?
I want to say yes, but I don't remember...

12 Have you ever had a “crush” on a fictional character?
Dylan McKay from 90210 was my first. (RIP Luke Perry!)

13 What are your favorite pizza toppings?
more groupings than toppings: pepperoni and mushroom; chicken, bacon and zucchini; sausage, green peppers, olives, onions.

366 meme

Jan. 1st, 2020 06:39 pm
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1. What is one thing you’d like to accomplish in 2020?

Go for and get a promotion.

I was going to post other goals, but I can't remember what they are.

In other news, I got a phone case that isn't terrible and was cheaper than others. So, hooray for slight phone protection!

Oh! I remember my other goal, which is to read more books. More than the 11 I read this year.

full question list is here
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My boss is back! She was supposed to be back Monday, and didn't show up. However, she was there Tuesday and today. Yay! Though her being back means LOTS O EMAILS!

There was an awesome crescent moon somewhat low in the sky when I left for work this morning, and you could see the faint glow of the rest. I love seeing things like that.

Despite it taking 45 minutes to get home (rush hour and road work/detours), I get to see some pretty awesome sunsets. Now, I need to figure out how to get my iPhone camera to not change the coloring when I take photos of the sky.

I just finished off the pint of Ben and Jerry's chocolate fudge brownie. Yum!

I am going to do my online stuff and then put ornaments on the tree. I need to be productive and not sit here all night.

Friday is happy hour after work, and Saturday I invited people to go to dinner for my birthday. 4 yeses so far. I'm doing really low key, and it's all good.

Yesterday was my dentist appointment. I was not looking forward to getting the flossing lecture again. Well shoot, I must be doing something right, and it's not flossing! My numbers for gum recession were the best ever! I am used to hearing lots of 4s, a couple of 5s, and I'm sure there has been a 6 or two (8 is the worst). Nope, all 2s and 3s, and I think two 4s! I was in shock. It was also time for annual x-rays, and no cavities! I was worried about a new sensitive tooth but when the dentist poked around, no pain at all. BOOYAH. The dentist made a passing comment about flossing, but nothing from my hygienist.

I have a haircut appt on Tuesday. I'm debating whether to let it keep growing until it reaches my shoulders, 2-3 more inches. It's starting to get unruly and flip outward at the bottom, not under. Since it's longer, I'm also going to ask about maybe coloring the bottom half. Temporary color, and maybe dark blue.
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I finally had my first proper half-day today. The last two had overtime hours tacked on. Next week does as well, but again, I'd rather have it on the half day than any other day. Tomorrow is a holiday so I get holiday pay, yay. I've been spending money left and right on really random things or extra trips to the grocery store. The bonus we got, along with my tax return, made me feel rich for quite a while. Still have some savings built up but I don't want to waste that.

After work, I went over to Barnes & Noble, where I wanted everything but got nothing. Actually, they did not have 2 cookbooks I've been considering. Not that I need them because a) they are by bloggers I follow, and B) I hardly use the cookbooks I have (again, recipes online).

Two steps forward, one step back: Finally got my laundry put away and washed my sheets. However, the sheets are still in the dryer, and there's a good chance the bed won't get made tonight. We shall see.

Songs have been reminding me of various people, videos, etc. Phil Collins' "In the Air Tonight" reminded me of a bonus video from the webseries Autobiography of Jane Eyre. Led Zeppelin's "Immigrant Song" made me want to watch Thor: Ragnarok again. It's on Netflix, and I had extra time today, so I watched it. I kept getting distracted by hair inconsistencies at the beginning, but that didn't last past the Doctor Strange scene. Also, Loki! Tom Hiddleston is adorable, but man, as Loki I completely forget that's him. Thor was the dose of ridiculousness I needed. Jeff Goldblum, you funny, funny man.
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I just got rid of the last of my teaching materials I'd been holding onto, just in case I should someday end up back in a classroom. God help me if that ever actually happens.
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My dvds arrived in my mailbox. No idea what happened since Saturday.

The work thing I was all worked up over - turned out I didn't make the mistake I thought I had. I pulled up the claim and there was no symbol and no notes about changing if I had made the mistake.

Trying to change back to better eating habits. Also start running again.

Tomorrow is the first of the last new X-Files season. It's gonna be terrible, and that's okay.

I am going to make these tomorrow. Already drooling.

If Jane Austen wrote Star Wars

Watched Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi over the weekend, and started The Force Awakens last night.

My icon = relationship goals. Or something.

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