And the winner is…..ME!!! Thanks for everyone who voted!!! I’ll be sure to post a picture of my prize mug. 🙂
Whatever
Paranoia
“A paranoid is someone who knows a little of what’s going on.”
William S. Burroughs (1914 – 1997)
All the talk about swine flu and how bad it is to contract if you’re pregnant is making me paranoid. Noah’s stayed home from work yesterday and today due to a head cold. I have quizzed him multiple times on his symptoms, cross-referenced them with the CDC website, and made him take his temperature repeatedly. All signs point to the common cold. As a precaution, he has taken up sleeping downstairs (this is also due to the fact he didn’t want to get woken up at 6am when I start to get ready for work). Also finding out last night that a girl I went to school with died from H1N1 (at the age of 28!) did not help.
I read this article online earlier today, which helped to reduce my paranoia…some. But I work at a germ-factory (aka school) and learned today that our staff and students are dropping like flies. Two staff and one child of a staff-member in my building have/had H1N1. At least one student in another building has it (one of the three in that class that were sent home yesterday with fevers) and another staff in yet another building also has the virus. Several other students have been sent home with fevers, I have not heard if they are H1N1 related.
My doctor has recommended I get both the regular flu and H1N1 vaccine. My plan is to get the regular flu shot this weekend and then, when my doctor’s office gets a supply of H1N1 shots in, I’ll get that one too (sometime this month, but might not be until my appointment on the 30th). All the paranoia did encourage me to call my doctor’s office today and listen to the recording about flu vaccines — they don’t have H1N1 yet, which is what I expected. So I’ll continue to wait, pray for health, wash my hands, use lots of antibacterial gel and disinfect my office doorknobs daily (mental note: buy more wipes so I don’t poison myself with CaviCide)…and try not to feed into the paranoia.
Safety Graphic Contest
9/11
For most people 9/11 brings back memories of devastation and a day when life as we knew it changed irrecoverably. I think of those things too, say a prayer for the families of those affected and proudly hang a flag outside my home. But it also reminds me of the organization I started to bring relief to children affected by such tragedies. Eight years ago, my friend Becca and I founded Bears for Emergency Action Relief (B.E.A.R.) and decided to start a teddy bear drive that ended-up snowballing into a 4-state effort…and 5 months later 13,000 stuffed animals made their way into the arms of terrified children.
That project has become an inspiration on what I want to do with the rest of my life. Eventually get my masters in counseling so I can work with these children, I volunteer with the Salvation Army at the sites of natural disasters and one day — I want B.E.A.R. to become an organization that runs full-time. The man was my “boss” the time I was with Global offered to help me set-up a Board of Directors for B.E.A.R. and get it established as the non-profits of all non-profits. One day, when I have more free time to dedicate to this venture I think I will take him up on that offer.
Ever have a day like this?
This is a stolen comment from a Scott Adam’s blog. But it makes me laugh and sometimes I have days like this….
“I plan to have all of my tasks, assignments, etc, completed by the end of the day. (Yeah, right!)
I know I won’t do this by the end of the day because of the following reasons:
1. I see little elves on my desk. They are holding signs that say, “Work is evil! Repent, the pen is near!”
2. Did you know they eat duck egg embryos in the Philippines? It’s true! (And totally unrelated.)
3. It’s Ramadan. No, I’m not Muslim, but, hey! If the Muslims can get off work early for religious reasons, why can’t a Christian too?
4. All of the pens on my desk just went on strike. They are now marching across the desert to the tune of, “Ohhh Weee Ohhhh! Weee Ohhhhh Ummmm!”
5. I’m waiting for Flying Monkeys to come rescue me.
6. My eyes have gone Chameleon. It’s kinda cool! (I’m waiting for my tongue to go that route too! Helllooo, Ladies!!!)
7. All of the objects in my office suddenly went frictionless. I…keep…sliding…off….OUCH! OOOH! WEEEEE!
8. There is a small society living in my dirty coffee cup. They say my work is disturbing them. SHHHHH!
9. Godzilla! Godzilla! ROARRRRRR! (Fire, flying buildings, Tokyo burning, all of that….)
10. I just don’t want too.
Hope this helps! Ooops! The small society said, “Quiet!”
Okay, I’m out…..”
Personalizing
Last week the Executive Director came into my office to say “Hi” and told me that I need to personalize my office, make it look like I’m permanent. I already know of one poster to hang on my wall…if I can ever find it at my house. A plant would also be nice, but since the only light it would get is florescent I’m thinking about buying a plastic vase (can’t be breakable), some pretty (realistic) looking flowers and some fake water (gel) to set atop my file cabinet or book shelf. I also have this rather large white board behind me on the wall that generally serves no real purpose for me. So, in the act of making my office my own I’ve decided to write weekly quotes upon it.
This week’s quotes are:
“Wise men talk because they have something to say, fools, because they have to say something.”
~ Plato
“Never put off until tomorrow what you can do the day after tomorrow.”
~ Mark Twain (love him, that man was a genius!)
“That which we persist in doing becomes easier, not that the task itself has become easier, but that the ability to perform it has improved.”
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
Job Opening: Bodyguard
Requirements:
- Must be able to carry subject up and down stairs
- Must be willing to jump in front of line-drive softballs
- Must be able to run for subject when the need arises
- Must carry Advil on person at all times
So I’m not being hounded by stalkers adoring fans, but as my cousin so eloquently stated on facebook, “I think you need a full time body guard-to protect you from yourself! Holy peejeebees!” I had a great weekend that was a lot of fun and inflicted many injuries.
Saturday – I played softball, had a grounder bad-hop into my face and shoulder.
Sunday – I practiced softball and took a ball to my shin (my fault — apparently getting hit in the face makes me a little gun shy at first). Then yesterday evening I missed the last step going down into my den and re-injured my already damaged foot. I’m now back to wearing my cast and am determined to avoid needing crutches!
Jokingly it was stated that my work will think Noah abuses me since I started working at Laradon while on crutches and now, a little over a month later, I come in bruised and limping. It’s not true. I’m also not as accident prone as I look. I blame falling down the stairs on the Pepsi I was bringing Noah…at least Lava’s bed broke my fall and I managed to keep the cup of juice I was holding in an upright position. See, when I fall I do it gracefully and with skill! I should get points for that!
A fresh cut and a few sprints
Spring has arrived — officially. And what determines spring in Colorado? Having to bring the lawn mower out of hiatus. Yes that’s right! Due to all of our late season snow and lots of rain our lawns have turned a lovely shade of green and grew to heights taller than Lava’s armpits. It was time for a good healthy trim. Now…to break out the edger!
In other news. Spring = baseball. My lovely Dodgers have been doing exceptionally well so far this season and tonight our summer softball season started. I’ve created a page to keep track of the scores. Our team had a very good 1st game tonight, despite faltering in one inning that cost us a win. Good game Boulder Path! I’m excited for next week’s victory!
Maybe one day she will choose the Angel of Darkness
Last summer I learned that my all-time favorite musical was coming to Denver. Three months ago I gobbled up tickets as soon as they went on sale. Last night all my patience in waiting finally paid off. It was almost hard to believe that the performance was here, already! What am I talking about (incase you could not tell from the subject line), none other than The Phantom of the Opera!
This was not the first time I have seen a live production of this wonderful masterpiece. Eleven years ago I went with a friend to the Pantages in LA, a few years after that I saw a “version” called Phantom up in Santa Barbara (not the same). But now, I’m older, more mature, I’ve fallen increasingly in love with Phantom and thus was able to better appreciate everything about the performance. Plus, our exceptional seats didn’t hinder the experience either (dead center, about 20 rows back). 😉
As far as we know, this was Noah’s second professional live musical performance. The first was in December when we went to see The Producers, however, this was his first musical put on by a national tour ensemble.
If I were to re-write the play, Christine would choose Phantom. I just love his character so much more than Raoul. But last night, it was Raoul’s baritone voice that enchanted my ears. Plus, perhaps it was the fedora that donned Phantom’s head that continued to dissuade me. I was almost rooting for Raoul…almost. I still would prefer Christine to end up with the Phantom. 🙂
All in all, it was an amazing performance and an exhausting night (we got home quite late; I was asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow) that we thoroughly enjoyed, even though I had to turn and tell the woman behind me to be quiet during the beginning of Act II.
So which play will be next? Wicked will be in Denver this autumn and my sister has demanded I go see that one. Perhaps then Wicked will be the next Playbill to grace my palms.
Obsession
Hi, my name is Casey, and I’m obsessed…with any and all things Twilight. If you have not read the Twilight series, you MUST! I have not been this sucked into a series in a looooong time, if ever!
I didn’t even know about the books really until the end of last year (over 3 years since the first book was published). A lot of my friends mentioned they were reading Twilight. I thought it was one book, not a series and eventually I kind of wanted to read it too. Last year a movie based on the 1st book was released in November. At that point I still didn’t know anything about the series and thought the movie looked like something I wouldn’t go see.
Then, my sister started to borrow the books from my mom’s middle school students. She said I needed to read the series (she had finished book 1 – Twilight – by this point). So that weekend I went to Costco and bought the box set. I read them back-to-back in about 10 days (each book ranges from appx. 500-800 pages). I was completely useless around the house and invisible, as far as Noah was concerned. I would come home from work and delve right back into whichever book I was currently reading. I didn’t watch any TV and I even started escaping for lunch. Not to eat outside my cube, but to go sit in my car across the street and read for an hour.
When I finished the series I didn’t know what to do with myself. These books had been my life for over a week and I missed the characters! I went to the author’s website to read the manuscript for Midnight Sun (Twilight from another character’s point of view).  Then I acquired the soundtracks (there are two of them); one of which I am listening to as I type this blog.
I doubted the movie would still be in the theatre. I now wanted to see it…badly! So I pre-ordered the DVD, which should be delivered on March 21st! But I didn’t have to wait that long! I found a theatre nearby still showing the movie. By this point, I already had the soundtracks memorized. I dragged Noah to the film, and loved it! I am looking forward to my DVD delivery!
The obsession didn’t end there, however. I still missed the characters. I started to re-read the series. I am currently 1/2 done with the final book. Noah asked if I was going to re-read the same four books for the rest of my life. I asked if that would be a problem. He just laughed.
The Internet has been a god-send, feeding my addiction. I have read bios of the actors, searched for pictures and I am kicking some major bum playing trivia against my friends. We all find links about the books, the actors, the movies and pass them around. By the way, the movie New Moon (based off of the 2nd book) will be released November 20 this year and Eclipse (book 3) is scheduled to be released June 30th of 2010. I already have a standing date with my friend Marie to go see New Moon this fall!
I also have found sheet music to one of the series’s main musical themes online. That has encouraged me to break out my flute and enjoy the melody (not to mention I also set this piece as a ring-back tone on my phone. So if you ever call me, you might get to listen to it)! I also found tab for a guitar piece and have been trying to learn how to play that (with Noah’s help).
It’s a good thing my husband has an enormous amount of patience because I don’t see this obsession waning any time soon!