Mostly thinking of a quilt cutting weekend
Good morning. This is me. It's been a while again since we've written. We are wrestling with ourselves now in that there are parts of us that really would like to be working on the next quilt. We started it last night ... the first one was one for "All Seasons" and second is a quilt from the Laura Ingall's series. Both of them seem to be samplers.
We're just so excited by them ... can't describe my feelings well, but it is like a flood of happiness. I always appreciated that my grandmother was such a good seamstress, but in comparison from my grandma and sister in their devotion to quilts, CS is doing much more with it. At least in the respect of beauty and art. My grandmother must have been able to do so much more, because I remember some of the wedding quilts up in her attic. They were very detailed and beautiful. The quilts I saw my grandmother make though were her square patchwork quilts ... they basically had 3 to 4 colors, were most often flannel and all symmetrical so the colored squares showed diagonally.
When we were kids, we were so proud when my grandmother made "our" quilt for us. She made one for everyone in the family. My grandmother made hundreds of quilts for the American Cancer Society, through the church or through the Jaycees. A lot of those quilts were baby blankets. I think this is where CS gets her thoughts on donating her work. I'm proud of her for it though there's another part of us that would like to see her financially compensated at least for materials if not labor. I think that is a conversation that will evolve over time.
I'm very excited to be going back to WI, but I know I have time left on my hand. We won't be going next weekend, but we'll be going to the one after that. That gives me about two weeks to be cutting yet. I think we're going to try doing more cutting during the week. CS warned me about not getting burned out, but we're pretty psyched. I know though that we didn't work on CARF as we would have liked. But, when push came to shove, we really needed to do something relaxing and we'd felt behind ... there's so much to be doing.
We are finding that there is a lot of extra material left over from this quilt, so we are making two at the same time. I lost track of our counts yesterday when we'd gotten more tired, but I counted and recounted to make sure we'd done enough. A little of what's complicating it is that this pattern, they don't total up the counts and they are all 1/2" short. So if the pattern calls for 1", we need to add a half inch. That's not too big a deal, but it is extra thinking. It also doesn't total the pieces so we're doing more counting to make sure we get things done properly. The directions called for cutting as if one piece at a time around a plastic stencil you are supposed to make. But, CS has shown me using the cutting board and so things need to be transformed to that.
There are a few other things as well. There is no specific directions saying which cloths to use, so that we need to work things through to use a variety of the patterns offered and ok, lost thoughts here, but to finalize this part ... there are a lot of challenges. I feel that each one I've done I've learned a lot and I'm really excited about doing this.
One of the things I didn't know what would happen is how happy I am to be working on the pieces of cloth. There's something very gratifying as to feeling the material, and then there's the visual part where we are appreciating the colors offered and how things go together. I got really excited when I found there were 6 little swatches of light flannel. It was like oh man I found a spring well. I'm trying to make the most of all the varieties of material. It excites me that I don't know how it's going to look all together. It's just something terrific.
I remember when we were younger, my grandmother had given me some swatches in a box and we had worked on sewing them together by hand. At that time it was too much and I think we were confused that the cutting pieces and my sewing lines were not cohesive enough. I don't know what happened to that material, but it had been a big deal at the time. Doing the quilts now is like some deep part of me and my traditional history coming through. My grandmother and great grandmother and who knows that much before were quilt makers. That's not something all families have grown up with.
I still don't have the parts accomplished where we are actually doing the sewing. Just think all this excitement is just about the cutting and coordinating of materials. I am not ready for the actual sewing, but something tells me that it might come down the line. Eventually maybe we'll ask CS if it would be ok to take back the sewing machine I'd given her of mine long time ago. I'm pretty far away from that now though. Too much to be handling right now. Better that we let CS do that part.
But, in all ... we're pretty excited. One more part too? I'm very happy to be working with CS on something this cool together. I'm really impressed with her ability to focus and concentrate. She's really exciting to get to know. I'm very happy that I feel more calm and accepting of her now than I ever had before. Before there was a lot of tension due the family dynamics. We'd survived through rebelling, where she's survived by being compilable. Somewhere now we're hitting the best parts of our years I believe. We've both grown through our experiences and for the first time we're both at the same time appreciating having a relationship with the other. I think during our youth's our personalities were set against our means of surviving. I think it was due to complicated relationships with the parents. Now things are better ... and I'm that much more exceptionally pleased to be getting to know her almost as if the first time in our lives.
I think I'm doing good for her too. That makes me happy!
Let's back up some computers?
Good morning. This is me. We're up and have some time to spare. It's just after 5 am and we've taken our shower. We're going to need remember that we still need to do lunch and take our medicine. Rich was up for a few moments, but we're thinking that he went back to bed. His alarm clock has been going off at 5 am, but his mind just isn't there yet. Poor Rich :(
We had a pretty good day yesterday even though there were a few meetings AND it was a Monday. Yeeks! No one wants meetings on a Monday. We had a staffing at 10 am, but then the one that was done on Friday was in part done over because the CSO person Kathy wasn't there. It was a confusion of dates that I'm most likely responsible for. Just a mix-up between communicating through Rosa. I thought she confirmed the 2nd Friday where she'd confirmed the first. One way or another we ended up with a second annual at noon.
I think the meetings went pretty good. We've come up with this new format signing papers and then introducing the more formal meeting and then going over a preference interview and then we go over the DSP notes and end with doing old and new goals. It's loosely structured so anything that needs to be changed can be which is good for the spontaneity factors. It seems to cover the span of an hour, it gives a good review over what's happened and people seem to appreciate the line of discussion. Primarily for those who can speak for themselves it really includes them in the meeting and for those who can't ... it seems the family is very willing to respond toward the whole. I'm really pleased and it seems the response is good from individuals and family.
The first client yesterday had help from his sister in explaining my questions to him in Spanish. That usually doesn't happen, but I was pleased that we got better responses from him. I don't think I ever asked so much from clients directly. I'm happy that the focus is more direct on the clients. The noon meeting was held in my office because there were only 3 of us there. Usually the meetings are held in the staff dining room, or sometimes in the leadership room in front of my office. Having it in the office made it more casual and cozy.
I took good notes on the clients meeting the first time on Friday, so we just reviewed those notes. This particular client is very verbal and able to communicate and it feels those meetings are the best. Toward the end of the meeting we had somehow gotten into a conversation about computers, phones and other devises. It turns out the client was very well learned as to all of that. We had the most fun conversation between the three of us about it and we talked about some of the stuff we had, were getting, or knew about. It was nice to find someone who could appreciate the technology. He left the meeting talking about all the toys Ms. Ann had. It was the funniest thing because he was so dramatic. It really was fun.
Normally, we're not such a part of the meeting, but the situation was very receptive to it. Just fun is all.
After that we were reminded that we'd talked about getting the computers protected with Norton 360. That was harder than it looked, because it seemed that as long as I was doing the computers, they would need some other care-taking. This is a list of what we were working on and the numbers represent the first, second and third computers that we were doing at the same time. If the number is down it means we've finished that process on that machine.
8-24-09
Updated with Microsoft updates - Update.microsoft.com/windows/update
Service Pack 2 & 3 (1, 2 some-3)
Mini-updates up to 46
Turn on automatic updates - Sunday or every day @ 3 am (1, 2, 3)
Update to Internet Explorer 8.0 (1 & 2in-process)
Change auto-load page to http://Google.com (1, 2,3)
Clean files including document, photos, etc. (1, 2, 3)
Clean programs look for any that might be unnecessary (1, 2, 3)
Check start menu (1, 2, 3)
Delete Browsing history (1)
System tools disk cleanup (1)
Defragment (1-in process)
Load Norton from Symantec (1, 2)
Run something on Norton (start new)
Print history (figure out)
It is a slow process to get everything done, but when we added the third computer the time seemed to fly past faster. Basically, they are old machines - 2003, so it's taking a while to do. I'm feeling real good though about how the computers are brought up to date and in general, it's a real good thing for me to be on top of what each are doing. I know that I'm supposed to be responsible over them, but they're usually on the lower priority list. It's just we just got the Norton 360 for 15 computers and you've only got 15 days before the licenses expire. The program itself is good for one year. It's really fine in that the 5 disks with 3 licenses each cost a total of $18 through our non-profit web site. It's really good all in all. Just now I have to fix 15 computers.
There are 8 laptops in the Leadership group and DSP or trainers computers. They are all housed in a computer cabinet in the leadership room. Then I've got to do Sr.'s, Rosa's and Holly's computer, Candice's computer - fortunately she's gone, and my laptop which is a back-up computer ... that brings the computers to two more which is my desktop and one other ... I might end up not doing my laptop at work, and instead doing my home desktop and netbook. Or, we might find the laptop gets done because I can't do for some reason all 8 of the clients. It's a bit of work one way or another.
Poor sister saw me in the Leadership room with the computers all around me. She confirmed what I was doing and she complains if I don't do the work, but she knows everything like this that takes me away from my regular CARF work is just keeping me that far behind. I know she's appreciative though that I can do the work. Holly will talk about stuff, but she never does it. The other day we were checking out on-line saving of memory and so I did an evaluation of the computers. My documents add up to 12 G, Rosa's at 5 G and Holly's at less than 1 G. Wow ... seems we just MIGHT be doing more work - at least the kind that gets written out in documents. Maybe though she throws away more than me. I've been saving documents from the beginning.
I knew that I was getting home late last night, but I couldn't help but to finally make it back to my office where I could clean off my desks. I really hate to go home with stuff on them, because it's not a good practice and its hard to walk in the next morning with stuff laying about. Closing it down gives us that needed sense of closure.
I had to do about 15-20 minutes of work to do things half way close to proper. I had called Rich and he very patiently put dinner aside and told him to call when we got to First and 47th. This is the corner right after getting off the expressway. He knows that I'm just 4-5 minutes away then and he can do the final prep for dinner. I can't believe how lucky I am to have Rich. Words cannot say enough.
After we got home, Rich and us ate dinner and then someone was surprised with some SPECIAL time. WooHOO!!! After that we decided to go to the gym. Rich let me show him how to do the bike and we went to the whirlpool. We'd been bothered by a sore hip twinge and thought we could work it through. After the swimming pool cleared out a bit, we got in and did our stuff. We've done a couple times now 36 laps - or 72 if your counting back and forth. I think we're doing pretty good, but feel pretty tired by the end. It's a regular regulation size pool and we just go back and forth.
Last night we decided to add to our patterns that on the "8" count we go sideways one way, on the "9" we come back sideways the other way and on the "10" count we go backward. 1-7 we just go forward straight through. I was surprised by doing it this way how fast it made time and counts go. I liked it too because we could tell Rich to look for the backward one and then he would know we just hit another 10. That way we could pace ourselves out with each other.
After Rich got done with the bike ... he did an entire 20 minutes. WOW!!! I had set him on 6, but he's got to figure out for himself the balance between minutes and difficulty. After that though he came in the pool and swam four lengths and then we cajoled him into walking 2 lengths with us. After that he got into the whirlpool and finished with the sauna. We caught up with him for the last 5 minutes in the sauna, but otherwise we were pretty much on our own.
I checked my weight today and I'm still up at 264, but we're feeling better about doing work. I don't think I got much past - maybe 22 minutes to Rich's 20 minutes on the bike. He's really much stronger than us - especially his legs! I had a problem Rich helped me through yesterday in that I'd worn my tan skirt and top to work. I knew it was a little loose, but by the time I got out of my car at work, I found myself picking it up from the grass. I knew it was long, so I just hoisted it up and got to my office. Then we found a few clips to hold it tighter, but ended up calling Rich to see if he could bring us safety pins, because the clips had rough edges and was hurting us - plus, they'd fallen out a few times. Rich stopped at the cleaners for clothes and got the pins. Pswhoo!!! It's really embarrassing holding up your skirt, but it does make me believe that we've gotten a little better shape than before even though the weight is still there. Well, just a little. Hmm?
I've been talking to Rich for a few moments and petting the kitties. We set a new goal yesterday to start getting ready to leave at 6:15 am to get to work more fairly by 7 am. Its still a half hour early, but I like beating in the cabs. Sister has to come to the door to let me in, but the cabs can't drop of clients until 7:30 am. If I get there too close to their time they want in like me. Yeeks!
About where we're at with Facebook
Cap'n Ann Ludford Garvey
Good morning ... moving right along here. It's Monday morning and time to get rolling. So far I'm up on the day mostly because of need plus getting up at 4:30 after falling to bed by about 9 pm. I knew it was going to be that kind of mor...ning because I have a staff meeting at 9 am. This is earlier in the week and day then is comfortable. It's ok though ... we're doing it. Yesterday we went to the gym with Rich!Unroll Parchment
2 grains o' sand ago · Weigh in · Arrr, This be pleasin' to me eye. / Care not fer such trifles
Scrawl a message...
Cap'n Ann Ludford Garvey
I feel distracted and can't pin down next task. We were working all day getting new MS programming to the netbook. It became an all day affair. I had about 88% success. Haven't been able to figure .ISO file for the web application. My m...ind's a bit fried. I've now got access,excel, outlook, powerpoint, publisher, word, accounting, infopath, onenote, project and visio plus ordered a new camera with Eye-mi. Yeeks!
One sunrise ago at 10:23 in the mornin'
Scrawl a message...
Cap'n Ann weighed in on Cap'n Maurice Garvey's Cap'n recent Tales.
Cap'n Ann weighed in on Cap'n Deb Baumgartner's Cap'n recent Tales.
2 more like tales
Cap'n Ann weighed in on Cap'n Janet L Larson White's Cap'n recent Tales.
Cap'n Ann weighed in on Cap'n Vickie Fleck's Cap'n recent Tales.
Cap'n Ann Ludford Garvey
Good morning ... this is me. Just a regular morning. I think I have the assistant today, but I'm not sure. It is every other week and I can't remember - it means losing my regular computer which I really don't want to do ... Maybe I ...can work around that by having her type in info and THEN transfer it over to the program she needs my big computer for. Lot's to do today ... need to get a good start. Later!Unroll Parchment
Fri roundabouts 6:36 in the mornin' Responses (2)
Vickie Fleck be eyein' this with pleasure.
Christina Sutton Brown
Have a great day!
Cap'n Ann Ludford Garvey
This morning we seem up to our ears in work. Needed to take a second to collect thoughts. Settling some client behavioral problems - back to the desk work. Everything done here has to be recorded and followed-up ... probably like most jobs. Outlo...ok is really helping me keep a list of what needs to be done, but takes a while to work through the list. Better than forgetting so much is up in the air ... *sigh*
Arrrrgust 20 roundabouts 10:36 in the mornin'
Vickie Fleck
Hang in there!!
Arrrrgust 20 roundabouts 10:54 in the mornin'
Fresh Plunderins
Th' wench Cap'n Ann scrawled upon Cap'n Connie Sue Ludford Tscharner's Cap'n portrait.
Th' wench Cap'n Ann scrawled upon Cap'n Connie Sue Ludford Tscharner's Cap'n portrait.
3 more like tales
Th' wench Cap'n Ann scrawled upon Cap'n Connie Sue Ludford Tscharner's Cap'n portrait.
Th' wench Cap'n Ann scrawled upon Cap'n Connie Sue Ludford Tscharner's Cap'n portrait.
Th' vain wench Cap'n Ann scrawled on 'er own likeliness in 'er Cap'n portrait
Cap'n Ann Ludford Garvey
I can't believe how cool this looks when it all gets put together. I'm really proud of what all you can do sister dear! I can hardly wait to come up and do the next one. I'm going to work on one or two more cuttings over the weekend. I'm really thrilled with this all process.
Arrrrgust 20 roundabouts 6:21 in the mornin'
Diane Conom an LuAnn Sims find this pleasin' to the eye.
Spy all 5 scrawlins'
Ann Ludford Garvey
Me and my sister Mia - but, mostly her ... I'm the ironer/trimmer person :) It wasn't until I printed out the picture this morning before realizing Uncle Mark was standing in back of the quilt. At first I saw the shadow and thought Christ! BUT, I'm pretty sure Christ doesn't wear work boots :)
Arrrrgust 20 roundabouts 7:54 in the mornin'
Sherry Meyer Carll
That turned out awesome!!
Arrrrgust 20 roundabouts 10:53 in the mornin'
Th' wench Cap'n Ann scrawled upon Cap'n Connie Sue Ludford Tscharner's Cap'n portrait.
Cap'n Connie Sue Ludford Tscharner
Ann Marie's Quilt
Log Cabin Blocks
Arrrrgust 19 roundabouts 5:14 in the evenin'
Cap'n Ann Ludford Garvey
Just stoppin by for a breather. We started organized - followed the plan, but then we couldn't stop cleaning the office and filing after we started and now here we are mid-afternoon. It's not perfect, but there is order and we found some ...in-between the scenes stuff. :) AND ... hear this ... we even changed our desktop ... I'll show you a picture ... this is the center's multi-purpose room. Just gotta love it!
Arrrrgust 19 roundabouts 2:49 in the evenin'
Ann Ludford Garvey
Double screens! :) :)
Arrrrgust 19 roundabouts 2:50 in the evenin'
Kay Moring
LOL come do my house
Arrrrgust 19 roundabouts 5:29 in the evening
Cap'n Connie Sue Ludford Tscharner
I have finished putting the squares together. The quilt is looking pretty nice! I might think about sending you a picture in a little while. I want to draw out the anticipation! It sure looks nice! I need someone to hold it up so I can get a good pi...cture. After I take a break I am going to add a boarder, maybe two to stretch the size out a little. I know we had talked about a dark green border, I might add a red also. I think I have enough green backing fabric. Unroll Parchment
Arrrrgust 18 roundabouts 5:39 in the evenin'
Cap'n Connie Sue Ludford Tscharner
Oh gosh! It has been very quiet! I have only three sections left and the top will almost be done. I have them pinned and ready to go. Next step is cutting fabric for border and the back. Have a list of things to get done. I like being able to cross ...finished projects off the list!
Mark had a long day! The school is very health oriented. For the first day they did a lot of walking, talking and planning. After school he came home for a little bit and then cleaned church. Nate will be helping Monday and Wedsday for a few hours. Tonight he should be very tired!
Cap'n Ann Ludford Garvey
We missed the morning note because of two meetings we've just finished about now. I don't know how people do it with multiple meetings all the time. They really take some energy. We're looking forward to getting back to desk work no...w. Plenty to do. We worked yesterday with especially the Outlook program so that activities happen around people in the contact/history. If I can keep up with it - it's good stuff!
Arrrrgust 18 roundabouts 11:30 in the mornin'
Deb Baumgartner
Y
ou know me. I can't stand meetings. To me, they just interrupt productivity :-)
Arrrrgust 18 roundabouts 11:55 in the mornin'
Th' vain wench Cap'n Ann scrawled on 'er own likeliness in 'er Cap'n portrait .
Cap'n Ann scrawled on Cap'n Connie Sue Ludford Tscharner's Cap'n Plank.
Th' vain wench Cap'n Ann scrawled on 'er own likeliness in 'er Cap'n portrait .
Cap'n Ann Ludford Garvey
This is the one we cut out yesterday. It was a study. I've only cut our a few things and this is my most complicated. Before CS did a method where she sewed pieces on strips, and then trimmed - hope I'm not giving out secrets ... but thi...s quilt seemed to be more traditional where you cut out each square sometimes one at a time. Pretty cool.
Deb Heim, Cindy McCormick An Vickie Fleck be likin' this.
Sherry Meyer Carll
This is pretty, I like the pattern. Are you making this in the same colors?
Arrrrgust 17 roundabouts 8:08 in the mornin'
Ann Ludford Garvey
Woo Hoo made it back :) The one I'm working on has the baige colores in the background, but heavier reds and greens. The material came in a kit and we're going with that ... I can hardly wait to see how it turns out :)
Arrrrgust 18 roundabouts 11:27 in the mornin'
Sherry Meyer Carll
Sounds like it will be prettier than the one in the pic. The darker colors will just pop off from the light background. ;^)
Arrrrgust 18 roundabouts 11:57 in the mornin'
Cap'n Ann Ludford Garvey
Good morning. I hope your weekend went well too! We went to dinner, movie and ice cream with two friends Saturday, and then we did the quilt cutting. Pswhoo. Yesterday, we worked on a pattern called "Home Sweet Home." I'll post a p...icture of it. We're a little short on writing, we'll go to that next. I found ourselves looking at patterns ... I think I better stick to going through CS collection - pswhoo!
Arrrrgust 17 roundabouts 4:26 in the mornin'
Them Responses (3)
Vickie Fleck an Deb Baumgartner find this pleasin' to the eye.
Connie Sue Ludford Tscharner
Slow down! You don't want to burn out on quilting too fast. I have enough fabric and quilt kits to open my own store!As your sister you get that special discount! There is a reason I flunked selling GS cookies and Tupperware,I gave it away!
Arrrrgust 17 roundabouts 7:57 in the mornin'
Cap'n Ann Ludford Garvey
Good morning ... just me. We've been a up for about an hour doing some waking up. I'm feeling a little whimsy right now ... not sure if I'm going one direction or another. I might end up on the other computer because the touch pad i...s so much more gentle on my fingers. It takes a lot less resistance to tap them. Or, we could get to the cutting right away ... hmm. So much to do and so little time *Sigh*Unroll Parchment
Arrrrgust 16 roundabouts 6:07 in the mornin'
Cap'n Ann weighed in on Cap'n Connie Sue Ludford Tscharner's Cap'n recent Tales.
Ann purchased a/an Secret Cave in Pirates.
Ann purchased a/an Secret Cave in Pirates.
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Sunday is pretty jumbly
Good morning. This is me. We’re starting out a bit slow this morning because we hadn’t been able to clear our mind. Partly too we drifted in and out of sleep for staying up late last night and we’ve been side-glanced into watching some TV. Of all things we got lost in a show from Japan called Ninja Warriors. It’s about an obstacle course. I think I held up with it when looking for a channel for Rich to tape, because Maury had watched it one time he was here and I wanted to catch up with what was going on in this next generation. Then I got into hoping that someone would make it through the course. I wanted to see what success looked like.
Yester as noted in the Facebook entry I had a tough time working though electronics and computer programming. This was my note:
Cap'n Ann Ludford Garvey
I feel distracted and can't pin down next task. We were working all day getting new MS programming to the netbook. It became an all day affair. I had about 88% success. Haven't been able to figure .ISO file for the web application. My mind's a bit fried. I've now got access, excel, outlook, powerpoint, publisher, word, accounting, infopath, onenote, project and visio plus ordered a new camera with Eye-mi. Yeeks!
It doesn’t seem like that much, but it seems like a lot. I have to worry about my minds or intelligence and if we’re up to the tasks. This week we let go of some of the work on Evernote, Jott, Xpencer and T-sheet so that we could concentrate on Outlook. We made some definite progress, but still am stymied in some aspects. We wanted over the weekend to install these programs, and we wanted to coordinate the pieces so that basically our big desk top, netbook, work computer, phone, and iPod all work together. Part of it is being connected with through me.com through Apple. Some of it is just programming through the devises and programs. All of it seems confusing because there is so much to learn and I’m not good at holding pieces together in my memory. I can figure stuff out, but I gotta work through it and sometimes the best of my abilities is not enough for the task.
I am making progress though so part of today is not to take me down for what I’ve accomplished. I’m hoping like anything that with my fooling around with it I’ve not erased the stuff I accomplished at work. I’ve got there things partly set-up to work together as to my piles of things to be done. There are some really big pieces missing in the pie.
One of them was getting these devices and programs to work on my netbook, but then I’ve got a few more things to add to both work computer and home desk top. As to the work laptop … that’s so far behind now it’s out of the question.
I think that we need to do some kind of flowchart to figure out how things connect and what has to be done next and next. Maybe if there way we could document our progress then we’d be able to go back to figure out certain aspects that get us stuck. The only program that we weren’t able to get going yesterday on this netbook was the Microsoft Web Publishing program. It’s part of another plan that had been started long ago. Somewhere, I would have to look, but somewhere I believe we’ve got a domain name waiting for us to put together a web page.
I wish I didn’t have anything else to do so I wasn’t so confused by time constraints. I think that if I have a choice, I like the netbook for ease in typing, the home and work computers for the bigger screens. It’s a process – one thing that also holds things together besides figuring out import and export is that we still have the 8 gig flash drive that helps us connect things.
I had figured out the calendar and contact list – even business list before on the devises so that they could be shared, but now I can’t even figure out where the old calendar that’s appearing on my phone is coming from – and to make matters worse, it is being fed by two outlook calendars, and I can’t find either of them. That was extremely frustrating and still is.
The most success has happened with the Outlook program at work on the desk computer. During the week we got a good portion of our work load put onto it and we’re really pleased with the results. But, I wasn’t able to get this lat portion of our work onto it so it’s not completely reliable. I’d brought home the work hoping to get it loaded on the Outlook here so we could work on it at home – flesh it out a bit more and then trade info back and forth so we could work through things together.
I think we had other goals too. We wanted to finish up some work for a staffing tomorrow morning, get to the gym, spend time with Rich, and do some writing and trimming on quilts. Most of this other stuff didn’t get done.
Well some stuff … like we said there was a lot of putting together with programs that would have taken a bite out of the work week if we’d saved it for doing there.
So that part was good. I’m just slow. We were so close to going to the gym, but when Rich came home and would have been ready for it then we were having a computer meltdown, because at the time our computer was playing a trick on us were it went into stand-by mode every 3 minutes – literally. Fortunately, I had the big computer to back up so I could go online to figure out how to take care of that problem. One thing for sure is that if I’m having a problem with something … chances are that someone else has already had a problem with it too and in some respect someone’s helped them through it.
Fortunately, this was the case yesterday. I had though in the process been so frightened and frustrated that I thought if I left the problem in the middle, I’d never figure out how to get back to the ties I’d accomplished in figuring things out. We almost stopped long enough to go to the gym, but there’s enough reserve from Rich that he’s not pushing us … we’re actually pushing him.
Ok, we got lost here. We had half heard what was going on with the CNN and it made me realize that I’d not gone to Politico to look around for a while. And, then that led to more time. We were cued-in by something called Politico 44 … It is the “living diary of Barack Obama. I can’t sort it out now because we weren’t the parts directly involved though we could say honestly that we were close … and to me directly it is very confusing.
If I could have the wish I wanted for my life, I would be a lot more clear, so that what I was learning or thinking would stay more prominently in my mind so I could do things continuously well and ordered.
That’s the thought that keeps me most perplexed with thoughts of going back to school one day. I have to think through how much can I hold in my mind so that things being learned are beneficial and systematic. I think it’s the major difference between me and someone like Kendra who has accomplished so much. I know … still thinking quite a bit of her. I think everytime I get something in FB mail I hope that she’s sent on some kind of message.
I don’t think that is going to happen, but there’s that inner child part that hopes she says something to us. I think her life is too important now than to a past which didn’t seem to have made her happy. I’m pretty sure she holds a complicated life – not like me who holds a complicated mind.
We’re going to the gym soon I believe. Rich called about 45 minutes ago and I expect him home in the next 15-20 minutes. He said we could do anything we wanted and we suggested that we go to the gym together. He agreed to it easily. I think he might be feeling bad because he said he was only going to fish with Bob 4 hours and he’s now been gone 1 ½ times as long. I haven’t minded because I get to my own thoughts when he’s not here, but just the same I’m glad he’s on his way home. I look forward to being at the pool with him. He excites me so
Hmm, just watched a short dialogue between Fareed and someone named Malcolm who wrote a book on talent called “Outliers.” Might be interested, but in the end I don’t think Fareed thought so much of him or the interview. I had thought the guy spoke well for himself, but was covering an easy issue … basically, we know that Eastern and Western mindsets are different due to the amount of individualism and community they each hold on average. No doubt we can learn from one another and I guess that’s fine … just it’s a tired point.
There is something though that I hadn’t caught before … this discrepancy between the two explains what St. Rose Center is to be about. On one side we claim to be working on independence and on the other side we say to be community. In general then it would seem we’ve covered all bases or nothing, because we’re canceling each other out. I’m going to need thinking about those points some more.
One other thing the guy basically said was that talent was a matter of working hard. I don’t think its as clean as that and maybe here Fareed agreed, because if it was only a matter of working hard then some that work the hardest, say a migrant worker – would succeed more than someone with more advantages. It has to be a combination of several things, but that’s not on my agenda today to be figuring out. I’m pretty sure there is a trying hard component.
Even the things I try for whether in a relationship with friends and family, school, work, general getting along in life – depends to a good degree on me not giving up … It’s kind of a matter of staying around enough to gather insights learned and pieced in a productive manner.
I think that’s what frustrated Vince about me the most. One he said to just do it rather than to stretch it out and the other he said to do it succinctly. I’m still having those same troubles. I would like to think that some things like my shorter writing is meaning I’m being more succinct, but I don’t believe I’m making up with shorter time that which is more important. I think it’s pretty choppy now.
As I say that though, I’m looking at the clock and thinking that Rich is supposed to be back any moment. I’m thinking I’m going to quickly go put on my gym clothes.
Want to be ready and not discouraged when the opportunity comes up. Oh oh … just heard a car door out front. I’m thinking Bob is dropping him off. Better go … see you later.
Well we’re pretty much at the end of our day. We did some stuff, but it’s now 9 pm and Rich is indicating that we should be going to bed.
Up-to-date 8-17-09
Good morning. This is me. I'm not sure how much of my stuff is being posted, most likely because most of my stuff is still in our head ... some of it rolling around like lost marbles and other of it pounding on the door for release. Ok, ok ... we're not this psycho ... But we are really at a deficit with the posting. Right now I think I will be able to put something out. The conditions are right.
I'm not to hot or cold, I'm on the little computer which has the nicer keyboard, and it am sitting on the couch listening to CNN in the background. The house is quiet because Rich is still asleep and it's about 4:40 am so I will be ok, until I take my shower - maybe we'll try 5:15 am. I've been up for a while. I was making a quick Facebook note, but then I found ourselves looking at quilt patterns over where the one we had worked with came from.
It's really mind-whelming. There's so much to look at and I know there are probably hundreds or thousands of designers.
Yeeks ... been following along a piece they are doing on drug and people smugglers in Mexico. It's pretty terrible. I don't know in my mind how to get over those thoughts on a system gone wrong. It's very difficult not to be able to problem solve. I hear people all the time and sometimes I do it too where we think ... all they gotta do is ... but, this one there are no ready answers for. It seems there is a lot of corruption because the smugglers are so strong, trained and viscious. No easy answers. It's like a gang, but trained militarily in the most extreme situations. For example the person talking was saying that they got rid of extra people who couldn't pay by chopping them in little pieces. I don't want to think that's easily done like in an assembly line, but then I don't have anything to disprove the information. It couldn't seem more horrifying.
Maybe my mind is thinking like others. At least its not here ... but then I'd have to deny that I am working on the south side of Chicago and sometimes bad things happen there too. Most often I consider it a nice Spanish working neighborhood. But, I know that some of the smuggling is directing people in this direction. Chicago has got such a big area of immigrants both legal and non-legal. I'm thinking all this because of my closeness to it while thinking I have to push it further from my mind such as ... yeah, but the really tough stuff is only happening south of the border, right? Denial, reality ... we're all in a place juggling between the two.
Maybe we'll go back to the safety of our quilt projects. I'll try to include a picture of the quilts we cut out over the weekend ... well maybe at least the one I did on Sunday, because it's handy. Ok, ok ... I'll get both. Hold on.
Ok, there are three pictures here. They've already been seen over at FB, but I'm really cheating myself out here since this is the better of the two for longitivity. There are a lot of pictures we've placed over there rather than here, because its quicker and more easy to share directly. We're still having a bad reaction of the situation with Jillian. I know she hasn't done anything directly, but it was threatening to us to have her thinking poorly or insecurely in concern of our writing. She looks at it as being very protective of her father, but it then denies that her father and I share our lives and I'm between us the writer. It's only inevitable that I write about what happens between us.
I think there was more involved with the feeling of being threatening in that Rich acted at the time from her view that I might be hurting him. But, then this would be our baby. I think it's an important love story to write about because it is MY relation with bunny and that makes it the most important relationship in my life not to lose. I don't really want to get stuck here though. It's so hard to get us this far where we are writing anything at all.
Looking at pictures now of kids going back to school. I'm real proud. Uncle Marky is going back to school today too. He was hired last week and is starting today. He's got to get his program and classroom set up in a brand new school. It is a small private magnet school, but much bigger than the one he had just come from. I think its tied to Catholics and has the Milwaukee school superindent on its board of directors. AND, it's not run from the basement of a church basement. He's got his OWN REAL room and everything. Chances are they even have science books!
I think school is starting in a couple of weeks. CS talked in her blog about going to the store with him to pick-up some new shirts. I sure hope Uncle Marky is going to be ok as to working two jobs again. I don't know what his hours are going to be, but most likely he's going to go from classroom hours to cleaning hours at the church with not much time in-between. I don't know how they are going to do it, but I'm thinking they will be much more comfortable with the amount of change in their finances. From what I understand it is still most likely half the amount he was making in his heyday, but I think at this point ... teaching period would be just fine ... especially in this economic environment.
I have to give Uncle Mark a lot of courage points for being able to start over as he has. He had worked a long time for the West Bend school district and then he lost his long-term position and this then would be his third attempt back into teaching with his third school. Both the first two wore down in corruption of programs that failed due to what seems like money laundering on the backs and hearts of teachers and students. I think both situations ended with the hierarchy taking what wasn't there's to take. I have a gut level feeling this school isn't anything like the other - not with this one being supported by the Milwaukee Superintendent directly.
So there's all this excitement of the weekend. I felt really fortunate in that I had been at CS and Mark's last weekend and it had been a long weekend, because we stayed overnight Sunday too and stayed through most of the day on Monday. The main reason was probably the quilt we were working on with CS wasn't to a finished enough position yet, and another reason was that the weather wasn't conducive, but then there was also the reason of wanting to wait and see if Mark was going to get the new position.
I was almost ready to leave - gathering up stuff when the call came through. Mark had picked it up in the back and he looked fairly stunned coming out to say something about having gotten the job. He was definitely in need of a hug. CS reached out first naturally, but I think I snuck in a big 3 way family hug. Just so proud of him and my sister for having stuck things through until they were able to get back on track.
A lot of work has gone in with them making things work in the meantime. CS has an income because of her disabilties and Mark had one through the cleaning, but they were in trouble. They were almost near to the point of losing there home, and we might have written about this before, but my sister figured out the system and kept income coming in, insurance, and she worked through a brilliant deal of getting their mortgage lowered. I can't get over that they are paying about the same amount we are, but we're renting an apartment and they are owning a 3 bedroom house that's BEAUTIFUL!!! I have to give her a lot of credit. She's pushed for what she wants and it seems to be working in her direction.
I am just remembering when I'd first talked to her about 1 or 1 1/2 years ago. Basically, we were just getting to know each other again and she was talking about the problems she and Marky were having - not between them, but they were struggling through together - like the poorer schools, lack of money and medical problems. They've gone through a hell of a lot and seem to be coming out of it now. I know that Mark is going to be excited to pieces about working as a teacher again. CS really helped him not give up and keeping his foot in the door with applications and interviews. As well Mark's faith too played a strong part. Pswhoo. Ok, it's going to be ok, right?
Maybe we better get in our shower so we don't mess up Rich's up time. AND, remember ... we're making breakfast and his lunch too, right?
We're back again. We took our shower, did our medicine ... whoops forgot to make lunch, but did make breakfast for Rich and us and his lunch and took the few moments to eat it with him. We ate out in the living room this morning so not to wake Maury in the back, so that gets me back to writing much sooner. Probably less talking to Rich though because he's drifted toward the TV, but then too often he's not really up while in the kitchen to have real conversations anyway. Hmm, if not this thing then the other.
It's now 6 am. We're trying to get to the point of getting ready about 20-25 after so we're more on-time as to coming into work early. Just that half hour makes a lot of difference in being able to leave a couple hours early on Fridays.
Ok, so now what do we want to talk about. Rich just got up to take his shower, so there's some clear time ahead.
We think about Dr. Marvin for a second? I think the first thought is that he's not going to be there this week. I think we can do without him for a week, but it is a loss. I don't know if I can bring to recall what happened last week. I would like to, but it's pretty hard. I remember something about staying a few moments late. AHA ... I remember he sent something to help us remember ... let me look that up, k?
Hi Ann,
So, the summary from the session was centered around the meaning/ role “defiance” has had and currently has in your life and among the parts. My thought as we talked was that defiance was a means to preserve your independence, safety, security, pride, and individuality. Because you couldn’t trust those around you growing up, it was difficult to accept their guidance/advice on how to live life. Everything got thrown out. Now as an adult, you can make more reasonable and logical choices about what to do, i.e. it makes good sense to brush your teeth every day. The defiant part(s) still get in the way because that’s what they know how to do, and might not know how to separate things – past from present. That would be the work to do – help them to separate those ideas. You can still be proud and defiant but take care of your needs.
Have a good weekend.
-Dr. M
Hmm, this might be the week before
I think this was brought forward, but it's too hard even now to skim over it. I'm afraid I'm not going to be good in remembering stuff. I think though that some part of it ... maybe a better part of it was that we talked about the new programs we've been looking through with the Evernote, Jott, Xpenser, TSheets, and Outlook. I can't remember specifically how we did this or how it took up so much time, but I remember the part about Dr. Marvin having Evernote too. He says he uses it for his medicines and for recipies. That was pretty cool. I think some of our time late last week went into exploring the Evernote in particular. Much of the time over the week at work went into figuring those systems out and trying to figure out how to apply them to my work and personal life. We're not at a good point with it yet, but we're trying.
Part of all that is learning to use our old and new devises. We had the iPod and phone before, but now we have a bluetooth headset, a devise to connect our iPod through the Bluetooth, and the Mi-fi to connect the computer and iPod to the wi-fi. There's room for 5 devises in total which helps at work, because Rich then can connect also to the Internet without the ahrd wiring. The next deal is going to be getting the $100 eye-fi. That's going to be for connecting the camera and the phone photos directly to our computer and in especially the Evernote. This will make it easier to transfer pictures immediately without the extra gizmos.
It's pretty tough right now in general, though we're working on it, but to connect all the wries in the charging battery stage so that all our devises make it through the majority of the day. We're bringing cords along too so that we can maximize the potential of the devices, but it would probably be a good idea to go back and figure out what the battery life on all the devices are. I think we're in the range of 3-4 hours to get the bunch of them through, but I'm not really sure in total. I do know that between the computer, phone, Mi-fi and headsets there are 4 cords that need to be plugged in and then the 5th cord goes from the iPod to the big computer. If I can count through that I can make sure that everything is good to go.
Pswhoo. That's a lot of messing around.
I talked to Thom over the weekend through IMs. That was nice. I think in general that he and Alexis are pretty much over with their marriage. He's sent her a separation agreement through the mail. She has to sign it and return. He can't get divorced overseas, but I guess this is where its heading. They weren't able to figure out how to do the marriage thing long distance and from Thom's point of view she would have at least had to try closing the gap, and from her point of view - she wants to enroll in the air force and go wherever that takes her.
He seems to be ok with where that all is or at least as ok as he can get. He's working on his becoming a corporal. He's in some kind of competition with 5 others and there seems to be two parts. He came in first with the first part. He said part of that was reading 6 books in preparation. I think if he completes it he will either automatically or without any complications soon earn the rank up from Lance Corporal to Corporal. The big thing he is saying is that he will be able to go off-base. I think he really needs to get out. He would have been able to do that if his wife were there, but now it comes with rank. I think the Marines want to make sure people are responsible before letting them out to cause damage.
I'm hoping though Thom wouldn't cause damage.
I told him about my computer advances and about Maury and Joe not getting along as to each of their financial values. I think we wrote about this earlier though ... basically Joe is being too frugal and Maury is not being frugal enough. Needs to be some balance. Thom basically said ... they'll get over it.
Whoops ... Rich was just in .. He's ready to go to work now and is wondering why I'm not ready yet. We clarifed that it was 6:22 am and I didn't have to get ready until 6:25, but now it's 6:26 and time is wasting. *Sigh*
Maybe we can continue for a bit after we get to work. I really missed how easy it is to type on this machine. The keytouch is just magic. Better get this posted, hmm?
Back Date 8-11-09
Good morning this is me. I think I've got a little time this morning unless I fall asleep. I think if I were going to I would have done so by now, but I'm glad I haven't fallen asleep. The main thing was apparently to get warm under the blanket. We're doing that now :) Instead of sitting on the couch, I'm trying to kind of sprawl out on the recliner. It is all attached to the desire to lay down and be up all at the same time - being of a womanly nature having problem making up my mind. Go figure.
One of the good reasons to have gotten up this early was to plug in all my devises. Shese! We still haven't figure out the wi-fi connection on our netbook, but I think if there is any money left at all we're going to see if we can bring it in today. I'll have to talk to Rich in that I know ABOUT where his place is, but I'm not positive and I don't know if I have to call before I go there. We'll see. It's driving me crazy not to have Internet on this computer though.
It is Tuesday now about 4:15 am and all else seems to be going fine. Rich was in kind of a crabby mood when we got home, but we tried to get past that and eventually did, but for a bit I thought I was going to need going through the night without my special topping! Man that sure didn't frost the cake!
Rich had a hard weekend fishing I think and he had problems at his new shop Universal. I think the guy running it is thinking he's not making enough profit. I think that's frustrating Rich because of whatever reasons, but to go along with that Rich is now having a back ache. I think mostly its due to tension. We were like man ... you are getting old right in front of us! That of course wasn't very nice ... but then, refer to statement above on ONE of us being somewhere the other wasn't :(.
Ok, shhh ... that worked out.
There's one thing to note there ... Just that Rich had made a wonderful rib and corn on the cob right when we got home ... and there was something said similiar to "Woman get me my Margarita!" Hehehe no, he doesn't say it exactly like that, but its pretty close :)
Before that? We'd been at my sisters for about 3 1/2 days. THAT was very nice. There weren't any problems really between us - very little friction - though there was some between Mark and Connie Sue. I think most of that had been they were on a job interview for Mark late last week and they had to wait until yesterday to find out what was going to happen.
And, do you know what?? About 15 minutes before I left, Mark got the call AND he GOT THE JOB!!! Everybody was just so excited. Mark is a science teacher AND he's doing janitor work for the church. I think it's very humbling to be doing the latter, but he takes his work there as seriously as he would the former.
Mark's new school is something Educational something. It is a fairly nice size charter school and the superintendent of the school district for Milwaukee is sitting on its board. That goes a long way in vouching for the school as well as it having already been open for about 7 years. I'm not going into the problems of the last couple charter schools, but we'll say as much as Mark's last science classroom was like a couple tables in the basement of a large room shared by others. I have to think he learned something from all that.
Mark had had a job in the regular high school, but they laid off teachers like him that were on the top of the pay scale and got other cheaper teachers instead. Mark toward the end was like - let's forget about how much I used to make and that Master's degree and just get Uncle Marky hired! Between he and my sister - they've gone through a lot, but in the meantime ... they had gone through unemployment, almost lost their house, but came out on the Obama plan with just 1/3 of their mortgage and now Mark will have his two jobs along with CS's disability. I figure they will be bringing in close to $5000 - though I don't know the real figures, but the way I'm guessing is that their mortgage on a very nice - could live here the rest of my life house to be only then 20% of their income.
I think the both of them work hard and do very worth while things, so if they saw some financial relief then that would be a good deal all around. I think there was something that had happened or process we'd gone through before, and basically, I think that if something were ever to happen to Rich, that I might go up to WI and live with my sister. It might be some relief to think I could afford to live under some situation.
I'm not sure if I wrote about it yet, but I think not ... basically, that same weekend or close to that when we'd gone out with Bob and Marsha to fish and we'd got with Rich to Bob's daughter's wedding then Rich had surprised us by taking us to a few places he'd found on-line that was within what he calculated to be his means of living. Basically what he was looking at was condos or townhouses within the $200,000's and by that I mean low $200,000. I should have been more posiitve, but I was pretty shaken up by it.
Basically, figured at the last point that I wanted a place twice as big and expensive as what he was putting down on the table. My thought on things like that before were if you couldn't go all the way it was better not to go at all. I was very frustrated. I think he's put aside some money though and he was thinking getting out of this place as soon as October. He's looking at the end of the lease. If he were going to do something he would have to do it pretty soon, because there's a whole mortgage process to go through in the meantime.
I didn't think of it much directly on the way home, but I did try to expand my thoughts to we could do this for a bit, but when I made my first BIG money ... I would want something better. Of course that's pretty much a BIG dream now and not much more, but we talked to Dr. Marvin about making the next leap forward.
Without adding too much fanfare ... we had looked before going to Wisconsin this weekend at a program where we'd go back to school. I know, I know ... why open that can of worms again :(. But the thing is that it's still the most important thing that I could do. I would like to think when I go down that line of thinking that I could complete not only masters, but as well doctorate. I know this is probably past what I can really do, but if you are going to dream, dream big!
The Masters program that I was looking at was through another on-line school - this one is more well known than the last and is called Walden University. They are offering a MS in Instructional Design and Technology. Every class is good. It's basically a progrm that would help me analyze learning or training needs and then design technology-supported instruction materials. The courses are 1) Organizationtions, Innovation, and Change, 2) Learning Theories and Instruction, 3) Instructional Design, 4) Advanced Instructional Design, 5) Multimedia Design and Development, 6) Foundations of Research, 7) Distance Learning, 8) Project Management in Education and training, and 9) Program Evaluation. There is then a Capstone project and there is a specialization segment that has two additional courses - 1) Performance Improvement, and 2) Training and Development.
If I could do this and then go on, the next thing would be to get a Ph.D. in Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment. I'm not going to list out all the classes, but basically the gist of it would be a foundation class, then a set for Principles of Social Change related to Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment, Principles of Human Development and principles of social systems - all related to Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment. They then have a core research sequence of four seminar courses and two areas ... the first being Principles and the second Leadership in Curriculum, instruction, and Assessment. I would take the Principles because I'm more interested in human learning, research and practice than in leadership of that whole thing. They've got also a couple courses in advanced research that includes doing pilot and field studies and one on communicating knowledge and educational research. Last is the Dissertation. That's like a whopper! Basically there are 6 credits for the foundation course and then 98 credits in-between, and then 30 credits toward dissertation so that dissertation is nearly 30% of the program.
Mostly it would be giving my whole 5th century to learning. It would have to become a lifestyle, because the program would take at minimum between masters and doctorate - 7 to 8 years. That's a lot ... it would put me at the end of my career before I was able to do something with my education. The whole thing there would be that it pivot on producing practical research in putting together programs for adults with developmental disabilities. That was the whole main thing all along with the other program, but that program wasn't as direct in getting to the goal. This one is very face forward AND it includes the technology support that the other program didn't have.
I think that even with adults with DD, any program worth doing has to have an element of on-line learning. It's just part of being in this generation. ESPECIALLY, if I were to be doing MY learning on-line, wouldn't I want to expect that from someone else?
I would have to ask myself what is the value of becoming a specialist at the age of 58-60 years of age. Shouldn't or wouldn't I like to be retiring. I think this is the bane of it. The way it is going now, I'm not going to be able to retire by the age of 60 or even 65 or 68 for that matter, because I'm still going to need earning an income. So the thing I see then would be if I need to earn an income ... wouldn't I rather be earning it at home writing and publishing materials on program development? This seems to have been the goal for the majorty of our 10 years at St. Rose Center and if I've developed a specialty, this would be my thing.
I was thinking last night if there were any special considerations it would be to cut down my hours by 15%. This comes out to about 6 hours a week ... so primarily I would change my hours to be 7:30-3 pm Monday through Thursday and 7:30-2 pm on Fridays. This would give me the reprieve I need to be working on homework. If I looked at the majority of my study to take place in this abbreviated time span, I would still have time for leisure with Rich. I would get off work on a typical day, get back to town by 3:30 pm go to the gym for an hour or so, eat dinner and by about 5 pm and be studying til about 8 pm and then spend the last hour or two of the day with Rich. With this plan could get done with studying in about 12 hours during the week, and then anything I could add during the weekend.
There would have to be new considerations on the weekend, because I would still like to get out and do things with CS and Rich - although some of that time too - would be spent most likely reading. The way I figure we can do without about 6 hours of work is that it would save Sr. over 7000 and we could make it work, because it comes out to about $400 less a month which is the amount of school loan I wouldn't have to be paying all that time I was in school
We mentioned the gym thing. That's something important in this whole mix. Basically, we talked to Dr. Marvin and we set it up in our minds - though haven't worked through the details. Basically, the deal would be that we would have practice being consistent and making good effort by pre-staging two things before going back to school. The first thing would be that we need to complete CARF before this other happens. The second thing would be that I would need to get back into a regular routine for going to the gym. That way I could show myself to work on or complete long term goals which is the stamina-type material I would need to continue in school.
He didn't say so directly, but I could tell that Dr. Marvin liked that idea. I haven't talked to Rich about it, but I think he would like it too. I think he would have to be more sold on doing the education thing though because education is still competing with his hours. I think he would rather have me so flexible that I could take off whenever he needed me to. By arranging gym and 12 hours of study during the week with 1-2 hours for him - then that's helping ... and not tying up my entire weekend would help too.
We'll have to see ... primarily I'm not ready to talk to him about it. Who knows in 15 minutes it could be different? But, for now we're going to take a couple more sips of coffee and then get in the shower. I think we need to find our way back to usual schedules. Maybe I'll have time to write more about the quilting part after the shower and waking up Rich hmm?
Hmm back. Some stuff worked out and some didn't. I did take my shower, got my bag ready and took my medicine all in less than 15 minutes. But, Sir Sweetie Pie? He didn't make it ... he mumbled something about his back and that he didn't sleep well and that he was going to try sleeping longer to help his back. Well, that's the gist of it at least. So, it looks like we got the next 45 minutes pretty much to ourselves. We're still trying to get to work by about 7 am. I figure that's a good deal to show up a half hour early ... it really helps the appearance of stuff and seems to be working in getting me started right away. That's a good deal.
Hmm working on resituating kitties ... They seem to be a little needy this morning. They were casual enough when we got back last night and grabbed up some cuddly time. Rich had gotten back the night before us - we stayed because it had been raining bad up north. That might have been just the excuse we were looking for in that we weren't ready to come back.
As to the weekend? We spent most of the time working on CS's quilt. We got a LOT of work done. There were 13 pieces to sew together on one block and there were 80 blocks so that meant sewing together 1040 pieces. Pshwoo! we had gotten 92% of the work done before we left ... this is at least the front top part of the quilt - the picture part. I'll get a couple of pictures when I sign on to post so that you'll be able to see what the stuff looks like. But, it's pretty cool. Each piece had to be sewn, then ironed, and then trimmed. It was a lot of work that was going along pretty smooth. CS did the sewing part and we did the ironing and trimming.
CS has a lot of neat tools for doing EVERYthing! The first part was though to pick out the design and material and CS did most of that before we really got into the project. But, after the project started, she let me help make decisions on which fabrics to use ... next and next. The quilt was called a log cabin so you might see in the picture how each block added and added to the next. The design was such that the darker pieces were on two connecting sides and the two lighter pieces were on the other. When you add the 80 pieces together, you sew four dark sides together and, then four light sides are exposed for the next sets of light to touch them, and then they go back and forth in making like crosses of light and dark. It's REALLY pretty nifty!
It was a good design and we decided during the process that we would like to have one done for us too. Or CS decided or ... well I think it was a joint effort thought. There was something neat coming out of the thoughts of having matching blankets. I think that's what she was going for. I think the plans are to make Joe and Cari one too. Basically, there is plenty of this particular material to make 3 blankets. And, these are not small blankets. The blocks are like a foot long and wide and there are 8 across and 10 down. Pswhoo! Big blanket!
I was thinking that if I got that blanket though that maybe I should give up the blanket that I got already. That was yesterday thinking. Now we got that blanket wrapped around us and we're not so HAPPY to be thinking that we have to give it up. BUT, it would be selfish to have too many blankets? We have to say this because there's another one that CS said she was going to make for us. It was one we looked at and was very happy about.
Oh oh ... someone fell asleep for a little while ... maybe a half hour. I feel refreshed, but now gotta get a move on ... bbs.
Back Date 8-6-09
Good morning. This is me. We've got some time, but we've been behind for a few days from watching news so we're doing the best there that we can in catching up while still giving us time for writing.
Whoops slipped back into the watching of TV. Maybe I need to get grounded here? I have to think when the last time we wrote was ... I don't think it was too long ago. Not sure when though and to find out would mean maybe getting up to check the other computer. We're at the Netbook, but it's still without the Internet. We might need to do without it in that we're still missing the wi-fi connection so we're going to need maybe bring it in to get t fixed ... Rich has a new computer place he's saying is reasonable but it's still going to cost.
I really don't like it when my systems aren't working. We might skip the regular what we have been doing time to talk about our systems again. We need to figure out that space. I think what happens is that only some of our parts do things that make structural changes to our little world, and then it's up to the rest of us to figure out where we are with both the old and new stuff.
We were back at Best Buy last night. We've bought 3 things over the past few days. The first thing we bought was a new Bluetooth stereo headset and then we needed a gizmo to sit on the bottom of our Apple Ipod Touch to make it Bluetooth ready and then we got the new Sprint Mi-Fi card. The Mi-Fi card and service gives you Internet service without cables to up to 5 devises. I felt as normal for me that making these purchases was absolutely necessary to take things to the next level of comfort in using everything electronic.
The problem the headset solved was that although I love my iPod Touch - the earphones they sent with were only meant to be temporary. They worked ok, as to sound, but I probably would have been satisfied with anything. The cord on them was prohibitive. The worst problem was that the glue holding the top and bottom of the devise was just cheap glue. If you add to the fact that their inconvenience included being easily forgotten, dragged and stepped on ... well you sorta get my point there. *Sigh*
So, what we're trying to say is that without headphones usage of the iPod is definitely limited.
Yeeks I figured out we were supposed to have taken our shower by now. I thought I had more time. I should be able to come back, but with breakfast included it might be in a half hour for a half hour. Better do what comes next and next so Rich isn't messed up.
Ok, we're back and closer to heading out ... but, we have a little more time. There were a few things I had forgotten ... First is that Rich played poker last night so SOMEone is a little tired this morning. He's just begged off on getting an extra hour of sleep. AND, it appears that we forgot that someone is without bread for the eggs. We can do without that part, but it has been how Rich and us have been spending time together.
Ok, all that isn't happening. Let's move on.
Somehow we are being confused by our own technology. We need to resolve some of this in our mind. Ok, let's take inventory.
Big desktop at home wi-fi, MS 2007 Pro package ... needs OneNote
Ayn's new netbook wi-fi (broken) + bluetooth ... purchased 2007 Pro package - needs installation
Big desktop at work bluetooth? Has MS 2007 Pro ... don't think OneNote
Work Laptop - wi-fi - MS Works progrm
iPod wi-fi plus devise for bluetooth, Applications, Outlook calendar and contacts,
Phone bluetooth & Internet, GPS, TV,
headphones (2 wired and 1 bluetooth), connects to small computer, iPod, phone
computer cameras (3 of the 4), memory card
Mi-Fi - connects 5 wi-fi devises
Flash Drive
Camera, batteries
Printers (1 at home and 2 at work)
TV, On Demand
Roku - Netflix
DVD
DVR
Mobile Me
iTunes
Rhapsody
(Program to post videos to blog)
(Program to post pictures to web)
Ok, we're taking a break from all this ... it's giving me a headache! I'm not sure where everything is connected and not connected. I know that there is a HELL of a lot of gizmo's ... we haven't been able to hold it together to get the whole picture yet. I think this list has to keep growing and ideally, it would work itself into a flowchart ... but that would take some time. It does seem for sure there are a lot of things to connect to and an entirely comprehensive set of things to stay connected through. We've got to figure out in our mind when we are going from one thing to another.
It's kind of a matter of figuring how to go from one thing to another so that everything is being given time and space. Like for example right now we're not using Netflix, because we are on our own watching CNN, but if Rich is here we might watch other random programming. We had set up so that we have the old West Wing shows on DVD, but we haven't been watching because I had to disconnect a few devises and now we don't have that system hooked up ... I can't even make my mind think about which machine involves which. It's all a bit overwhelming.
Just a radar blip
Good morning … this is me. We don’t have a lot of time this morning, but the point is that we’re up and actually writing as of these last few letters or so. It’s about 6 am now and everything is ready to go. We’re going to need deciding though whether we want to leave at our new time of 6:30 am, or our old time of 7:00 am. I know OR make a compromise and go in at 6:45 am. I know, I know the matter of masterminding is mind-boggling isn’t it?
We just got done having breakfast with Rich. He didn’t need us to make lunch today because he’s going out with the guys golfing. Good thing too because we are out of bread. There was enough to make him two halves out of the crusts for his poached egg. I’m not sure if I’ve mentioned that or not here yet. We’re now making him the above for breakfast and then a sandwich for lunch. Wow. So much domesticity that it’s almost making me dizzy to think of it. Better be moving on.
It came as some kind of a package deal where he was getting up a little bit earlier. When he woke up at 6 am instead of 5:30 am, there wasn’t enough time to see him. Now I’m figuring though that even though we get to meet for breakfast … it’s not really a rousing conversation. Good chances are that he’s pretty groggy yet. Not overly talkative. But, he is getting up and then plugging in his computer, and then it’s to work with him!
Well not a LOT of work, because he is going to play golf today, but he may have squeezed something in. I know first chore of the day seems to be seeing where things were left from the day before … and whether it’s news, emails, or Facebook … it all has to get done to be considered ready for what comes next.
Today, we had a spot of trouble in that the TV didn’t turn to the right channel, and then didn’t seem to work. I don’t know if this is another case of not paying cable … it seems like it just got paid! We’ll see later. I didn’t want to really bother with it.
So we had gone to the computer, and then Vicki stopped by my imaginary world and asked if she could harvest my garden for me. Wow! This is GREAT service! I’m glad I thought to plant after the last time she stopped by. I think I could like that.
Before I’d gotten overwhelmed with the whole FarmTown thing, but I’ve had feelings toward going back to it. I notice when I clear my invites in the morning that some of the people I’d like to be relating too are very active in the game.
So this morning after Vicki harvested and I got the next group in then she left for work and I checked on getting back some of my neighbors. FarmTown collects your friends who are playing FarmTown and gives you some neighbor options. Believe me … with all the people I’m friends with just for Pirating, I really do have a lot available to be doing other games with. BUT, I wanted to narrow it down just to the people I know on this other tier of friendship.
I’d have to admit I’m not great friends with anyone, but there is something to be said in being FB friends. You kinda look forward to seeing them online and catching up with one thing or another. I really like the “Flock” format rather than Internet Explorer, because it’s more for social networking. One of the best options is that it allows a side panel that automatically updates your home port buddies status.
Here I’ll show you.
It’s really a nice feature. And then you can see on the bottom that you can enter anyone of your friends’ names and it pulls their thingy up in less than half a second. If you want you can go to anyone’s site by clicking on their name, and the gizmo allows options of seeing the posts either alphabetically by name, or as I have it set to the one who updated the latest. I just love how FB collects this kind of information.
I was talking to someone yesterday, I don’t remember who – I think it was one of the staff – ahh, I know Cathy! Cathy is the one that teaches group 4. I had a day where I was really working with her because we were working on one of her client’s goals and there was a lot of fine tuning. Somehow or another toward the end the question of FB came about. She was saying she has a friend who does it and Cathy thinks it’s a bit strange letting people know what you are doing, and then she was saying, isn’t it a little like being a busy body.
We tried to address those comments the best we could, but the bottom line was that of course, we LOVE FB. Just can’t get over how convenient it is to be in touch with people. I made sure she realized that no one could read her news unless she opened them to her account. And, then when you gave news, it wasn’t something over personal. This is what mine said this morning.
“Ok, taking a plunge here, but we'll try FarmTown again ... I don't think there's much catching up with the likes of all 'ye. Pswhoo ... Vicki ... level 34??! Wow! You go girl! Yesterday and today just work-a-days. I worked hard on goals for one of our guys. We made some nifty cards w/puppies to help him practice identifying the numbers one through four. I know seems pretty basic, but important none the less :)”
I feel in some ways it’s like writing a chain letter. You just put in general stuff, and then you can update it when and if you want, especially if people have commented. I really like the feature that my family and friends – old and new – strongly known or barely known are all getting the same information.
For example there are older neighbors and high school friends, and aol journal friends and new Marine friends – all getting acquainted with each other as much as anyone else who might comment on our screen. I would one day like to meet Jillian.
I think I’d like her to know as well general things that are going on around her.
Just don’t know how she’d feel about me saying that fishyface and I were doing one thing or another. *Sigh* Always more to be thinking of.
Ok, this is the time I have to consider do we go to work right away or indulge ourselves in a half hour?
Maybe we should progress the situation by getting dressed and then asking once more. I’m kinda thinking that if I were a little warmer I might like to stick around some … Just my fingers are feeling the heaviness of the keyboard – and so I could do some writing at work, but then again we’re trying to do work at work. The difference in the time is that 6:30 am, we’re going in a half hour before work starts and getting a jump on the day, where 7:00 am is going in at our regular time. Hmm, what to do? Might as well get dressed, brb.
Ok, that is better. I saw Rich and he asked if I were going in … there was a little nervous, “Yeah … in a few moments.” I don’t really want to leave this part of my day yet, but I don’t want either to get into a bad trend where if I start blogging again regular, we’re going to go back to the old schedule we’ve gotten out of.
Maybe I should move along. Hmm? I don’t think I’ll post twice in one day, but if that happened AT work, maybe it would be ok, too. Let’s just roll with the day and see what happens.
There was something fun that happened last night. When we came home I was discombobulated, because we had to wait until almost 7 pm for dinner because Rich hadn’t gotten home to start it sooner. He had prepared me, but we still ran into our stumbling blocks. Then he made sure we took our medicine and that turned out to be a good idea. We got past the grumbly part mostly, but not completely.
And, then Rich in his ultimate wisdom – said I know you would feel better if you massaged me. First thought was, “Huh!??!!” But, he turned out to be right … as soon as we started touching him then our whole body felt better. We massaged through an episode of House that we didn’t want to really watch, but we were aware that Rich needed to relax.
After it was over and he channel surfed into some other more nonsense type programming, we went out and took care of the dinner dishes, poured Rich and us some liqueur he had brought home from customer gifts, and then we did it his Boston Legal style where we drank and talked on the balcony in winding down the day.
That seemed to be perfect. After that he headed toward the washroom and we finished up with our news and fudgsicles. He had to wake us up to go to bed, but there were no arguments this time. Just wanted to be smooched up to sweetie pie
On the Way to Mom's
Good morning ... this is me. We're with Rich now and we're on our way to a lake. We're going to be meeting up with Bob and Marcia and fishing for a bit. We've got only about 4 hours because there are other plans for the day. Bob's daughter is getting married on Sunday and so he's got plans and Rich says he's got loose ends to be working on so we're going to be cutting out early too. I think Rich has got legal stuff to be taking care of this afternoon and I'm not sure what else.
Rich is now on the phone with Bob. Bob is pestering him to be there already, but Rich had told him we'd leave at 6 am ... and that's what we did ... but, then Bob likes to rile up Rich and it seems its Rich's job to say we're just going to relax and he'd be there when he got there. There's probably a little more here, but then that's not priority of my morning to go through the grief. I think that in general it is Rich and Bob's general way of talking to each other ... so it's not a big deal. Maybe it's just a friendly way of sharing stress?
So we're back at things again here. I think its been a couple of days since we last wrote. Not much has gone on ... just normal stuff. We had a staffing on Wednesday and it went pretty well. We were working on that yesterday for a bit, but only got about a 2/5's of the way through the annual report (IPP). We had been working earlier on the day at cleaning up my desk because it had gathered some moss and then we did something, but I don't recall. I think it was about 1 1/2 hours to clear our desk and then it was about 9 am, and then did something and about 12 pm we did the preparation for the staff training and then we had that meeting at 1 pm, and then after that we pushed ourselves to be working on the IPP.
There was a little space in-between, because after the staff training meeting, we talked to Robin a bit about what was happening between her and Holly and getting work done and not talking so much. Maybe we'll go into that in a bit, but for now I want to move past that and come at it from a different perspective. Basically, it was a Dr. Marvin meeting last night so some of this stuff was discussed there and that's the better perspective of things.
Rich was in the office and we did some stuff with him ... that takes up a little bit of the missing space. He was asking me to do one thing or another ... and he was being nice, but we were getting a little testy with it. Mostly because it is following a pattern where we have to break our concentration to be helping him out with small things. Like yesterday it was like ... can you print this, can you help me get the Access over to Excel, can you scan this for me, can I use your computer for a while, etc. This kind of stuff can drive a person zonkers because I've got other things to be thinking of and I've been pretty clear I don't want to be a secretary to him.
This kinda boiled over last night when we were talking about what we talked about in Dr. Marvin's office. But, let me do that more in order - again in a bit.
There was some fall-back into doing things back as the old not-so-productive times. Our day was getting broken up and there was some hesitation into starting things proper as to the meeting on Wednesday. We had remembered that we were going to say hi to Nathan because it was his birthday and when we went in we found that CS had posted some pictures of our quilt and the two of us. That was also about the time that we'd discovered a video of Joe and Cari doing the kickboxing. Both of those took some of that mystery time.
With the pictures we took a few of our favorites and printed them out on one document and then we wanted to show them about. We showed the leadership group and then we brought a copy up to show sister and the other sewing sister, and then we made a stop at all the different trainers and showed them ... we didn't hit them all, but we did do most. And, then witht the video of Joe and Cari, we brought in the smaller leadership group and we showed them the video. Yup, yup we were having that kind of downtime, I believe.
I would like to think that we got some work done too, but I'm not sure how much. Just haven't been able to think that through. I remember after a bit that Rich had come in and we'd had lunch together, but that seems to have been some of the problem yesterday. It seems we were in a grumpier part, because we'd complained about him just coming in to plan and schedule his day, but we weren't talking about us stuff ... we were just having our time interrupted where we usually do our lunch by ourselves on the run and inbetween work, and here we were having to slow down and listen to someone in the middle of resolving his own problems. We were very not into that.
I don't know what's wrong with us in that we should be nicer to Rich ... it's nice for us to be working together and getting to have lunch together, etc., but all we seem to do is complain. I think this has to do with the parts and having various needs. We had gone off on the social end as sorta a respite from all the harder stuff we've been doing this week, but then we'd gotten ourselves back to more solid ground, but it was THEN that Rich came in and by then we didn't want to lose time. We had been having some of the frustration in the first place because of all the extra interruptions. There was also some pressure, because as nice as some things were, we were looking down the long run about having Rich come in and out of our schedule whenever he wanted and that was just too much distraction with a fear it wouldn't stop.
Whoops someone stopped to talk to Rich for a moment and it came out that not only was someone getting Hazelnut coffee from 7-11, but that someone was picking up an applefritter in the morning. Man ... that kind of stuff can get you in trouble ... first thing was that ... he said hey we've been eating eggs together in the morning, but for me it was like yeah, but eggs aren't sweet, and then we suddenly hushed the conversation by rubbing his arm for a second saying that hey let's not argue so early in the morning, and then I went back to the computer. Yeeks. Definitely not where we want to be heading!
Last night after talking about this and a few other things, Rich got so mad at me he got up and left the living room. He went into the kitchen to his computer to work on his computer - legal stuff - that he'd been avoiding, so that just goes to show you how frustrated with me he was. I think this above though was just the frosting on the cake.
What we had really been talking about was ... well, basically it's the part that I'm NOT his secretary ... but we weren't even thinking at this level to start with. Basically, it was the almost last part of meeting with Dr. Marvin. We had been going over how responsible we'd been lately at work in getting things accomplished. We had gone through quickly the annuals and the reports including the IPP Update and that Sister seems to be trusting us more and that we have been working on staying on track and such.
We had also talked about Robin and how frustrating that situation had been with her being so lax with the end of the day and her time with Holly. I think most of that's because we've seen it so often before where someone gets around Holly and it's much easier to just gab and let her do all the thoughts about which clients were doing what rather than work out your own plan. Plus she'd done it a couple times now including the last staff meeting where she's saying she's got extra free time on Fridays, but the time on Fridays is supposed to be going to the Q's for formal work. And the time in-between where she's supposed to be done with her work - should be going either to the Q's or to the project with the computers in the client's computer room. She's supposed to be figuring out what's there and making some kind of concerted effort to figure out what's on each of the machines and to see if we can add to the machines and then finally teach the other staff what we can do with them in addition to what they are doing now. I had intended that she'd become the expert.
Sister had supported the plan, but we'd talked during the week because she was also frustrated with Robyn. She says that she's been going in there to find that she doesn't have control over the clients. By this we usually mean ESPECIALLY the 2-3 clients that are a particular handful. This is what we'd all refered to earlier when saying we had had a meeting with Robyn. There's a little confusion because from what I'd gathered meeting with Sister this week is that I do have more authority over Robyn, but it is being usurped by Holly's idle chatter.
Sr. basically, gave me the heads up that I should be watching over her and making suggestions. It's a little hard in that if I'm giving up 50% of my time with Robyn for Holly's Fridays then I'm appearing to be only half her supervisor. But, sister told her that if she wasn't doing anything else she should be helping Ann. My complaint to Sr. apparently got through to Robyn, because she was pretty defensive. She doesn't want to think of herself as spending so much idle time especially, because while she's talking to Holly she's sitting on the opposite side of the room at her desk. She's talked about being for example caught up with her lesson plans for about 2 months out. But, then that goes to show me that she's not doing anything constructive during her free time.
Ok, gotta go … almost to Mom’s house for the boat
