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Saturday, December 31, 2005
Happy New Year! 2006 version
Oh my, I'm havin' fun! Let me bottle up this New Year's Eve to sip from in the winter ahead.
It's a rockin' New Year's Eve. I feel fine. Really fine.
I put my favorite music on shuffle play this afternoon while I made sushi and guacamole for the evening. Carol kept me company via a nice long friendly phone call on speaker phone. Friends are friends even states and time zones away.
Then I assmebled the feast.
chips, guacamole, sour cream, sushi, martinis, shrimp, shrimp cocktail
Not finished with music, I taped the football and instead slipped into the concert DVD by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, God is in the House. Food, martini, and fabulous music. One can hardly hope for more, unless it was for people to share this with. Enjoy, blog friends.
Happy New Year to one and all.
Posted at 12/31/2005 7:41:19 pm by lifeonhold
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Friday, December 30, 2005
Katjam started it, then Copsister did it.
Now me.
The Face Recognition Program gave these results when I,
lifey, plugged in my webcam photo:
The Original Lifeonhold
Best match - Anne Frank. Yeah, I see it.
Finally,
Posted at 12/30/2005 9:39:46 pm by lifeonhold
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Thursday, December 29, 2005
Lifeonhold is getting a 'Banner-Lift' beginning today. Introducing, Lifeonhold, the Sushi Edition. It's the same blog but with different decor. This is kind of like moving the furniture around when bored.
I plan to create several editions for the banner. Maybe I'll learn something about Photoshop Elements along the way. Maybe not.
Thanks for visiting....
ETA....
OOPS! I just discovered that Life OFF Hold, the blog, got 're-named' to Lifeonhold in the sushi edition banner. Well, maybe that is a good and proper thing. Currently listening to: AnticsBy Interpol
Posted at 12/29/2005 8:33:51 pm by lifeonhold
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Tuesday, December 27, 2005
I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas. It's more than just one day, you know! The season is two wonderful weeks, and I hope everyone feels the spirit.
I've had 4 and 1/2 days off so I've finally un-crabbied myself just under the wire and these past days have been peaceful. The apartment is festive, Christmas music plays, Honey bird-watches, I feast. Friends and family have called and been called. Not bad.
My Computer came home from the computer doctor and I'm slowly catching up on my friend's blogs. And posting this entry.
I reached my 1st Weight Watcher's goal last Wednesday. 22 Pounds lost. That will probably not stand due to all the feasting, but I'll get back on track after the new year with renewed enthusiasm.
I finally finished Atonement. I recommend it. Very well written, and after about the first 50 pages when the characters are being set up, it really held my interest.
Next up is A Million Little Pieces by James Frey about his battle with alcohol and drug addiction. It promises to be a whole different type of read.
Concerning Christmas music: I'm very annoyed with both radio and XM Christmas programs. XM has about 5 'XMAS stations and they are all top-loaded with 'We Wish You A Merry Christmas', 'Jingle Bell Rock', 'I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus', and the secular like. I call these Santa-centered songs. Even on Christmas Eve it was hard to find a 'Silent Night', 'Away in a Manger', or 'It Came Upon a Midnight Clear'. I turned the radio [and XM] off in disgust and turned to my own playlist.
One of my favorite Christmas memories from my childhood was listening to Christmas music while tucked in bed on Christmas Eve. The music infused the night with peace, silence, security, warmth and a quiet sacred beauty. Outside the Christmas lights twinkled on the quiet street. In upper state New York it was also often a white Christmas which added to the quiet night and special wonder.
I have the old songs and can make the magic again, but I have a sadness for the children of today who miss out on this special beauty.
Tomorrow it is back to work, and, for 3 days, the focus will be getting ready for the upcoming physical inventory and end-of-the-year file rotation.
I must be FOCUSED, but I hope to keep my cool. That's the plan, anyways.
So, its been fun. It's been restorative. I hope to get back to the celebrations after a few days of intense work.
It's time to set the alarm clock to an ungodly hour and hope my night-owl self can get some sleep.
Posted at 12/27/2005 11:43:47 pm by lifeonhold
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Thursday, December 15, 2005
Every December it's the same thing in Accounting World, which is probably a cousin to Retail World, Postal World, and probably many other Worlds. The workload goes crazy heavy and everything seems to be on impossible deadlines, both in and out of work.
For me, it begins in November about mid-November as Thanksgiving approaches and it is certain to last until at least mid-January. I don't need to go into detail, but it is a time of wall-to-wall stress, intense workdays, and a resulting crabby, and often hostile, attitude.
I WANT this to be a season of good spirits, joy, and reflection. I WANT to have good feelings towards the company I work for and the people I work for and with, but in this environment of stress that's almost impossible. I feel cheated of the ability to do as my co-workers are doing right now: letting things slide as they take in the season and it's distractions.
I hope this weekend helps to break this awful mood and bring in some Christmas spirit. I plan to do the big apartment clean, de-clutter, and holiday decorating. Let at least a small measure of peace and joy return.
Posted at 12/15/2005 5:32:40 pm by lifeonhold
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Wednesday, December 07, 2005
... for Intervention!
I needed it BAD this past weekend after a vist to Highwaygirl's blog entry that introduced me to this appliance, the Egg and Muffin Toaster:
The ad just SPOKE to me. I was building breadfast sandwiches at the web site and daydreaming about how this product would revolutionize my life. If nothing else, they have a great ad campaign!
Knowing that I was being lured by an ad dream, I sent my friend an e-mail pleading for her to be the Voice of Reason. Here is how THAT went:
Me: I can just picture myself using it. It would save me the morning drive thru!
Friend: At $40 you would have it paid off in a month with the savings!
Call THAT an intervention???
I told Friend that SHE was supposed to be the PARENT here!
*****
Later that evening, Friend called her Cousin for a routine chat and Cousin told Friend about this neat new appliance.... You guessed it! The Egg and Muffin Toaster! This product is on fire! Fire, I tell you! Friend immediately got me on the phone and we had a 3-way intervention. Perhaps I should start a Egg and Muffin Toaster Support Group for the new year.
And, by the way, this Microwave Egg Cooker works just as well as the Egg and Muffin Toaster. I dug it out of the Drawer of Seldom Used Kitchen Gadgets and tried it out for the 1st time.
Finally, someone, please STOP me from eating these:
Posted at 12/7/2005 12:52:35 pm by lifeonhold
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Monday, December 05, 2005
Preparing the Winter Nest
With the colder weather I've been feathering the nest and being oh so very domestic:
SUSHI
Thanksgiving weekend I made sushi using my new oro hangiri (wooden rice bowl - not pictured). It is only the 2nd time I've made it and I think I'm getting better. I plan to make it again for New Years Eve, which will be my new tradition for that holiday.
STORAGE
I had a great time re-organizing my hallway storage area to accomodate the extra supplies that I stock for the winter months. I like to have plenty of cat food, litter, bird seed, dish liquid, toiletries, and food on hand. The theory is that I'll work any excess down during the rest of the year. This weekend I culled 4 bags of canned goods and got them over to our local shelter.
PHOTO INVENTORY PROJECT
The rest of the apartment was put in order and then I went through the place taking photo inventories of everything. I will burn them into a Data CD along with an accompanying database that describes what's in the photos and their importance (such as financial paper storage bin), other documents and instructions. One copy will be sent to my sister in case I get hit by a bus. She'll have contact info and know where I keep financial records and other items. I'll keep 2 copies, one at home and another at work, in case of any need for a damage claim.
REPAIR
I got out the Elmer's Glue to fix the chipped beek on a ceramic sake pot that I got from my mother. Riding high on this success, I hauled out my stash of broken vases that I'd kept for, oh, 7 YEARS. I knew I'd get around to them someday! [Ed-Yes, I did just use the words 'high', 'pot' and 'stash' in the same paragraph. Wonder if it will draw googlers?!]
Here is the line-up of repaired glasswear:
I also repaired three of the leaves on my quilt that were destroyed by the Shredinator.
Speaking my my little dumpling, here she is, nestled in the new comforter, which she now loves:
Posted at 12/5/2005 8:00:56 pm by lifeonhold
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Saturday, November 26, 2005
I discovered something today.
You can get a whole lot more done on a Saturday when you get up at 8:30 AM rather than 11:30 AM.
Who knew?!
However I doubt I'll still be at it at 3 AM....
Among more mundane things, I cleaned up two of the 5 paintball hits to my front window. The other 3 are unreachable. I cleaned these two away:
I also made leaf templates and then cut and ironed the leaves for the quilt repair that is necessary after the Shredinator's claw work.
Tomorrow, I plan to make Sushi!
Posted at 11/26/2005 6:55:28 pm by lifeonhold
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Wednesday, November 23, 2005
The night before Thanksgiving and all through the house....
Lifey calls the police TWICE!
Is it a full moon or something?
The day:
8:30 AM - tanker tips over on I-95 / Route 8/25 connector. Harbringer.
1:30 PM - co-worker shirks back-up responsibilies she has for Primary co-worker and passes along annoying phone call for me to handle setting me off on a BAD MOOD. Let's compare IN baskets and then you'll know why I'm steaming right now.
5:00 - 6:45 PM - traffic, accident, idiot drivers, conjested parking lots.
8:10 PM - Home. *Crack* glass cracking sound, *Crack*....*Crack* check front window...mustard yellow splats. Paint balls. Run down to street level. Don't see anyone. *Crack* *Crack* paintball splats right next to the entrance on the entrance door. Delivered right as I'm standing there. I don't see the shooter. CALL THE POLICE. They say they've had one report already.
8:30 PM - domestic fight breaks out in the apartment below me. After I hear the woman say, "Stop it!" along with girgling growling sounds (like choking or hair pulling, etc.) and sounds of furniture being displaced, I go down and knock on the door. The guy answers and I ask if there is a problem. He says everything is all right and slams the door in my face as the woman cries very loudly out of visual range. I ask through the closed door if I have to call the police. I hear the woman cry louder, as if saying 'yes'. The knock on the door does not abate the woman's distress or fighting. I CALL THE POLICE AGAIN on this separate incident.
A policeman shows up about 8:45 PM and I hear the woman say she needs help. He stays for about 20 - 25 minutes. I see him leave but don't know if the guy was put in the cop car or not. It is quiet below.
9:55 PM - doorbell rings below several times and is not answered. I see a guy in a dark jacket and cap go around the apartment and knock on the side window below and then go to the back door. The woman lets him in and they have an emotional discussion, but no sounds of violence. [so far, as of about 11:30 PM].
Way to start a holiday weekend.
Guess Life is Off Hold.
Posted at 11/23/2005 11:29:34 pm by lifeonhold
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Monday, November 21, 2005
One-Upmanship, Holiday-Style
So, you've trimmed the house with icicle lights, put candles in all the windows, hauled the Santa and sleigh up onto the roof (omph!), trimmed the front tree and lamp pole and changed your doorbell chimes to play "Jingle Bells". You think you're up to Holiday House Decoration Code. Think again! The bar has just been elevated:
link courtesy of Buffyvol
Posted at 11/21/2005 12:27:48 pm by lifeonhold
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