Letters From New England

Clean sweep...

Sunday

October 28, 2007

Hi,

It's nearly 12:30 a.m. and I have only one thing to say:

RED  SOX  ROCK!!!

Nighty night,

Kay

Another year older and deeper in debt...

Tuesday

October 23, 2007

Hi,

I'm tellin' ya… not being able to write in my blog during lunch at work is really squashing my desire to do this at all anymore.  By the time I get home from work, change and go to the gym, go home and make dinner, then weed through 50-60 emails, many of which are jokes or prayers or chain mail which I delete unread, I'm ready to sit with a book or a t.v. show, not cleverly design a sentence that's 50 words long…like this one.   Also, I think some people from work googled the hospital's name and found my blog.  Not happy about that, but it's my own fault for not being more careful. 

Add that to the beading I need to get done (mostly on weekends) and watching the Red Sox (yeehaw!!!!), my desire to do this is dwindling rapidly.  I dunno…

So, how 'bout them Sox, hey? (That was for you, Linda)  Talk about making us suffer.  We had to go through the agony of all 7 games on the edge of the sofa.  The last 2 games were fabulous, though, weren't they?  I know that I missed the celebration after the game last night, but it was midnight and I HAD to go to bed.  My butt is draggin' the ground today.  Can't imagine how tired we'll all be once the World Series starts. 

I don't know how to get you all caught up, since not much of anything exciting is happening.  I've been reading and beading, hanging out with friends and family, going to the gym and trying not to be sad that we are NOT having an autumn at all. 

About 4-5 years ago, two years in a row on Oct 23^rd , we had BIG snowstorms.  I remember this because Oct 23 is my birthday and I had never recalled getting snow on my birthday before.  To have it happen two years in a row was really odd.  Today we could probably go swimming.  It was 80 degrees yesterday.  EIGHTY!!!

Well, I'm on vacation next week.  That's a good thing.  I don't know what I'll do with my time off yet, but just not having to get up and go to work for 5 days is a blessing.  Of course, the kids upstairs still have school, so I'll be awake at 6:00 regardless, but I can throw a pot of coffee on, then sack out on the couch with my book club book (The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Dideon….my choice for next month).  Or, I could print off months worth of blog posts because I'm way behind.  Or, I could make more jewelry.

Now, however...I need to get to work.

Peace,

Kay

And the prize goes to...

Saturday

October 13, 2007

Hi,

I was surprised (but pleasantly) to read that Doris Lessing won the Nobel prize in literature this week.  She's a little controversial politically, but her writing speaks for itself. 

However, the BEST prize...the one that was a complete surprise...was Al Gore receiving the Nobel Peace Prize!  How cool is that?  Every time I begin to get all sad over the presidency being STOLEN from him, and what has happened to this country (and others), I remember that all of what he has done for the environment would not have happened had he been in the White House.  Everything happens for a reason, right?  Congrats, Al...

I probably should have read my last post before I began this one because I can't remember anything I said in it.  I think I mentioned that I spent most of last weekend making jewelry for my sale.  About 25 pr of earrings, a few bracelets and necklaces.  I made 10 bracelets for Tammy to take back to Maine to put in the salon where she gets her hair cut.  They've been so good to me.  I am making them a necklace and earring set for Christmas as a thank you. 

It was National Materials Management Week this past week.  Our manager brought stuff in all week long.  Pastry and pizza...  He also sent out a hospital wide email about our department and we received many nice responses from staff.  Yesterday, he brought in a cake that his daughter made and it looked just like a box!  It was really cool.  A square yellow cake with a yummy frosting layer between.  Then she used some fondant to make the outside of it look like a box.  It was the exact right color, and the top was "folded" over to look the flaps of a box, with a small space in the center left white to look like packing material.  Scott gave her a couple of logos from companies we buy supplies from, and she used a narrow tip to draw a logo and name on the front.  Very clever!

We had book group at Gayle's on Wednesday.  She lives out of town (about 30 minutes).  Probably one of the best discussions we've ever had.  We read Finding Fish by Antwone Fisher.  We chatted and chatted about the book, about the foster care system, about poor parenting skills, etc.  Next thing we knew, it was 10:15!!!   With the ride home and all, it was after 11:00 when I finally got into bed, then I tossed and turned for another hour. 

Last night, Linda and I went to Applebee's for dinner (a Weight Watcher meal), then to Michael's because I wanted a couple of toggles for some bracelets/necklaces (I really need to do just earrings after the next sale!), then to Shaw's for groceries.  It got so chilly and windy between leaving work and finishing dinner that we were both shivering in the car.  We both complained about it getting dark so early now, but when we change the clocks in a couple of weeks, it will be dusk when we leave work at 4:30. :( 

My plans for this weekend are the same old, same old.  Clean up email, clean up apartment, do laundry, read a book, make some jewelry.  Linda is done camping every weekend now though, so I have someone to hang around with on the weekends again. :)  My brother is also supposed to come over and help me get the air conditioners back to the basement, and re-hang the cabinet that my towels were in before it got pulled off the wall.  It's only been since July... :) 

Den emailed me his itinerary for his Christmas trip home!  Yippee....he will be here from 12/14 - 12/30.  Well, not HERE, as in my apartment, but on the east coast.  Lots of plans being made to visit his Boston and New York friends too.  AND...the new website for The Zenyard is up.  He pretty much did all of the work on it, so go and check it out.  If you're ever in the Phoenix area, you should consider staying there.  Nice place, great owners! 

I got an invitation to a baby shower from an old friend that I haven't seen in YEARS.  She sent it to my last address, but it was forwarded here.  Not a minute too soon, either, because I think the time limit for forwarding mail is one year and...believe it or not...it will be one year since I moved here on Oct 21.  Yeah... a year.  And on that note, I hear stirrings upstairs, which means it's time for me to find my iPod.

Peace,

Kay

What I'm Up To...

Saturday

October 6, 2007

Hi,

So, the Bushwhacker strikes again.  He vetoed the child healthcare bill.  Way to go, Jackhole.  Meanwhile, according to a local politician, we are spending $13 million a DAY on the war in Iraq.  Of course, giving all children the opportunity to see a doctor whether they have health insurance or not isn't going to line his pockets with money, whereas controlling the oil industry in Iraq will.  So, there ya go.

I'n not much of a news watcher, but it's been hard to miss the atrocity taking place in Myanmar.  It's bad enough when "regular" civilians are accosted for their beliefs (lest we forget the peace marchers during the Vietnam war), but to beat monks in the streets for taking a stand for democracy is an outrage.  Who is more peace loving than a Buddist monk?  According to the last thing I read in the NY Times, 10 people were dead, there were many casualties and 109 have been arrested.  It's abhorrent, but the UN isn't stepping in.  If you are interested in signing a petition, here's a website you can go to:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/stand_with_burma/tf.php?cl_tf_sign=1

It's a long weekend from work.  I have been looking forward to it for a couple of weeks.  Time to clean my apartment, make some jewelry, read my book club book, write my essay for the memoir group.  My spare room is a complete disaster and it's hard for me to get motivated to work in here, so it's on the list for this weekend, along with the usual dusting, mopping, laundry, etc.

Tammy is in the area for the weekend, and will be stopping by on her way back to Maine to pick up a handful of bracelets to bring to the salon.  Time to swap them out again.  Kim's customers have been asking when she will get some new things.  The stuff that's left has been there since May, so if it hasn't sold yet, it probably won't.

I had a hair appt on Thursday and asked Donna to cut it up some.  My hair grows really fast and if I just have trims for a year, before I know it, it's long and a pain to manage.  Last month she really shortened the layers, but not much of the length.  This time, I watched clumps of hair an inch & a half long fly off my head.  It's back to where it was when I originally took the plunge and had it cut short.  I like it better this length, even though I've had long hair my whole life.  Well, I guess some people would still call this long... :)  It just touches my shoulders.

I think my betta fish is dying.  He hasn't been acting right since I changed the water in his bowl last Saturday.  Just floating at the top of the water, clinging to the side of the bowl.  Hasn't eaten either.  I've changed the water every 2 weeks since I got him and he only acted like this one other time, but not for a whole week.  I have some errands to run today, so am going to pick up another bottle of spring water and cleaned his bowl again. 

Speaking of errands...it's a little after 9:00, so I guess I'm going to skidaddle.

Peace,

Kay

Losing it...

Monday

October 1, 2007

Hi,

It's my birthday month.  How the hell did I lose another year?  What did I accomplish?  Ugh...

I am seriously losing my momentum (and interest) in this blog.  I am finding it difficult to find the time to come here and write now that I can't do it during lunch.  I tried writing in Word and sending the file to my home email, then cutting and pasting into this blog, but it's a nuisance ...and... the fonts don't always talk to each other correctly.  The few times I've done it, the pages don't load properly and the type is all over the place.  Ugh again.

And, I've been really busy...both at work and in the evenings.  Wah wah wah... I'm whining, huh?  I don't know what to say.  I might shut my blog down...or I might put my big girl pants on and find another way to get it done.

I went to see The Brave One last Tues with Linda.  Awesome (but distrubing) movie.  Jodie Foster was incredible, as usual. 

I am trying to read 3 books.  Not recommended.  I can't get into any of them because I'm not paying attention.  So, guess what I did to remedy the situation?  I stopped at the library after work and picked up a NEW book...The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets which has been recommended by some friends. 

I am on the last disk of the last season of Northern Exposure. :(  I stretched it out as long as I could. I am going to miss all of the characters, but I have to say that since Rob Morrow left the show, I'm not lovin' it so much.  Of course, there's still John Corbett to drool over, thank goodness.  I only have a couple of episodes left and I don't see that it's winding down.  I wonder if it's going to be one of those shows that just stops without warning.  I hate that.  American Dreams, Kyle XY, Men In Trees, October Road.   Ugh for the third time.

Work last week was absolute HELL.  Not only was it a mistake to take the previous week off, it was a mistake to go back! :)  End of month, end of fiscal year.  We had inventory on Thu and Fri.  I had the Admin Asst to the VP of Finance walking capital requests over because they needed to be in FY 07.  I did the best I could, but there were obstacles and when you are given 2 days to do something you should have 2 weeks to do, this is what happens.  It didn't all get done prior to today.   Oh well...

I have a new (recycled) workstation, though.  Our Medical Records Dept got new workstations a few months ago and the components of their old ones were stacked against a wall in our hallway.  I called the company that did the original install, the sales rep came out, took an inventory of what was there, designed a workstation for me, and came out last Tues with someone else to put it up.  (Should NOT have scheduled that installation last week...duh).  But, it's up now and I love it so far.  I have more work space and there is a wall that's high enough to block the window in my office door.  I don't get to see people walk by as much, but I also don't have to watch the local funeral directors taking bodies out the back door. 

Had a really busy weekend.  Tam was here with the kids and it was go, go, go for 2 days.  More so for them than me...I took some breaks at home while they went off to the playground and stuff.  I managed to get a little beading done, but no housework other than laundry.  Speaking of laundry... I can honestly say that the only time I DON'T hear Dawn's washer going is when I'm sleeping.  Another reason to be happily single and kid free.

And, speaking of beading.  We had a new vendor at the hospital on Thu.  All she sells are earrings.  She had hundreds of earrings with the coolest beads.  I talked to her for about a half hour.  She generously gave me the website addresses where she buys her supplies and totally inspired me to take my jewelry making in a new direction in 2008.  Her process is so simple.  She makes ONLY earrings and she sells them all for $10.  Period.  She said she makes only $2/pr on some, but $8/pr on others, depending on the cost of the beads used. 

She is a teacher, but took a leave of absence this year to do these sales full time.  She said there is a whole underground network of vendors who share info on corporate sales.  She told me to just start calling businesses and finding out from Human Resources if they have vendor sales and what the percentage is.  I won't do a sale anywhere that asks for more than 20%...even that is high to me, but it's what most of them want.  Lucia said that she is making more money doing these sales than she did teaching (that's not so hard to believe since this country underpays teachers).  She typically earns $1000-$2000 per sale! 

I earn 5 weeks of vacation time every year now.  If I took 2 weeks for myself and used the other 15 days to do vendor sales here and there, I could earn some good extra $$$.  So, my plan, after my Nov 28th sale, is to regroup and simplify what I do.  The number of items needed to make a pair of earrings is much less than what's needed to make bracelets or necklaces, so I'd have less inventory to buy.  I really think I'm going to do it.  REALLY.  Just earrings. 

Well, blabbity blah blah blah.  Time to go and exercise.

Peace,

Kay