life has kept me away

So, not a single post all summer, all fall, and here we are heading into winter. Work is keeping me exhausted, and really, that's all I want to say about that for now. I'm barely able to keep up with reading my favorite blogs, along with a couple of comments a month or so, even though I keep flagging the posts I want to respond to in my email (love RSS feeds, in case I haven't already said that a dozen times or so).

I'm embarrassed that I never posted my "big experiment" pictures, but I'm sure they're on my computer somewhere. I'll just say for now, that they have to do with gardening and deer, and the results will be worth the wait if you have deer munching away on your tulips!

I finally got sucked into Facebook, and my feelings are mixed. In some ways, I love it, and in others... not so much.

Getting ready for a big family party this afternoon and, quite honestly, I'm really not in the mood. I really want to have a day to sit in my pajamas all day long, on the sofa with a good book, and just take it easy. Alas.

Before the party, I had been wanting to:

• bake some cookies... that's not going to happen


• get my hair cut... yeah, right!


• make up some really fantastic gift bags for family members (well, I'm working on it, but as the time goes on, maybe the "really fantastic" part might end up being an exaggeration)


• get about 10 or 500 loads of laundry done (well, I'm down 2 or 3)

Why does this party have to come so early this year??? Ugh! My guess is that some members of the family will be travelling, so this was the best weekend for them. I need another week's reprieve! This was a particularly difficult week at work, with me working into the wee hours several nights. I am a lump right now.

Maybe I'll take a few minutes of my wee one's nap time to post some comments. For anyone who's still reading... thanks for hanging in there all these long, warm months!

I must have been living in the Dark Ages

I finally figured out how to do these scheduled posts. I had heard about it, but I hadn't put any effort into trying to find the thing. (And it kind of feels like cheating, you know?) So anyway, now I can be all bloggy like the rest of you! Hah. So there.

I'm taking advantage of toddler napping time to create a (few) post(s) here instead of

• picking up all the toys
  
• starting a load of laundry
  
• thinking about what I'm going to make for dinner hubby is going to make for dinner
  
• reading a good book (what's a book?)

(Sound of sick baby stirring and then crying.) Right, that's why I'm not doing all those things.

what to do with that extra paper

Found via Swiss Miss.

gotta love having time off

So this is one of the things that I've been "working" on the past couple of days...

I noticed that FreeRice seemed to have added some new levels as well as new vocab words. So I decided I would beat my previous high level of 50. I got all the way to 55! Woo-hoo! Yup, I'm proud of myself.

I also saw in the options that you can have it remember your level and the number of grains you've "donated" via their website. So, even though this doesn't include my earlier attempts, you can see I've been spending way too much of B's naptime playing FreeRice.



Hey, at least I'm doing something good while goofing off.

Which reminds me...

Here's another way I started goofing off occasionally: The ESP Game.

Basically, the computer matches you with an anonymous partner, and you get a set amount of time to agree on words to describe photos. I read about this in a Smithsonian magazine article about young innovators. The magazine was interesting... something like 25 people under 25 who are changing the world (don't quote me on the exact title, but you get the gist).

It's set up as a game, but the people who "play" it are basically doing a task to help all internet users: cataloging the internet's photos/images. The article said that people who play get "attached" to their partners, which seemed weird to me at first, I mean, how can you get attached to someone that you can't actually communicate with, don't know their name/username/nothing. All you are doing is typing in words to describe photos. But I will say this: some people are much better partners than others. Funny, it's obvious when you change partners: some people will hit pass immediately for every picture (annoying!), others will try for a while, sometimes I get a partner who really thinks like me, and we get lots of bonus points.

OK, I feel kind of nerdy, but it's fun. And it keeps me off the street.

worried

So yesterday I was working. Thinking-type of work, at home, on the computer, not like heavy physical labor or dangerous-type stuff. Since I was on the computer, I was kind of goofing off at the same time. But since I was working and goofing off simultaneously, I guess I wasn't focusing as closely as I should have been (probably on either).

And so, I did something really stupid that I wouldn't ordinarily have done (at least I hope not). I put myself in kind of a vulnerable position with someone who I don't really know all that well, and now I'm really worried that this person might do something that is not so nice. Well, maybe this person wouldn't do that, and I hope not, because I'd like to think that I know this person well enough to say that, but quite honestly, I don't. I didn't realize it right away, but I realized shortly thereafter, and I can't believe I would be so stupid.

So I was sick with worry last night and into today. There's really nothing I can do about it, at this point, as what I've done is irreversible. I wish, though, that I had some reassurance that things would be OK. I'm still worried.

organizing tips from Ikea (or how to keep your pie)

Thanks to blackbird, I found the Ikea channel on YouTube. Have I mentioned my obsession with all things Ikea? So, I thought this was clever...

Check out blackbird's post to find out what led me there.

I just tried the blogger shortcuts for making hyperlinks, and damn, that's easy. Not that I mind doing the html, but you gotta love a good shortcut. I feel a little silly for doing all the html myself all this time.

I am cilantro

You Are Cilantro

The bad news is that there are some people who can't stand you. The good news is that most people love you more than anything else in the world. You are distinct, unusual, fresh, and very controversial. And you wouldn't have it any other way.

What Spice Are You?

Hallelujah!

I feel silly, but I'll admit it, I've been watching American Idol (off and on for the past few years), and this guy is my pick...

He's cute and he's got a nice voice. But the thing I like about him the most is that he's not cocky, and he seems kind of nerdy and uncomfortable with all the attention and everything.

I keep thinking I'll actually vote for him, but I haven't done it yet. Either my phone needs to be recharged, or I get sidetracked at the end of the show.

But I hope he wins. He seems sweet.

OK, now I'm just goofing off

Your Vocabulary Score: A+

Congratulations on your multifarious vocabulary! You must be quite an erudite person.

How's Your Vocabulary?

I took the State CapitAls quiz, but I refuse to post my score (which was quite good), because the person who made it up didn't know how to spell. CapitOl is the building, not the city.

so they say...

People Envy Your Compassion

You have a kind heart and an unusual empathy for all living creatures. You tend to absorb others' happiness and pain. People envy your compassion, and more importantly, the connections it helps you build. And compassionate as you are, you feel for them.

What Do People Envy About You?

Thanks to dee for this one. And yes, I will eventually do the meme you tagged me on. I promise.