Category: general

18
Feb
2012

SNIPPETS, GAMES, PAPERWORK & DOGS

Loads of laundry so far today: 5 and counting Piles of paperwork I have waded through so far today: 42 and counting. Seriously! The paperwork! Holy deforestation, batman: SO MUCH PAPER. When I think of all the paper I have received, used, wasted, saved in my life, not even including how much paper is in ALL THE BOOKS I’ve read, borrowed, bought, loaned, given away) my head hurts. The amount of BANK STATEMENTS alone is discombobulating. We keep binders full of “important papers” that go back, in many cases, around 10 years, often more. They include bank accounts, fund statements,...

15
Feb
2012

OVERFLOWING

Some weeks are just so FULL, you know? Full of getting up, and getting going, and getting others going, and working. Full of obligations and reminder notes and to-do lists and appointments and errands. Full of compliments, and pleasant surprises and phone calls from friends, and feelings of accomplishment. Full of horrible mistakes and freezing weather and, thankfully, FIXING the horrible mistakes. Full of teeth brushing and bedtime stories and back scratches and laundry (really full of laundry) and throwing meals together, and driving Karin to and from practice. Yesterday I had my salary “discussion” with my boss. She made...

13
Feb
2012

SUCKITY SUCK SUCK

I’m buried in tax reports, bank account statements, Google results for “how to fill out these $#%! forms” and confusion. My regular tax return is due June 15th and will take me about 10 minutes to complete. The other forms, going back SIX years, are due June 30th (OF 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011), and they may very well take me the rest of my life to figure out. The information that they require is intrusive, outrageous, complicated and very likely unconstitutional. I cannot afford to pay a tax...

11
Feb
2012

JUST TO SAY

berchshill commented today that I wasn’t online much this week and she was right. Between Anders’ second week away, dog-sitting, work, researching US expat tax information, getting the kids fed and to bed on time, and driving Karin to practice and tournaments all week, I just haven’t had the ork. Tonight the dog went home (though he obviously didn’t want to, which was rather gratifying!), Anders CAME home, our 2 favorites went to 2nd-chance in Melodifestivalen and I am ready for bed. May your Sunday be sunny & bright! Best of ALL Birthday Wishes to Elizabeth!

06
Feb
2012

THE STORY OF THE FROG LAMP

Once upon a time, during the years I lived in Chicago, my parents became completely obsessed with antiquing. They went to auctions and collected things and bought some really beautiful stuff. And because there are approximately a million antique dealers and architectural salvage companies, and flea markets and 2nd hand stores in and around Chicago, when they came to visit me, I went with them, too. And caught the bug. However, since I had champagne tastes on a beer budget (like how I throw around those alcohol references as if I know what I’m talking about?) I never bought much....

30
Jan
2012

STANDING FIRM

When I came home, Karin climbed all over me and demanded to make muffins. “Muffins?” I said. “We don’t need no stinkin’ muffins.” “Yes, we do,” she insisted, OVER AND OVER AND OVER, like 12.5 year olds do, and god help me when she’s an actual teenager. She had SMS’d her father and asked if she could make muffins and of course he said yes because he is ON HIS WAY TO CHINA. I fobbed her off with the first we have to get the laundry in and then I have to get dinner ready and then you have to...

26
Jan
2012

FAST, THEN SLOW, THEN PIE!

If the days made a noise as they flew by, what would it be? Mine zing with a high-pitched ziiiiii. I finally finished re-reading The Clan of the Cave Bear books again, along with the latest one which Martin got me for Christmas. I think the first 3 books are really good, but man, do they go downhill after that. The 4th book is titled The Plains of Passage but should be called The Sex of Sex Sex Sex and the fifth one is basically repetition and filler, and the last one made me want to smack both of the...

22
Jan
2012

GO GO GO GRABOTE!

Whoa! Where did the week go? Why does this always happen to me? 😀 As glad as I am to be back to regular routine, I think I’d managed to forget how it grabs you and speeds you along without giving you any time to get your arms and legs inside the ride. What with the crazy busy at work all day and some activity/errand/to-do every evening, 7 days fly by before I can take a breath and realize it’s the weekend again. And too soon, another new week. No wonder Christmas seems to be constant…it’s already the end of...

16
Jan
2012

IF NOT NOW, WHEN?

For some people, a to-do list gets the job done: just seeing their projects or errands laid out in black and white is enough to get them buzzing. But for other things, the ones that sit and percolate in the back of your mind, but never seem to get bumped to the top of the priority list, it might take something a bit more drastic. One way to get motivated when you have things to get done is to set yourself a deadline. Another way is to dare yourself…or better yet, have someone else dare you. People procrastinate for all...

12
Jan
2012

THE WEEK OF GOOD IDEAS

I don’t know if it’s the mental stimulation of getting back to regular routine after what seems AGES of being discombobulated by first major illness and then seemingly endless holidays, but I have been a font of great ideas this week. It’s a fun feeling, I have to say…especially when they come all in a bunch. Every year at work, we publish our Strategic Outlook for the year. I’ve been doing the creative layout for several years, getting the content from the CEO and CTO and various other management team VPs and putting it together into an 8-page brochure that...

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