Why, oh why did I not carry out my plan to torch the place a month ago when I first dreamed it up?
I'm suddenly in full-blown exploding head stage once again. This time, however, it's a combination of things:
1. My friend Starrlett just keeps coming up with more interesting stories, cool sites, fun "timewasters," and just plain-weird oddities on the Web, all of which I want to check out and few of which I ever do. If I can't even look at what she's already found, how on earth does she find it all in the first place, and make it look so easy in the process? Also, I see one of her cool finds like What's That Bug? and it makes me think of stories I want to share on my own blog, but don't really have time to be sharing right now (or maybe you've all heard about my brush with bedbugs, in which case I don't need to share).
2. It's 1:50 am, I must find a critical item before 9:30 in the morning (and also get some sleep before then), and I believe it is somewhere in the rat's nest of stuff (all belonging to me) that came out of the "guest" bedroom when we had company visit in June and ended up in various trash bags and laundry baskets in the garage. I'm too ashamed and embarrassed to tell you about everything contained in the bags and baskets. Let's just say that the situation is grim.
3. I wanted to look up a word in the dictionary a few minutes ago, but had to resort to Merriam-Webster Online after I determined that I could not physically reach the dictionary on the bookshelf in my bedroom because there are too many obstacles in the way.
4. I'm really starting to get nervous about the job search, and it's sort of been consuming my thoughts the past 36 hours or so. That leaves little room in my brain for processing the necessary tasks of daily life. This in turn leads to the "exploding head" feeling. I know temporary unemployment is not an uncommon occurrence, but I just realized that I have been steadily employed for the last 14 years. As someone who craves stability and tries very hard to avoid personal risk-taking, facing even a day of unemployment is frightening.
So, does anyone have a bigger brain they can send me? Or perhaps a bigger bedroom? Or maybe just a stronger back or a stiffer upper-lip to replace mine.
Thursday, August 03, 2006
Check this Out
Have I told you how clever Starrlett is? If you aren't convinced, take a look at this nifty dictionary entry she made!
Actually, even if you are already convinced, you should still look: What some people can do on a computer is so neat. Scroll to the bottom of Starrlett's post to find a link if you want to know how to make your own groovy dictionary entry.
Actually, even if you are already convinced, you should still look: What some people can do on a computer is so neat. Scroll to the bottom of Starrlett's post to find a link if you want to know how to make your own groovy dictionary entry.
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
Wonders Never Cease
I read through my latest credit card statement last night and determined, to my astonishment, that I apparently did not shop at Target even once in the last month.
Actually, I think there must be some mistake on the statement, because such a departure from normal routine seems unlikely.
Or, perhaps I went into Target but didn't actually purchase anything (this does happen upon rare occasions). Too, it could be that I did buy something at Target but that I couldn't find my main credit card at the register and had to use the backup (which, incidentally, is a Target Visa, but I don't use it often).
Yes, it has to be one of those things. A month without a Target purchase, if it really did happen, probably would mean I'm dead.
Actually, I think there must be some mistake on the statement, because such a departure from normal routine seems unlikely.
Or, perhaps I went into Target but didn't actually purchase anything (this does happen upon rare occasions). Too, it could be that I did buy something at Target but that I couldn't find my main credit card at the register and had to use the backup (which, incidentally, is a Target Visa, but I don't use it often).
Yes, it has to be one of those things. A month without a Target purchase, if it really did happen, probably would mean I'm dead.
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
Horrifying
Since my local readers are more news-savvy than I, they probably already know about this story, but I felt compelled to share it with the rest of you.
A couple of weeks ago a 4-year old boy in Pleasant Grove died of apparent heatstroke while on a day care center outing to the park. Coincidentally, the day care center was the same one where last year, an underage driver crashed a car through the center's storefront, severely injuring several children.
A few days ago we heard that the day care center owner had left the park during the outing to go to the bank, without informing the other workers she was leaving. We also learned that the owner has a past conviction for assault that would have kept her from being licensed as a daycare center worker if it had been discovered in her background check. The owner apparently submitted a false name and social security number for the background check.
Now, the Dallas Morning News is reporting on a police affidavit that states the boy in fact never left the center's van after they picked him up at home at 7 am and drove to the center. After his brother commented on his absence "sometime after lunch," day care workers found the boy, already dead, still inside the van in the center's parking lot. He then ended up at the park, which is where the day care center owner was when she called emergency services at 2:11 pm.
I won't comment on the horror of the criminality of the attempted cover-up, because that speaks for itself. Stories like this, however, always make me think about the inevitability and irreversibility of some of our actions. Take your eyes from the task at hand for one second, make one choice to go someplace you know you shouldn't be or do something you know you shouldn't do, say something in the heat of the moment without thinking, choose A instead of B, and none of it can be undone. Often, nothing remarkable comes of the incident. Occasionally, however, the consequences are devastating.
True, this boy's death was obviously the work of more than a second. In a hot car in 90+ degree temperatures, however, it was probably only the work of an hour or two. One hour of someone not being on their guard is all it took.
A couple of weeks ago a 4-year old boy in Pleasant Grove died of apparent heatstroke while on a day care center outing to the park. Coincidentally, the day care center was the same one where last year, an underage driver crashed a car through the center's storefront, severely injuring several children.
A few days ago we heard that the day care center owner had left the park during the outing to go to the bank, without informing the other workers she was leaving. We also learned that the owner has a past conviction for assault that would have kept her from being licensed as a daycare center worker if it had been discovered in her background check. The owner apparently submitted a false name and social security number for the background check.
Now, the Dallas Morning News is reporting on a police affidavit that states the boy in fact never left the center's van after they picked him up at home at 7 am and drove to the center. After his brother commented on his absence "sometime after lunch," day care workers found the boy, already dead, still inside the van in the center's parking lot. He then ended up at the park, which is where the day care center owner was when she called emergency services at 2:11 pm.
I won't comment on the horror of the criminality of the attempted cover-up, because that speaks for itself. Stories like this, however, always make me think about the inevitability and irreversibility of some of our actions. Take your eyes from the task at hand for one second, make one choice to go someplace you know you shouldn't be or do something you know you shouldn't do, say something in the heat of the moment without thinking, choose A instead of B, and none of it can be undone. Often, nothing remarkable comes of the incident. Occasionally, however, the consequences are devastating.
True, this boy's death was obviously the work of more than a second. In a hot car in 90+ degree temperatures, however, it was probably only the work of an hour or two. One hour of someone not being on their guard is all it took.
Currently Eating (and Shopping)
Since the "currently eating" sidebar is so ephemeral, I thought this find deserves its own post.
Have you tried Cocoa Booty from Robert's American Gourmet? Someone left a package on the community table in the office, so of course I tried some. It's a puffed rice snack tossed in chocolate syrup. Cocoa Booty has no real nutritional value beyond a bit of fiber, and it has too much sugar to be considered "healthy," but it is tasty. It definitely hits the spot if you're craving something sweet and crunchy. The 4 oz bag in the office cost $0.99 at Vitamins Plus.
You can order a case of Cocoa Booty from Robert's Web site, but I probably won't because I feel a need to conserve funds after having recently purchased an exercise ball, resistance bands and a small ball to go with the exercise ball, various books to entertain Curly on her next visit, and these shoes.
Perhaps a shopping spree was not the best choice for someone who may be unemployed soon. On the other hand, if I am soon unemployed, I'll have plenty of exercise equipment and books to keep me busy, and I'll already have a new pair of shoes to wear if I ever get an interview!
Have you tried Cocoa Booty from Robert's American Gourmet? Someone left a package on the community table in the office, so of course I tried some. It's a puffed rice snack tossed in chocolate syrup. Cocoa Booty has no real nutritional value beyond a bit of fiber, and it has too much sugar to be considered "healthy," but it is tasty. It definitely hits the spot if you're craving something sweet and crunchy. The 4 oz bag in the office cost $0.99 at Vitamins Plus.
You can order a case of Cocoa Booty from Robert's Web site, but I probably won't because I feel a need to conserve funds after having recently purchased an exercise ball, resistance bands and a small ball to go with the exercise ball, various books to entertain Curly on her next visit, and these shoes.
Perhaps a shopping spree was not the best choice for someone who may be unemployed soon. On the other hand, if I am soon unemployed, I'll have plenty of exercise equipment and books to keep me busy, and I'll already have a new pair of shoes to wear if I ever get an interview!
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