Leisure Reading is Alive and Well!

I'm so pleased that a very nice young man stopped in at the reference desk this morning to ask how to use the library catalog. On this, the first day of class, he wasn't looking for a textbook or a course catalog. No, he wanted some Clive Cussler. Now that's a student who has his priorities in order.

On My Mind

Shoji...Benjamin Moore...wire transfer...dog cheese...post office...20 laps...cashier's check...library fine...birthday...LL Bean...vegetables...built-ins...cold...automobile paint...trash pickup...red plaid...rugs...pop-tarts...rose quartz...hand cleaner...mortise and tenon...crosswords...

Lose to Win

Some women at work have started a weight loss pool. $25 per person, with 18 people in the pool. Some dedicated, disciplined person is going to win $450 in June by having lost the most weight in the group.

Not sure if I'll be that person or not, but I'm going to give it a shot. I figure my chances are as good as anyone's.* It fits nicely with all the other upcoming changes, changes I hesitate to call a lifestyle shift because I don't want to jinx myself, but which I hope, nonetheless, will signal better quality living in the coming months. There's something to be said for being close to rock bottom--it only gives you one way to go!


*In a previous contest, the winner lost 30 pounds, and in a later contest, two winners tied with less than 5 pounds lost.

photo credit: Chicago Daily News Inc. (1916). Cook County Health Commissioner, Dr. John Dill Robertson, weighing Gertrude Nelligan on a scale in an office [photo]. Chicago Daily News negatives collection, DN-0067314. Courtesy of the Chicago Historical Society. Retrieved from Library of Congress American Memory Project at http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/
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Unplugged

After yet another look at my finances, I've decided to give up home cable and Internet access, at least for several months.

Yes I know, bad timing, with new episodes of Monk, Psych, Lost, and L&O: CI on the horizon. And having Internet access at home has been marvelous, since it enables me to do things like blog at 1:15 am without leaving the house (or even my bed, for that matter).

However, I can think of a lot I can do with $110.16 a month, not the least of which is start paying down some of the temporary debt I'm going to incur by moving.

I think I'll be OK, as long as no one mentions The Closer.

Family Affair

If all goes according to plan (that is, if St. Joseph does his job), I'll be moving into my own home in a few weeks. I was thinking about how much smoother things would go if I had everyone available to help:

A2 to handle Internet/TV/Telephone connections

A1 to make a security survey

Niece #2 to remember where I put all those little but important items in the move

Niece #1 to arrange all the books at the new house

Niece #3 to make a detailed exploration of the new yard and neighborhood

T to handle window and wall treatments

J to go furniture shopping with me

M to line the kitchen cabinets and drawers

Nephew #1 to test all the plumbing fixtures at the new house

Niece #4 to keep everyone entertained

D to do a little bit of everything, since that's his specialty