Kevin's Watch

Hope you're feeling better now, Rune.

Nothing much new to report. Had to gently explain to Ms. Needy this morning that if I forget to do something she mentions to me in passing, it's likely because I'm supporting six people besides her, and she'd be best served to send me an e-mail if she really wants something done.

Who knows better than an attorney that if it isn't written down, it didn't happen?

Hahaha. Well, I had my holiday today, and got a message from the boss a little while back saying they'd decided not to open tomorrow, so we could have a long weekend.

So feeling good overall.

Have had a stray fighting my cats with increasing aggressiveness over the last couple of months, and after a massive fight on Tuesday, we gave up hoping the stray would be able to co-exist.

My vet has an arrangement with a no-kill shelter, so yesterday I had to nip home from work, inveigle it into a carry case, and deliver it to the vet.

I feel bad for it, but the shelter will keep it until it's re-homed, and it's a beautiful little cat. Snow white with a totally black tail, and a black patch over one eye.

And now mine can go into the garden without somebody having to run downstairs and separate them.

--A

Av- sounds like a lovely cat.
reminds me of the sweet cat I see when I go tutor one of my students... white with adorable splotchy tabby marks on face, feet, and tail.

SD- ah! I can see how that comment would be like... just begging to be made.

Rune wrote:...I had such a headache... It was as if my skull had split all the way from the base of the neck, right through my eye socket, and round to the back of the jawbone.

Uggghhh. That. sounded. ...mostly worse than I can even imagine.

Rune wrote:As my mother would say, it looks like a bomb has gone off in this flat. So today it's tidying up, up, up ...

kinda like the story of my life... except that additionally my place looks like after a bomb went off and the smoke cleared, some people decided to play "The Floor is Lava."

With my stress over teaching this summer, it's gotten tougher to keep the house clean.
Oh well, houses can bounce back from their inhabitants' neglect... I'm sure they can!

Speaking of the teaching... we had class again yesterday, and many things really, really *worked*.
I've been a bit euphoric since then!
Gotta keep a level head and keep pushing forward though, instead of trying to call up memories of how awesome yesterday was.

Work on making tomorrow just as awesome.

--A

Finished a final paper for a course that did not really meet my expectations. It was supposed to be a 12 week course, and the prof touted it as the flagship course of the degree program. I tried to overlook the typos ("vitreous" instead of "virtuous") and that he did not update his materials to match the new edition of the textbook (which he stressed we must get) and then at week 6, we were submitting the final paper when it was supposed to be a 12 week course....? Glad to be done but still haven't got over feeling disgruntled.

So anyway, summers in Nigeria are very quiet. Boring, even for me at times and I am pretty good at keeping myself entertained with books and guitar playing and cooking.

It's Father's Day, so I guess I'll call my Dad and finish his sentences for him (aphasia). He gave me so much and I am grateful.

Ramble, ramble... see you in Mallory's.

Father's Day is pretty much just another day in our house. My dad died in 1984. My kids aren't in touch with their father anymore, and his father -- the girls' grandfather -- died a few years ago.

I got the oil changed in my car, made black beans and rice, and went to the pool. Not a bad day overall.

Well, back at work after my unexpected long weekend, which was nice. My father's dead, and the GF doesn't have much to do with her father, so just another day for us too.

Managed to have a quiet weekend, which is always nice.

--A

And it's the Winter Solstice in the southern hemisphere. From here on out, we're getting progressively closer to summer.

That also makes tonight the longest night, with sunset here at 17h25.

I hate winter.

The forecast high today is 21C, and the minimum tomorrow is going to be 4C. (Max tomorrow only 18C)

--A

Someone kill me, please.

I used to get migraines every year or two. In the past year I've had 5 or 6. Yes, I am going to go to the doctor to discuss it, but don't have a lot of hope. The worst part is not actually the feeling of a gasoline fire inside my skull, it's the horrifying hours of depression that precede the headache.

At least I have come to realize that that is what's going on, and try to arrange my life to accommodate it. Ugh.

Migraines are the worst. I've never found anything that works better than Excedrin. I've had doctors telling me for the last 20 years that I take too much aspirin, then give me a fancy prescription for something expensive with horrible side effects that doesn't even work as well. Nope, aspirin is my friend.

Hope you're feeling better.

What Sorus said, Deer.

Nothing new to report here, except it's hot and sticky out. Which is not a new thing for June in DC.

Meh...at least the week is nearly over...

--A

Avatar wrote:Meh...at least the week is nearly over...

--A

This. So much drama at work this week. The head of my department was fired - don't know what he did, but he was arrested for it. Stupid. It's a thankless job with crap pay, but being unemployed with a criminal record is worse. People are already telling me I should apply for the position. Once again weighing all the pros and cons - I've vowed that I won't ever let them promote me because I *know* it won't be worth the extra stress, but there's also that little voice saying you already have all the stress, why not take the extra money... Nope, nope, nope. I need to get out of there. With the way minimum wage is going up, I could take a lateral or even lower position in another company for about the same as my current pay. Which would mean trading known evils for unknown evils. Argh.

I would say try for the higher position. Gives you a better starting point when looking for something new.

--A

What Av said. Especially since you've already got the aggravation to go with it. And if they pass you over for someone else, then that would be a Very Clear Indication that it's time to get out of there.

Well, my weekend plans are a bust. I'm supposed to be driving to NY right now, but lorin's had more health issues and so the weekend trip has been scrapped. I'm going to meet up with Lore for lunch, at least.

That's too bad. I miss Lorin. The universe really needs to start being nicer to her.


And thanks for the feedback, but I've decided that trying for the promotion would be a Really Bad Idea. That level is just one big incestuous clique, of which I do not speak the dominant language. Plus the ringleader full-on hates me, and she's 40-something going on 12 and that's just not something I need any more of in my life. I'm still paying for the time I 'worked too loudly' while she had a hangover, and that was 18 months ago. Gah. No. I need to get out of there.

Sorus wrote:That's too bad. I miss Lorin. The universe really needs to start being nicer to her.

No kidding!

Being accused of "working too loudly" sounds like a sign to get out, to me.

Well, one of my cats woke me at 06h30 this morning, matted with dried blood from forehead to chin. She obviously got into a big fight in the early hours, looks like her ear has been a bit mangled.

Waiting for the vet to open, and hoping like hell I can get her into the carry case, which she really hates.

Bloody cats. Ha bloody ha.

--A

Ok, back from the vet. (Dropped her off there at about 08h15, picked her up again at about 10h30.)

She's fine. Appropriately antibioticed and anti-inflammatoried. Vet found 2 punctures in her ear, and a scratch just outside it, but says she suspects most of the blood might have been from the other cat, whoever it was.

They had to shave her head to examine her, which means they had to sedate her, since she suffers no interference from anybody, and has some of the biggest paws and claws I've ever seen on a cat. (She's half Maine Coon.)

(Getting her into the carry case involved thick gloves. )

So, at the cost of some dignity for her, and far too much money for me (god, vets are expensive), all is relatively well, and she has been freed again.

--A