How do you feel today?

[sgt.null]

off days and julie not feeling well again.

but hopefully she will be ok enough for me to catch up on the writing prompt. two prompts need to be done by me.

also have to read Jane Austin for our book club monday.

[Krazy Kat]

Get Well Soon, Mrs. Null.

Not much to add, really. I took my book of British Wildflowers to the local park yesterday so I might identify the more unusual ones to have sprung up. Watched the sun set from a burning gold to a golden furnace of bronze - was truly magnificent!

The leaves on the tops of the trees have now begun to turn brown, <sigh> signalling the approach of Autumn. Let's hope the good weather continues so we can all enjoy a long Indian Summer.

[aliantha]

I like Jane Austin a lot, Sarge. Which novel are you reading?

Our leaves won't really start turning here for awhile yet, KK. But at least it's starting to cool off. I can leave the windows open at night now.

So here is today's tale of woe: Got to work, booted the computer as usual, opened Outlook, found out IT had pushed down an update overnight -- okay, fine. Answered one e-mail. Wrote an answer to another (luckily it wasn't a long answer, or a critical one), hit send, and Outlook blew up. Closed it, rebooted, Outlook closed itself. Lather, rinse, repeat. Called IT Support, checking e-mails on the Blackberry in the meantime. Got a very nice lady in our new heartland office who seemed to know her stuff, but my desktop unit just wasn't cooperating. Spent most of the day, on and off, letting her remote to my computer while I did other stuff. She finally admitted defeat around 2pm and turned it over to deskside support. One of those guys came by later and told me it looked like he would have to build me a new machine because mine had somehow screwed itself up. (They'd gotten me back into Outlook but there are a couple of add-on programs that just refused to run right.) So tomorrow morning, I get to log in as an anonymous user while the tech finishes configuring my new machine. All of which kind of blew the day for me, y'know?

In other news, Magickmaker finally scored a spot this semester in a 100-level biology class that she needed for her major. Turns out the class is full of busywork, ugh. But we have a happy ending: the major requirements have changed and this class is no longer required. *And* there's another class in her major that's taught at the same time. So she's switching out. The new class has five required textbooks, two of which she already owned, one she can get from the library, and the other two cost a total of $30. All is sweetness and light.

[Cameraman Jenn]

Had an up and down day at work. Most of it was up then Chai dumped a huge job she promised right away on me and left work. It took me almost the rest of my night to finish. Then I was assigned cash office and furniture pad for my end of night tasks. I finish up and Zainab tells me I have the whole school supply side that I am responsible for. We got into it. Things got heated. She walked away. She came back about ten minutes later and said, "Explain to me just what is your problem here." so I did. She realized that she was not clear that I was just helping on that side and that she and Mary would help me shortly. We worked it out. All is good now. Still, I didn't get home until about ten minutes ago. I am also tired as heck.

Sarge, I hope Julie feels better soon and Ali, sorry about your work computer sudden death. Bummer.

[Krazy Kat]

I'm feeling very content today!

About 2 years ago, urged on by someone I know, I put my name on the list of my old school on Friends Reunited. I was happy to see that my best friend from those school days was also on the list. So I sent her a message, just to say hello. I wasn't thinking that it would turn into a long series of correspondence as she is now married with kids. But it would've been nice to hear from her again after so many years. I never received a reply. I also sent messages to other old school mates but they never replied either. Then one by one their names disappeared from the site and I couldn't help thinking something was amiss. These things can happen for no particular reason, and I just ignored it; better than adding fuel to a paranoid mind, I told myself.

Today I had a look on Friends Reunited and they're all back on the list again. I looked at my old friends profile and was glad to see it filled with all kinds of information, like favorite this, favorite that, hobbies etc...
As a matter of fact there's more information in her profile than I would have got through a couple of emails.
I was glad to see that she likes fish, dancing, going to the cinema, foreign holidays, music, and interestingly, she likes reading fantasy! I've no idea if she has read any Stephen Donaldson books, but it doesn't matter. I'm glad she's alright. I can now put her out of my mind - paranoia-wise!

[sgt.null]

ali - persuasion.

[aliantha]

ali - persuasion.

I've read it, but not recently. Might have to pick it up again soon.

So I got my new-to-me computer at work today. It's fine, I guess. Altho now I have to reset all the stuff I'd had set up before -- like turning off the bubble that pointlessly tells me that I've sent a document to the printer, and resetting the calendar so that the week starts on Sunday instead of Monday. Hopefully I'll fix it all up to suit me before I start to get twitchy.

Oh, and I took the cat to the vet tonight. She will need her teeth cleaned, which will cost me about $450, and she may need some extracted, which could double the price. I'm getting to the point where I'm kind of done with pets for awhile....

[lorin]

i am sorry i have been absent, the friggin mayor woke up at 4am and decided every teen in NYC should go to school. So he says to these 'kids; if you dont miss any school for one month we will give you a back pack. OH YEAH - for sure every teenage banger will make it to school at 8am every day, for sure. (as long as the back pack has proper space for their gun and weed.)


this is such bullshit.

[Cameraman Jenn]

I had a fun day. I had a great bonding experience with our LP district manager. He was in doing the monthly audit when I got to work so I went over and chatted with him for a few minutes and then told him that after I clocked in I had some questions for him on some stuff and asked how much longer he was going to be. He was only partially through the audit so I had some time. I clocked in and started my day and then the armored car guy showed up so I walked him back to the office to give him the deposits and accept the change order. I opened the safe and Chai had neglected to verify the deposit yet again. He waited while I counted and filled out the paperwork etc. and then left. Mike was in the office and asks me, "How often is the deposit not ready for Garda? I said,"Oh it's usually ready, this rarely happens." He told me that it was supposed to be a point loss and would have been caught if he had gotten to the safe audit portion of his visit already. He didn't knock the points off. He also informed me that for every minute the money transfer guy waited past a certain allotment of time cost us fifteen dollars a minute. I had no idea. I took Chai aside later and told her what had gone on and that she needs to be sure to verify the deposit before she does anything else after clocking in. Anyway, since I was already in the office I pulled out my binders that I am now in charge of and asked Mike some questions about how they are supposed to be done and what is his preference. He explained in detail and helped me print out modified forms that are easier for him to use than the ones we were using and gave me some other advice on things that are not mandatory but he likes to see as far as particular labels etc. So while I was organizing things to his specs he continued the audit and was mumbling and I asked what was wrong and he started complaining about how awful the filing was at my store and listed a few other pet peeves of things he can't dock but would if he could. I asked him how he would like things done to make it easiest on him and he told me some incredibly simple cures for all his complaints. I am going to have it all perfect by the next time he rolls through and I'm gonna make everyone comply. A happy LP guy is much more likely to give leeway than one that is frustrated. Later on my boss told me that Mike was telling her how much he appreciated and liked my attitude. I think he was just glad that someone was actually genuinely glad to see him and wanting to work with him to fix things voluntarily rather than being held under the gun.

The rest of the day was pretty smooth and then on my way home my station agent boyfriend slid me another pass for tomorrow and told me he missed me yesterday because our conversations are the high point of his day, very sweet. I explained that Mary had given me a lift home because we got out so late. We chatted for a bit and now I am ready for some down time before I have to get up and do it all over again tomorrow.

[Menolly]

I just won a pair of tickets to today's Gator game!
Hyperception is working, so Beorn is off with me to see his first game in The Swamp.
Go GATORS!!

[sgt.null]

congrats menolly!

going to mil's house later. julie is making fried chicken and mashed potatoes for the two of them. i am getting baked bbq chicken and veggies.

[Cameraman Jenn]

I was a bit insensitive to a friend today. I was busy working on revamping the entire cash office filing system to the LP managers preferences when mine and Sorus's exboss dropped by for a surprise visit. In restrospect I realize he gave me several hints that he was having a very bad day and needed some attention and sympathy and I flubbed it. I was so in the zone because it isn't often that I get two other managers on duty who are willing to free me for total concentration on a project. Anyway we yammered a bit and I was distracted because I was seriously trying to get my project done. He hesitantly said he needed to let me get back to work and I said ok, still not registering his needs. Then as he went to leave he hugged me and sort of paused and then said something irrelevant and told me he really should let me get back to work again while still pausing then said another something irrelevant and then said he was having one of the worst days. I immediately realized my error and told him, "Do you want to talk about it? Come back in the office, seriously." and he said, "No, you need to get back to work, my bad day will be ok." and I again said, "Really, if you want to talk we can." and he said he had to go. I told him I had tomorrow off and would call him and he half assed protested that I didn't have to but I will.

I feel like an ass.

[aliantha]

Jenn -- meh. He correctly interpreted that you were busy, so he bowed out. Sounds like you handled it fine. If we were all available to our troubled friends 24/7, none of us would ever get anything done.

Had a good day yesterday. Went to an art fair with a good friend and her sister, who was visiting. Then dinner at my friend's house with the friend, the sister, and their mom, who turned 80 this week.

[Cameraman Jenn]

Yesterday, I got in some beach time with Bloodguard Bob, Heatherly and the dogs. You guys know how much I love to kick it at the beach and just veg. BGB was reading the gap series for the first time, he is on "A Dark and Hungry God Arises" and I was reading some SRD too and so he came up in conversation and we were giving Heatherly some grief over whether or not she's ever going to read any more of the chrons. She said no. So BGB and I pieced together a synopsis of the entire first and second chrons for her. I think when I have some down time I will read them all again and take Jenn style cliff notes and put together a synopsis of each book for her entertainment which will probably be more accurate than the one she got and if I feel even more inspired I might even post it here. Today I worked and I am tired but I can never sleep when I get home from work. I have to have some unwind time. Ah well, I have tomorrow off so I'll sleep in late, then I am closing the rest of the week. Uggers.

[duchess of malfi]

At temporary wit's end tonight.

Went to the endocrinologist this afternoon. Grave's Disease/thyroid problems are under control. But based on other symptoms (like the weird rash I have had at my hairline and going across both cheeks that I have had on my face for a few years now and the improved but continuing fatigue and the daily pain) she wants me to go to my regular doctor and be tested for another autoimmune disease called lupus.

So the Grave's Disease and the chronic obstructive sleep apnea aren't enough???

I am so freaking sick of being freaking sick!!! And so tired of being...tired.

I feel like tearing off my nightgown and go running naked screaming through the woods in the dark of night to get some of the tension and anger out of my system. (Won't though - with my luck I would be bitten by a mosquito carrying West Nile AND I would step into a yellow jacket nest. )

I know I will be OK and accept the possibility of having yet another chronic fatigue causing disease in another day or so. And I will have the tests done at my next GP appointment in early November. But tonight I am at temporary wit's end.

[Loredoctor]

I start my senior position tomorrow.

[Avatar]

That sucks Duchess.

Congrats Lore. Have fun.

--A

[aliantha]

Hugs to Duchess:

And congrats to Lore!

[Cameraman Jenn]

I'm tired and I don't feel like hauling my ass in to work. I need to figure out getting a storage unit and starting to pack up my shit. Not looking forward to that either. I'm kinda in a whiny mood and it's drizzly and dreary out which probably isn't helping matters. My battery is dying on my scooter so I have to get another battery pack which is about seventy bucks. I have twenty four dollars to live off of until friday and thirteen of it is already spent on commuting. I'll be glad when I am sharing rent costs so I can put some money aside. And on the plus side of things, I have a bunch of yummy leftover chinese food to snack on for the next two days and even though the cable company said they were gonna shut off my internet on Monday because I am behind on my bill, I still have internet so that's good.

Sorry about your health issues Duchess, that totally sucks.
Congrats Lore, that's awesome!

EVERYONE GO VOTE FOR THE BEST ENTRY IN THE "WIN WAYFRIEND'S MONEY" THREAD! WE NEED VOTERS!
To make it easy for you guys, here's a link to the thread and contest. You have to page back a bit for the entries.
kevinswatch.ihugny.com/phpBB2/viewtopic ... start=1140

[Menolly]

Will be casting my votes directly...

~*~edit~*~

For those who have not been following Win Wayfriend's Money, here is a direct link to the description of the current contest. The entries (and commentary) then follow...

The Test of the Ascent