HAPPY NEW YEAR

Almost Happy New Year....

...just a couple hours left in 2007. May each of you have a wonderful and successful 2008 and may it be all you wish and more.

A start on 2008 goals...

I sent out a challenge to all my buddies to blog about their goals for 2008 so it's time I started on mine. I've actually spent the biggest part of today working on one of mine which is to get rid of all the boxes stacked in the corner of my dining room. Yes, I've been living here since June of 2006, and there were still about 15 boxes stacked in the corner of the dining room (that count doesn't include the four of scrap supplies stacked on or beside the bakers rack.

So anyway, I can now say the 15 boxes are no more (ahead of schedule--yeah for me). To be honest, I wasn't even sure what was in all the boxes and figured I'd actually be moving them to the storage closet on the patio (hey, they would be out of the dining room!). I found several boxes of books (so maybe I don't have boxes of books in storage being ruined-yeah), cds and videos along with some miscellaneous kitchen things. I made a trek to Target to pick up an inexpensive bookcase (twenty bucks and it's not bad looking) for all the books. There isn't a lot of room in my tiny place since I have quite a bit of furniture but the bookcase works in the corner where the boxes were stacked!

Goal: go through boxes in dining room and disburse items to permanent place or purge them. (Done!)

Goal: continue to go through items in apartment to find them a permanent home or purge them

Goal: go through items in storage unit and find them a permanent home among my things or purge them.

Goal: go through my closets and purge clothing I do not or cannot wear (send items in good condition to charity---Tim, you may be getting a call for a pick up!)

Goal: go through and sort scrap supplies so I know what I have so I can use them. Purge any that I feel are no longer my style or that I will not use (any suggestions are greatly appreciated on what to do with them because I know I have stuff in good, useable condition).

Goal: Cook more meals and eat at home. Also, eat healthier.

Goal: Either go to the gym and workout or at the very least walk on a regular basis.

Goal: save some money instead of spending every nickel I get!

I think that's a decent start for now. It's time for me to get back to picking up around here for the night.

Super Duper LAZY...

That pretty well describes me of late. I do admit to getting out the day after Christmas--yes, I'm nuts. Had lunch with Robin and shopped for calendars at Bookstop. On the way home I stopped by some friends and we played board games till nearly 10p--so much fun. Thursday I went in to the office but only stayed a short while--the wax fumes and lack of heat were a bit too much. Since then I've done pretty much nothing--I'm blaming it on the wax fumes.

So much for my grand ideas to get my place overhauled. I can say for certain I hardly lifted a finger to do anything. Now I still have four days before reality returns but I'm thinking I really don't want to spend that time homebound, cleaning. Chalk it up to my mother who was always up for getting out and doing stuff rather than sitting at home. And suddenly I have lots of ideas of how to spend the last few precious days of freedom---see a movie or two, go to the museum, check out some of my old haunts. No telling what I'll get into before Wednesday!

On a side note: flipping channels last night I came across a political debate on one of the cspan stations. This is not something I would normally watch but this was a debate between the 'lesser known candidates'...read: people who don't have a shot in hell at ever being elected dog catcher, much less president. So with it being a trainwreck, I couldn't help but watch. Where the hell did these inbreds come from? I was really intrigued by one of them so naturally, I googled him...Michael Skok.....it's apparent from looking at this guy he has some sort of medical issue going on and I don't want to make fun of someone for such a thing BUT...check out this guys site and read some of his discourse...I could only laugh at it. There's one part where he lists 'updates' of his days...now you would think someone running for a major office would be writing about various issues but not this guy--he basically writes that he has nothing to write! He's nearly 60 and lives with his mom and talks about his few friends which mainly consists of neighbors. I'm telling ya, it was like a trainwreck and I just couldn't look away. Good for a laugh. Bored?? Goggle the guy and read his stuff...oh and be certain to check out the pictures! LOL

Happy Christmas Eve....

The View from Room 1104....

Favorite Shot...

I love how I managed to catch the candy canes in mid air. What a once in a lifetime shot!

Sleigh BelLS Ring....

Priceless moments...

I'll never be able to listen to the particular song performed during this portion again without at least giggling because of something Richard told me later that night after the show.

An Oak Ridge Christmas

I had the great fortune again this year to see the Oaks' Christmas show. Although somewhat altered because it was at a casino, it was still wonderful. There's no one that can sing "I'll Be Home For Christmas" like Richard Sterban. Unfortunately due to being a casino show it required a shorter show so it had to be cut down and we missed out on Jimmy singing "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" and the most important missing piece was "Silent Night".

Back from the Bayou...

I have returned from two restful, entertaining, amusing days in bayou country. As with any trip there were ups and downs but the important thing is that it was more up than down. Once I get unpacked and settled I'll share some of the details and possibly a picture or two.

On another note, Kudos to Carol. I see where she has started her 'goals for 2008'. I'll be working on and sharing some of mine in the coming days.

Busy, busy....

Must have stayed up too late last night (I'm getting old) cause I ended up sleeping in till about 9 this morning---so much for an early start! But....it has been a somewhat productive morning/mid-day. So far I've managed to get in a couple hours work at the office (could have easily done much more but stopped myself before getting lost in files--that would have been an all afternoon ordeal), had the oil changed, dropped by the post office to mail a couple of packages and college mail, ran by the liquor store to pick up a gift, a stop at the dollar store for cat food because I forgot to get it last night at Walmart and grabbed my dry cleaning on the way home. Now I just need to run out to Vicki's to pick up something then back home to clean out my car and do laundry, oh and pack. If I get going I can get the outside part done within an hour or so and have the rest of the afternoon/evening to do the laundry, pack and maybe even play a bit. Let's see how far I get!

Holiday Break: Day Four

Had lunch with a colleague/friend who as a surprise brought along one of his coworkers who is also a colleague/friend. It was a wonderful surprise.

Almost hard to believe it's Tuesday. The days are flying (as I knew they would). I am sitting in a sea of paper trying to get in gear to finish up some gifts tonight. I think it might happen--as long as I actually get away from the computer and work on them. First though I'll need to make yet another run to Walmart since my printer is now out of colored ink. Maybe once I get the gifts finished I can do something fun for me.

Tomorrow will be busy with errands--pick up dry cleaning, get the oil changed, clean out/up the car, post office--ugh and pack. Thursday morning it's adios Texas, hello Lake Charles.

Holiday Break: Day Three

No progress at home but I did manage to finally get clothes to the cleaners. After that I made a run to Petsmart for cat food then stopped by Kohls for new tennis shoes. I also made a stop by the new Whole Foods in Sugar Land and picked up a few things. Back home I enjoyed some couch tim. Maybe tomorrow I can get motivated to do a bit more.

Willy

just because...

Quilt Show Pictures.....finally....

Holiday Break: Day Two

Despite the dead heat gun and not finding the stamp I wanted, I made trading cards this morning and went to Book Club this afternoon. I've only glanced through the book briefly but nothing really caught my eye. Not sure how I feel about this kit-maybe it'll grow on me.

Surprisingly I came straight home after Book Club. No stop for a newspaper, no stop for dinner; just straight home. So far I've managed to find my dining table (now all the scrap stuff is scattered in the spare bedroom as usual), take out the trash, vacuum the living room and hallway (which the cat hated) and fixed a little dinner (nothing exciting, just some chicken on the George Foreman and some pasta salad--more easy than anything and it meant I didn't spend any money). Oh, and I've scheduled some bill payments--isn't the internet great.

I need to finish just a few Christmas cards (I finally found my stamps this morning) and work on a few other projects. If only I can motivate myself to do so without making a huge mess on the dining table again (since I still can't see the top of my drafting table).

Hoping for a divine revelation...

I have been looking for a few things in my spare bedroom/scrapbook room since yesterday and have yet to locate them. I was hoping for a divine revelation while I slept so that when I woke I would either remember where I put what I'm looking for or would find it upon walking in the room. No such luck. And the heat gun is definitely dead, dead, dead....it met the trash can this morning.

Lazy, lazy, lazy....but in a good way....

So by noon I had dishes washed and some laundry done and Christmas cards started. And that's about where it ended. Sometime after that I lost my mojo...it might have been when I could not find my postage stamps--still haven't located them and I just had them the other day. I did manage to fix some lunch around two or so....watched a couple of holiday movies and decided I don't like watching holiday movies....read some....played on the computer and basically did nothing the rest of the day but I'm not complaining (though some may think I am). I rarely take days to do nothing....I usually think of something I feel I need to do and end up turning a short errand into a half day or more affair running the roads somewhere. But not today. The only thing I regret is that I didn't actually take a nap!

On another note, my heat gun died when I was trying to emboss my trading cards for book club...grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Holiday Break: Day One

How wonderful it was to sleep in this morning even though I did wake around 6ish and had to remind myself it's Saturday and that I could sleep in. Willy crawled in bed and stretched out beside me (yes, he stretches out) around 8ish. Lately he wants to lie right beside me on the edge of the bed after which he'll proceed to either place a paw on my hand or rest his head on my hand-goofy cat.

After a few strange dreams, I decided to open my eyes and finally crawl out of bed around 9:30. I grabbed a quick Whataburger breakfast (I am addicted to the honey butter chicken biscuits) then started the dish washer and laundry. Not sure what got into me but so far I've managed to fold an overflowing basket of clothes that have been sitting on the dryer for heaven knows how long, do two loads of laundry and I've even started my Christmas cards. And it's not even noon!

The thought crossed my mind that maybe I should keep track of the things I manage to get done over break so at the end I'm not looking back wondering how the hell I wasted two and a half weeks. And I have quite a list of things I want and need to get done. Seems I'm off to a decent start--I just have to keep it up!

Color Changes...

....yes, I've obviously been screwing with the templates and colors. Here's what I've decided on at the moment. Leave me a message and let me know what you think. Basically if enough people have trouble reading it and hate it, I'll change it to something else....

Break...

Winter Break aka Christmas Break (trying to be PC) is here. The first part of the week seemed to drag by and today flew. So many things don't hit till the last day and it makes for a hectic day. We spent a good part of today just laughing while trying to cram some work in between. Grades were finally run about five-thirtyish so then we could begin to run our processes. Our wonderful computer system kinda does it's own thing so we have to run one program multiple times and even then we may not get the desired results. On top of that our reports did not run correctly the first time so about sevenish we were handed new reports where the number of students had tripled. Everyone else had been gone since 4p but bossman and I along with our programmer were there till 8pm. I would like to say it's all done but unfortunately it isn't. I'll go in a couple of times between now and the first of the year to do the final clean up and run a few things in the hopes we won't be too overwhelmed when we return. Heck, I might even go in tomorrow. The nice thing is I can go in at my leisure with no interruptions.

Despite a little work, I'll have the biggest part of two and a half weeks to do whatever I want. (Although I have plenty of work to do at home.) My first project is to finish a few gifts and get cards made and in the mail (maybe this weekend since the weather is supposed to be crappy). After that I have got to get some things done around my place. Fit in a quick roadtrip to Louisiana and maybe one to San Antonio and break will be over and it will be January before you know it.

Unfulfilled goals....

I had plenty on my 'to do' list today but accomplished little...very little. Let's see....one load of laundry.....a trip to the Village for paper....a fruitless trip by Target for printer ink--have to run by Walmart tomorrow in hopes of getting that....a picture cd made instead of loading camera software (but at least now I can access the pictures in my camera!)....four pictures printed...an idea for Christmas cards (we'll see if that works out)...zero gifts made--gonna be a very busy week!....gift acquired for Tuesday night party....and here it is after 9pm already....no wonder I'm yawning....

Decorate

Tree went up on Thanksgiving....

Goals...

I've got a lot of goals for today....get some Christmas gifts made (though it looks as though that will require a run to the Village), get my gift 'together' for a Christmas party and Chinese gift exchange Tuesday night (lots of ideas there when initially there were none), get my apartment picked up (a thorough cleaning will take longer than I have left in this weekend but next weekend and week is another story), get some pictures printed, try to finally load that camera software so I can download pictures from the camera, finish laundry, pay some bills (yuck), get Christmas cards made, work on book club, work on trading cards......so much more than I'll be able to cram into just today. Maybe even try to post a little more before bed.....oh and did I mention I slept until nearly 10am and it's already after 11a?

Sissy's home!!!

My sweet, little orphan kitty is back. This morning when running out to pick up something to eat I heard a faint mewing that seemed to be coming from the patio downstairs. When I would call her name it would get a little louder and last a little longer. At that point I figured out that she must be trapped in the neighbor's patio storage closet. I last saw her Wednesday when I was home for lunch and when painters were starting to do trim work on this building. She must have run for cover in the storage unit when they were painting the door and trim and got shut in when they finished. Poor little thing has been in there since Wednesday.

It was before 9a and I didn't want to disturb the neighbor but fortunately her kitchen window was up and I could tell from the sounds someone was up. I knocked on the door and apologized for disturbing her and told of the dilemma. She agreed that was a likely occurrance and checked the storage unit. Sure enough, Sissy came bolting out. It took her a few minutes to get her bearings but once she did, she was more than happy to come bounding up the stairs for some fresh water and something to eat. She's back to being hesitant about coming inside but considering her ordeal I'm just happy she's not reverted back completely to being so totally skiddish. Given a day or two and I may be able to start coaxing her back in--Willy will just have to deal with it!