Wednesday, August 5, 2009

A few weeks pass...

I don't remember what-all's been going on? I managed to seal off the roof around the vents, I think. We'll see.

I started a new class, and the first week has been 'internet hell' - had to download some massive programs (SQL stuff, which I know nothing about) and it didn't go well. I'm still not sure if I have it all functioning, but the last round of downloading took me about 6 hours... another 3 a.m. night, even though I started late afternoon (I said 'the last round took about 6 hours' - previous attempts failed).

So, yes, classes started last Wednesday "at 12 p.m.". Now we all know I'm nothing but logical, and in my world, 12 p.m. follows 11 p.m., and my class was scheduled for 8 p.m., therefore it meant we didn't have seminar last week. Of course, in the screwy 'real world', some durn fool thought it'd be great if we counted "9 p.m., 10 p.m, 11 p.m., 12... a.m. 1 a.m..." Idiot! Logically, the proper breaker would be "11 p.m., 12 p.m. - 1 a.m., do it again".

So my logic was in perfect working order and I missed the first seminar. 'Par for the course' so to speak.

I managed to whack off a huge chunk of printing, then my Olde Faithful printer sputtered. I haven't figured it out yet, the flashing lights indicate "professional service required" and no clues on the internet on what this particular sequence (green - orange - green - orange, continual) means. I know what the other coded flashing sequences mean and how to deal with most of them, but this one seems to be a whole lot more iffy. Sigh. We'll see.

(I even downloaded a service manual for $10, but I don't understand it.)

Luckily I had the gifted laser jet, hmm? It got me through the printing I needed... then sputtered. I don't know this machine at all, and certainly not intimately! At least my Canon I've seen the guts of. I previously downloaded the user's manual for this newbie, but it's the size of a small book. Sigh. We'll see.

Same time the Canon choked, the hamster died. I don't think there's a connection, but I did have Val in tears for a bit. She switched from tears to wondering if she could now get a ferret, in that we did give away the guinea pigs so she can find her room again - it had a barn-y smell about it often enough, wood chips strewn around, and the mice were finding her room a wonderful source of easy feeding. (Suffice it to say she's no neat-nik. - sigh.) Answer to the ferret: NO.

I did spend Saturday with my supervisor on observation, and the strangest thing -- it went well? So, skeptical that I may be, I did "EFT" my defensive attitude (www.emofree.com) and figured it was only 6 hours. That it went well was a pleasant surprise.

Oh, that reminds me - I didn't fill out my notes or set up transmission yet for today... I wonder if I skip it if someone in Kansas Regional Office will have alarms going off... probably. Best just spend the half-hour or so on it and keep the peace.

Peace, hmm? I pressed some new buttons for the peace group this morning, one of the last printing jobs before LJ printer sputtered. "Peace is a Cosmic Concept." I now have a new link to explore one day when I have time - 'A Course in Cosmic Consciousness' at http://www.hscti.com/coscons/ - I found it when I searched to make sure I was spelling 'consciousness' right, as in "Peace is a Higher Consciousness". Well, that seems true, in that Peace in this consciousness seems not-yet-evolved. 'Par for the course'... as I was driving to deliver the buttons, "Gimme Shelter" was on the radio. Which generation was that?

And had the slightly unusual, in that a freecycle post was for garden plants (and rocks and deck boards). The owners are moving rapidly because of employment and their realtor told them to plow their garden under and plant grass -- what a sick realtor! We saved tomatoes and peas and chives and flowers and raspberries and more from being tilled under. I did use Matt's truck to fetch home the deck boards & rocks, and while I was at it, tossed on a 7-foot tall, 8-foot wide A-frame 'arbor'. They had pole beans previously on it, and I thought it'd be cool to grow grapes up it. As soon as I get some grapes. But I have an arbor.

And I also have a pretty good-sized pile of dirt outside my room where I poured some concete to put the free-standing entrance that will eventually be built from leftover Menard's pallets (the ones Pete donated last fall / winter) and the door that will be a window. What's odd is that I have not yet saw-zalled the front steps off the house.

Val wants to redo her room, and I'm insisting we tear out the old ceiling since it's shot. I have the insulation to replace the old, and there's no sense in painting over 'the old ugly' - ugly as in damaged. She wants me to take out her closet - it's not a supporting wall and would make the room bigger for living in. I'm okay with that, but the electric panel is in 'the short wall'. She thinks I should just move it, but --- I'm not tampering with major electrical!! Enough juice in that box to run the whole house, and I'm not messing with it! Some things are best left alone, and this is one of them?

On the universal-insane side, David Long (Chicago relative, they hosted the last family reunion, nice people) took his dog out for a walk and never came home. Both of them - David and the dog - lost their lives to a hit-and-run driver. Whoever's in charge of the universe, I want them to know this is just wrong. I'm sure David's okay where he's at, but a lot of people aren't okay, especially his family. I sympathize with his wife and family. Things like this are beyond comprehension, and that's how easily Life can change in flash.

This does serve as a reminder for the rest of us to not take each other for granted. Jim, once again, give Laurie a hug 'just because' she's with you and you're glad she is! I know already you're one of the wise ones, but get all the hugs in you can while you can? Eventually, this is all that really matters, isn't it?

Now that I've served myself my own dose of humility, I can handle 'my world' a little more gently. Kind of like the other button: Peace - Be Amazing Together. I simply don't have time to fight with anyone when there's better things to do, and I think this should be true of everybody.

Hugs to all.