radio name/drive/the cloud

So, I thought I had a good name. Spunky! Until M pointed out that in Britain it's a term for Sea Men. (say it out loud). OK, maybe not.

Not going to do the drive. I need to focus on my job search. And it was getting too tight in terms of timing. And I'm obsessing about my tire balancing (silly me).

Right now listening to keynote for saleforce.com's conference Dreamscape. It's free online. And learning about the Cloud and using social media / social enterprise. Trying to get up to speed with the world. There are a bunch of things for free, like this. Very very interesting. It's kind of a big commercial, but that's ok. Not sure I need to be there in person, but I'll see.

Life moves along!

Gloria, Irene

Reading about Irene made me remember my experience with Gloria. Back in 1985 I think? I was at school, and working as a resident counselor for my university. So, being in charge (with others) we had to keep everyone calm. Pft. Wasn't an issue. The worst thing that happened was that one of the drunk freshmen graffitied the wall with GLORIA on it. I can't quite remember if we ever figured out who did it. It was pretty exciting though looking out at the wind/rain from my room on the 4th floor!

OK, well, that was a lame story.

My poor family is in Maine right now in a cabin on a lake with no power, which means no water too. Let's see, they have 8 people in this cabin. Yes, it could be worse. They are able to use lake water to flush the toilet, and have borrowed coolers for keeping stuff cold. And it's sunny now. So I think everyone is ok. The general store has a bacon and egg sandwich for my mom, and apparently they are giving away free coffee for those without power. That's nice.

So, should I drive up to Seattle for a week? I'm still waffling. I'm going to Tuolumne Sept 10/11 so I have to be back by Sept. 8 to keep myself sane. And I can't leave until Wed after class (9:00 pm). Sigh. I don't know what to do.

OH. The Stuffed and Unstrung was really cool. It was so interesting to see how the muppets are coordinated, and it was improv, so it was damn funny because they were good comics too. I had gone with someone I knew from my old job back east who now lives nearby. She and her husband. Both great people, and we went out for wine and cheese afterwards. So nice to have a night on the town...

Back to my day.

Battan down the hatches

Hope everyone in the northeast stays safe! Billy wants to rest easy.

Chakra

Kahn... Or maybe not.

Went to a networking meeting yesterday morning, and it's the first one I didn't like. In part because it was all this woo hah about seven levels of energy and how most people live at level 1 and 2 and there are all these amazing levels above that that you can strive for and should strive for. Unfortunately, due to my frame of mind, the only thing I heard was that I am stuck at level 1 and 2. (I won't take all the blame - the focus on the presentation was much too much on where everyone is rather than how to get to the next level. And there was a not so great mock interview - I mean, anyone who is interviewing and ends their sentences like they are questions will not get a job? I really believe that? ugh)

So, I've learned I'm stuck at level 1/2 and I leave early because I have a conference call I need to take part in, but I stop in the ladies room. And I hear a name that I recognize, and think I've done an informational interview with her. So, after a little 'what should I do' I go up to her because I think it's the right thing to do. The thing is, it's the wrong thing to do if you aren't sure if you've really spoken with her and you expect her to remember your name to verify it. Talk about awkward and confusing. And me ending before I leave with 'I'm sorry'. Oh lord.

Add it my list of 'what I do wrong'. Which also contains being insecure when I met with someone last week, someone who's dynamic and intelligent and I would like to get to know, but I'm stuck in insecure. And another contact who I had thought I contacted for further information but when I asked him about it the last time I saw him (monthly networking meeting that he organizes) he didn't know it, and it turns out I hadn't sent him and email and I couldn't find my notes about what I wanted. It's shoot myself in the foot time. I was ok for a while, but now I'm stuck in the 'I'm a dime a dozen' and 'Am I really all that good an employee?'. I've learned all the things I've done personally that aren't up to snuff, and second guessing my employment.

I will give myself credit that I pulled myself together enough yesterday to do a fairly successful meeting with someone at UC Berkeley. And I stopped by another place on the way back to my car to leave a card for someone I had had dealings with in another job life. And I am getting my hair cut today, which is long overdue and it's been dragging me down for a while.

Poo poo poo me. Vomit here, and hopefully it'll get better. It leads me along a better track, and lets me know what I'm doing to make it better even if I don't think I'm doing anything. Rah rah. Off I go!

What does this picture tell you?

Choose one:

1) I was abducted by aliens and I escaped, but as I was escaping my lower leg and foot got left behind in the other world
2) The Caribbean grew some really great mountains and I went sunbathing.
3) The extreme heat of the tropics was reduced by sticking my foot in the water.
4) I worked really hard climbing so took a break afterwards to hang out by the water.
5) I went to go climb a climb, but right before climbing up to the bottom of the first pitch, I stepped on a rock that rolled and my ankle did not like it. I tried to ignore it, but ask I climbed up to the bottom of the pitch, I remembered the book I had read on the way to the mountains, which said how people get hurt - they ignore things when they shouldn't have. They weren't careful enough. So, I asked M if it was ok if we didn't climb. So we went down and I put my foot in the icy water to as the "I" in R-I-C-E.

Hmm... wonder which one it is??

Gotta read this one slowly

Quotes from The Autograph Man, by Zadie Smith

"Instead of his life being shaped like a funnel, though which things passed and maybe refined themselves, it was more like--what do you call those things? Stress balls? Made all out elastic bands and each day you add another elastic band? Tighter. Bigger. More involved. That's how it was for him. And that's how he imagined the life of a Catholic, anyway." (p 53-54)

"Sometime Alex thought that if you got all the part-time mature students in the world and laid them head to tow around the line of the equator strapped down in some way they couldn't move, that would be a good thing. Ditto anyone in night class." (p 74)

That second one is best in context, but still might be good if you read it like this.
BTW, this is the woman who wrote The White Teeth.

I want I want I want

So, do you think that everyone puts the same shoe on first? The same pant leg? Just wondering that this morning as I put my shoes on.

Am I the only one who wakes up and the brain thinks of all the things that haven't been done, yet to do, in the future activities, things left unsaid from the day, week before... It's a helluva way to start the day. I think I need meditation.

I'm trying to figure out a plan/time to do a trip up to Oregon/Washington.
- I had wanted to go and take part in my friends' visit to the Oregon coast, but that really didn't work. I want to take a semi-leisurely time driving...
- I also was invited to go to Tuolumne for labor day weekend to spend time with my climbing friend and his family and other families, each with 2 kids. I want to go because I want to not climb at least one day I'm there - and spend it in Tenaya Lake swimming etc. But being the odd woman out...I don't always want to do that.
- I want to see my nephew in Seattle but his classes start Aug 27 and he won't be there labor day weekend.
- I want to take part in a networking thing next Thursday in part because a woman I had met through another one invited me to go, and I like her.
- I want to go see Stuffed and Unstrung with Brian Henson (muppets!), which is only open to Aug. 27.
- I want/need to do a networking call Monday August 29.

Hmmm... I think that's the list. Likely there's something more. Juggling all this is one/many of the things that's on my mind. I want to clear it out!

Blue

Am I blue like the pollen? Not really, though a tad down in the dumps from job searching (I will spare you the photo of one of my dumps). I'll get over it I'm sure, but it just sucks up sooo much time, I can't even enjoy the free time I have from not working full time! :-) Yeah, there are worse things in life.

So, Friday was my birthday. I had an idea about what I wanted to do, but instead M and I met up with some friends of his from NY who were in Sausalito for a few days. It was such a close second as to not almost even be a second. They treated me like a birthday girl - drinks on the water watching the fog and the sailboats and dinner on the water also with great great food. M got lucky that they were in town.

Saturday he spent with them and I did what I had wanted to do. Less time than I wanted because I was doing job stuff, but I did go shopping for nice smelly lotions. And didn't buy anything because they are having a sale as of today so I can get more for my money. Alas... I did buy a top that I'm not sure I'll keep. But anyway, later I went out and bought myself dinner at a grocery store (sushi and watermelon slices) and went to see the last Harry Potter.

At the movie, I was #2 in the theater. I had brought my book and planned on reading it. I was of course in the best seat. Two more people showed up, remarked that I had the best seat and sat behind me. One was a male teen, and promptly put his foot up against my seat. It is one of the things that realllly bugs me in a movie. Alas, instead of just moving, I said 'really??" and got up and moved. He apologized, but I figured being in the seat over would save my sanity.

Then more people showed up and of course many wanted the best seats (in the first row it the balcony so you can put your feet on the railing). One guy was a little obnoxious and so when he asked me if I was saving the seat to my right, I said yes (I felt entitled because of my birthday, but twinge of guilt). Later as it was more and more crowded, single people kept asking me if I was saving it. Twinges of guilt each time. Finally, a guy in a wheelchair came to sit in the seats in front of me. His wife was there, and a younger person. Since there are only two seats there (and he sat in one) the younger woman went to a single seat down the row from me. So, finally, I got up and told her the person I was waiting for likely wasn't coming, so she could have the seat. She at first said no thanks but then a minute or two later she came over. She was really nice and we both enjoyed the movie. Such a geek though - her comment at the end was how one phrase was slightly different than it was in the book. :-)

OK, I spent several hours today applying for a job and now must work. I will visit first though...

The visit

My visit to NJ.

It was a whirlwind of

- fixing up my sister's spare room that had an old kitchen in it to hold the furniture for my niece who was getting her own room.

- packing stuff in my mom's house

- and selling/giving away goods we didn't want.

I already wrote about the people I met with the giveaways/sells. I guess I am really good at it. My family was quite impressed. Lots of stuff in one week.

My nieces were at their dad's most of the time, but I did sleep the first night with my goddaughter, and we both woke up at the same time so we had 5-10 minutes of hanging out just us two. Which was wonderful. She's 10.

My siblings and I did some looking through things and allocated between us. My one brother exclaimed several times, jokingly, "but she's not dead yet!" I am sure I took way more than I should - I flew Southwest so had free luggage. One of my bags was 50 lbs and one 30 lbs on the way back.

And finally, last but not least, I got to see my mom. What a difference a couple months makes! She looked great. She has gained weight, and is overall happy I think. On the last day I rounded the corner to visit her, and there on the porch she was, rocking in the rocking chair as content as can be. "I like the breeze." All the workers say how nice and sweet she is. And she is. It's funny though, we were walking back to her room and some guy says hello. After he left she looked at me and says 'everyone says hello here' with this semi puzzled/suspicious look on her face. Kind of hard to describe, but a very mom expression.

I am so grateful she has the money to stay in a decent place. Me, I'll be out on the street in 40 years.

Staying the course

Oh, I have so much to catch up on... I miss you all! And miss puking out my life here. :-)

But a metaphor. Perhaps.

Did this traverse this past weekend. 3 pitches of it. Glorious glorious climb.


- On a traverse, you must not only move forward and protect yourself, but be sure to place enough gear to protect your follower.
- You are going horizontally, but some sections are way harder than others. You have to move forward though. And it's so satisfying when you are successful.
- You can't complete it without your partner. (unless of course you free solo, but that's another story).
- You get bonus points for stylin'

Snapshots of Giveaways

Portraits of giveaways/sells
- Freezer: after many many calls and no shows, Frankie came through. Showed up with his friend and his miniature dog. He comes to NJ every single weekend from Massachusetts to play minor league baseball. He took the freezer and metal cabinets and a few other things-stag head shot glasses for one. Said he'd find someone for the couches.
- Toaster, rug, asian style framed prints: Shani drove for over an hour to show up. Older hippie who takes care of an old man (along with two others) and lives at his place. Needs a feminine touch. Starting a solar farm. Took a bunch of minor things and tried to take the very worn outdoor bench but she couldn't open the back hatch and so couldn't get it in. Said she would come back for it, but came to her senses and didn't come.
- Washer: Michelle shows up with a guy. Goes to look at him, hemming and hawing. Guy says it's a great deal and in great shape. She's not sure if it's big enough. I told her there was no bargaining because it was a great price. She puts $50 deposit on it. Later that day she calls and says her brother got her a washer, so could she have her deposit back. I didn't care so gave it back. Next day got a call from a guy wanting it. It had been moved to my sister's. He comes by in his Prius to look. Decides he wants it and will put in in his Prius. It managed to fit, mostly (I have a photo). While he's still working with the hatch I ask him for the money. He hands me a wad of 20's and I count. Only $100. "Oh, I looked at so many I wasn't sure what the price of this one was." My brother looks at me and rolls his eyes. I got the $20.
- Old motor: Sold for $90 - guy lives in Connecticut and had his friend come by and get it. Later we found the manual. I took it home just in case.
- Couches: Many inquiries but noone really did anything. But Frankie came through!!! He sent his cousin. On the appointed day I get a call from Frankie asking if I would meet his cousin at the exit off the highway because he doesn't have GPS. Sure, why not. I go there, and no cousin. I didn't know the exit number and Frankie keeps talking about exit numbers. Back and forth with Frankie even though the cousin had my number. Drove to the GSP northbound, got off the exit number he said and ended up exactly where I was and no cousin. Finally Frankie gets the cousin to pick up my call, and he had gone left and not right off the freeway. So, half an hour later he's following me to my mom's. Turns out he's a really sweet simple guy and had brought his girlfriend along. He's so excited by the couches and so I start showing him stuff to see if he wants it. All of these random things and he takes every single one almost. Including a box of old frames that had a few moldy ones, and the tape deck from the stereo that didn't work and lots and lots more. He refinishes stuff, has yard sales, etc etc. Goes dumpster diving to find stuff. He was the savior who took a lot of lot of stuff.