Sunday, December 23, 2007

Merry Christmas

Well I don't know about everyone else but I am pooped! The holidays crept up on me and it was a mad dash to get all my shopping done. Ironically, I am the girl who usually completes her Christmas shopping prior to Thanksgiving - what went wrong this year? Remodeling the bathroom [bad idea at this time of year]. New job and didn't really know how it worked. No one would tell me what they wanted.

The bathroom remodel is done but not without its problems. One, the mirror didn't work - had to move to an alternative plan. Two, the light fixture was too big and would not center over the sink - had to return and purchase another fixture. Three, the tile for the shower surround took three days to put up [three eight hour or more days]. Four, dad broke a rib falling on the ice and cannot finish working on the bathroom, so I have to pay to have the shower doors installed. I am okay with that since the doors are that clear glass and oversized.

I have a house guest for the next few days, Seamus will stay with me while mom and dad go to my sisters for Christmas. I think he thinks that Santa's given him some coal! He loves me but he doesn't like it when his mom and dad abondon him even if it's only a few days.

Winston posed for our Christmas card, then he learned the bit about being naughty or nice and became very concerned the frog would tell Santa.

Enough for now... Merry Christmas all!

Sunday, November 25, 2007

Happy Thanksgiving All

This has been a tough week! I have decided to finally renovate my bathroom, the one that I have been dreading. Everything that needed renovating / remolding has been done except the bath. So mom and I shopped all week for everything I need, this however, was not an easy task. When your bathroom is five feet by seven, it makes everything hard. My bathroom vanity can only be 25 to 27 inches wide - SMALL! The new tub will replace the old jade green horrid piece of crap. It is also 18 inches deep instead of my current 12 - long wonderful soakings here I come.

We did stop long enough to cook Thanksgiving dinner, ham, dressing, yams, potatoe salad, cranberry sauce, rolls, apple pie and ice cream. I am still full. On Friday, we went to Shawnee for some gambling.....I hope that I got my fix in since there won't be anymore of that for some time. I won the last few times but this time I lost my shirt!

Since I began my new job, I haven't be able to take any vacation days. I took this whole week off and it felt wonderful! Back to the old grind stone tomorrow.

Friday, October 19, 2007

No Boom Today

Today was rather exciting, I sat through my very first bomb threat. For two hours our building was evacuated because of a suspicous package or more correctly a strange pvc pipe abandoned at the front door of the building. It turned to be just that pvc pipe no danger. Thankfully for that and a beautiful morning my first bomb threat went rather well.

This week has been kind of tough. On Monday Winston was having troubles with his ears and had to go to the vet. I am now having to put medicine in both ears twice a day. Needless to say, I have to have help. Mom has either come over or I have taken Winston over there. He does not like it at all. Then I learn the lardass has gain more weight and now weighs 33 lbs. He too is now on a diet. He no longer gets doggie biscuits instead its carrots. Little man is not happy!

Enough for now...

Thursday, October 11, 2007

Rabbit Food Here I Come

I am back on my diet after a couple months of pure gluttony - McDonalds, Subway, Taco Bell, all have been my best freinds of late. Now, it's lettuce, cucumber, and Lein Cuisinne. On September 1, I officially made it one year without smoking and my weight is proof. I have an extra 20 to 30 lbs that have moved in on me. Early in the summer, I went to the gym walked four miles a day and dieted and got NOTHING! So now I am just dieting and hoping to make it through the weekend. I think my weight gain has also rubbed off on little man. He is so heavy now that carrying him very far isn't as easy as it should be.

Enough for now.

Wednesday, October 10, 2007

Content, Yet Pissed - Go Figure

As I sit here pondering what in the world do I want to blog about, a little beagle is outside barking his head off and I have absolutely nothing pressing or a pending project and I think life is good. The problem with the good life it can be somewhat boring.

At least we have politics to entertain us. I am somewhat unhappy with our politicians who "know" everything and yet, do nothing. I am unhappy with our President for his spineless stand on illegal immigration and his offensive statements about those of us who oppose his position are uninformed. I know there are too many undocumented people living in our country and a fence will make it harder to enter. I know that if businesses are heavily fined illegals won't be hired. I know our congress will say exactly what I want to hear and yet, vote the other way. Would someone grow a pair and do the right thing?

Enough for now..

Tuesday, October 09, 2007

Rest in Peace, Flower

Photo of Flower, super meerkat momma. I have to admit that I watched Meerkat Manner right up to the time where Shakespear got bit by a snake and I think died. I was so upset that I didn't watch the show any more. Life is cruel and I didn't want to see it. So last night, I started watching it again since nothing else was on AND FLOWER GOT KILLED BY A SNAKE. I can't believe it! I started to cry and doubt I'll ever be a able to watch it ever again. If you can handle it [I don't think I can], Meerkat Manner is a good show.

Enough for now or I'll start to cry again.

Monday, October 08, 2007

A New Leaf

Okay, here is dana attempting to be a better blogger. The problem is that I don't have much to say. Is it Tuesday? I feel a tangent coming on.

Why is Neil Boortz's Fair Tax so abhorant to Washington? Why is that we can't charge foriegn tourist taxes? Drug dealers? Illegal Aliens? Why not charge them for rescue service, hospitalization, or traffic lights? Why is it that only the employed [legally] support our government? Sales tax - if you buy anything then you pay taxes. Hard to find a loop hole in that. Hard to find an arguement but yet the congress does. Why????????????????????

Down with the IRS!

Enough for now...

Friday, October 05, 2007

Ode to Toby

My life is whizzing by and I am unable to seem to stop the train. Work has been crash course of learning one new technology after another. First streaming video, then various ways of capturing video from other websites, and finally video production for the web, I think my brain is mush!

Yesterday, I did a good thing. My boss is the ultimate rescuer of lost or abandoned pets and it is starting to rub off on her staff. When I arrived at work, my other co-worker, R, was following a little beagle around the parking lot. We managed to get a hold of the little guy and took him up to my office where we feed him crackers and some water. He was thoroughly exhausted and once I closed my door he went to sleep. I then made "Beagle Found" signs and co-worker S and I went and hung them up around the neighborhood. Finally, we went to the 7-11 about a mile away and there was a "Lost, our little beagle Toby" flyer in the window. I ran in and took the flyer off the window and called the owners. Toby's mom began to cry when I told her we had him. I am glad we were able to reunite Toby with his family but that little guy got to me in an instant. I miss Toby.

I had lunch with my old boss a week ago and learned how lucky I am that I found this new job of mine. From what I understand, the old place is not in good shape. Yippee, I am out of the weirdness.

Enough for now...me sleepy.

Saturday, September 01, 2007

Double Trouble

Photo of Winston, the super beagle, and Riley, a sweet mutt, greeting each other through a fence. Here's the latest of Winston and his girlfriend, Riley.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6S-_5ZjLHKc. This just makes me laugh! The song is freaking infectous...I have been trying to sing this stupid song for weeks. I love his butt too.

Well I am running on less sleep than usual, I am puppy sitting starting last week and all next week, and boy howdy is Seamus pissed off! He has to share the bed, and my full size bed is a far cry from mom and dad's king size. He only gets to see Winston all day and that's not cutting it! So when I get home at 6 p.m. I have both dogs needing to cuddle up as close as possible. It can be overwhelming.

Work has taken a turn to the fun, I was given the task of learning how to put streaming video on the web and accidently learned how to capture video from the TV stations as well. Capturing video from the web requires a special program and I am liking the demo right now but as I investigated further there are quite a few of these programs out there. At least, I am still getting to learn and improve my skills.

Enough for now.

Tuesday, August 07, 2007

LMAO

Winston lays on the couch, ignoring me and the camera.
I am in the process of learning what all my new camera can do and my little man, is not pleased.

Things have been rather stressed with all the work on my house, sick baby and dad's surgery - I hit bottom on Monday. The way my emotions reacted was new to me, everything was funny! My co-worker was angry over ... what else... IT and alls I could do was giggle. I keep apologizing for laughing then my boss started to laugh and then the admin. asst. I only wish I always reacted this way.

Wednesday, August 01, 2007

Life is Good Again...

Little man is better, he is running through the house screaming at anyone who get within 200 feet of the house "Get Out of My Yard!" and he's gobbling down cookies [dog biscuits] as fast as I can get them out of the box. Winston is Winston again...whew, that was scary.

Who is watching Big Brother? The annoying ones on that show this year are beyond annoying! I am amazed that there are people like that [jen, joe, amber]. I am one big bawl baby if I get mad or upset but geeze, I don't cry as easily or as often as Amber does. GET A GRIP GIRL!

I am once again in my reading phase, finished a book about a good guy vampire, and the life of a silk sister who moved to Hong Kong right before WW2. Now, I am reading about nobility in England in 1100's. I usually read in the summer and I forgot how relaxing it is.

Enough for now...

Monday, July 23, 2007

Winston was next

I spent this weekend holding a very sick puppy. With everything so chaotic around the house we didn't fully notice Winston was getting sick. We did notice that he wouldn't eat his cookies. Then Friday night I noticed he had a problem going to the bathroom. So Saturday morning I take him to the vet and he ends up getting an IV for hydration, a shot to stop the vomiting and an antibiotic for whatever it is making him sick.

The vet told me if Winston didn't get well in 24 to 48 hours we would have to hospitalize him for intravenous drugs and observation. Man, oh man, did I pray those antibiotics would work. This morning was 48 hours and he seems better, more active. The tale tell sign will be if he eats today.

I am not a happy person right now!

Enough for now...

Thursday, July 19, 2007

What's next?

It's 5 a.m., there an awful pop somewhere in my house. I bolt straight up, Winston starts barking his warning mean bark. I get up to investigate, there nothing amiss except for that horrible burning smell in my office. To my horror, my computer's power supply burned up and made my morning just fabulous. I spent my lunch hour and $80 purchasing a new power supply eventhough my computer is still on warranty. If you've ever bought any thing from Best Buy their wonderful warranty policy is to send things off for three to four weeks or give you the option to buy the part they have on hand and they won't even charge you for the ten minutes it to do the install. Mighty big of them don't you think?

My co-worker said that I havn't been living right or something because the last two weeks have been horrible. My AC went out and needed to be replaced, okay fine new A/C. In order to get new A/C have to have $1,200 in electrical work done. Then found out my duct work was substandard and only meant for heating another $800 bucks! Then to top it off-dad's belly button exploded and he has to have hernia surgery tomorrow to fix it! crap...........whimper, sniff, sniff.

More than enough for now.

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

How things change!

I got news from my old job that everyone is quitting or getting fired. I have to say that I am thrilled to be gone from there or I'd be stressed to the max. I got the impression that the new director wasn't real bright and didn't get that he took a demanding job.

Anyway, my new job is causing me to learn a lot. I am teaching myself CSS and have a long way to go but I am doing a little and it's rather exciting to validate my code and learn that its all good. The accessibility thing is something that I never even considered - leaving a large chunk of the population out of the mix with my old job's website.

Whoops, better go....Winston is standing on my chair trying to get my attention.

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

High Desert Take Me Away

Dana sitting outside in the beautiful Logan, Utah

It's been a while since I last blogged mainly because I haven't been in town. One week ago, co-worker R and I flew out to Salt Lake City via Denver. Then we had an hour and a half shuttle ride to get to Logan, Utah for web accessibility training. BTW, this blog is not accessible - sorry JAWS users I will try to correct that with future entries. I learned a great deal and feel like I can do my job a little better now.

It was really nice in Logan - they are in a drought right now and are praying for rain. The sunshine, mountains and dry wind was soooo refreshing that I really didn't want to come home.

When I began packing I realized that I had not left Oklahoma since I bought my house, three years ago. So you can imagine that the funky airport security 3-1-1 rules were really odd to me. However, I was proud that I didn't get singled out for a private screening, which was nice.

Winston didn't miss me - he just kicked Seamus off mom and dad's bed and slept in his place. I don't know if I should be glad that he wasn't shook up or offended that he didn't notice?

Monday, June 11, 2007

No Lift, No Air, No Mas!


Well, today was a Monday if there ever was one. I get to work and the elevators aren't wanting to work right and I office on the fifth floor. NO...I do not opt for the stairs, I wait and wait and wait and the elevator finally comes. Then we lose the air conditioning and it got rather warm. Then a problem I have been researching for two weeks, I get the answer - it's not a real problem at all and I'm just not supposed to save my ASP file anywhere but the root web. An odd work around if I ever saw one. It was just a weird day!

We finished the recreation of my bookcase in the office and it looks fantastic! I also decided to remove all the book jackets on my books and made all the difference in the world. It really makes my office look like a private library. We are about to finish replacing the baseboards with my new really wide baseboards and all the home improvement projects will be complete with the exception of the bathroom which will require a lot of mula and a weeks vacation. I am a little scared about not having a hobby anymore.

We found baby's OU tee shirt which he loves to wear. The minute I had his jersy in hand Winston was standing on me saying "that's mine, give it to me." My little Boomer.

Enough for now...

Wednesday, June 06, 2007

Pain, So Much Pain

Well here I sit, ready for work and I realize it's 6:37 a.m. ! I don't have to leave for work till 8:00 a.m. I think I got up at 6 not 7 thanks to day three of a stupid sinus headache. This does not bode well for today's prospects. Should I just strip off, go back to bed and call in sick? That probably would be the best idea.

Okay we started a new project -- I know, I know, but we can't just sit around and do nothing. We were pinging off the walls, so we decided to convert my office shelves for my books to look like a built-in and a piece of furniture. We have the painting done and we're waiting on dad to do the build. It's going to be great.

Work is going well but I am in ASP hell [yet, again]. Does anyone know how to change a web-bot in front page? I need to change that stupid web-bot to read [carat symblol]! - -include# virtual= instead of [carat symbol]!--include# file I can actually see the offender grayed out but cannot get to the original file to change it. It's maddening! I am currently dreaming about databases and ASP and servers and that may be why I got out of bed way too early.

Enough for now...

Thursday, May 31, 2007

There's only one of me!

Winston thinks he owns the bed! He will dig in the covers till he gets them in a pile to his liking.


This was kind of cool! I am the only American with my name.



HowManyOfMe.com





LogoThere is
1
person with my name
in the U.S.A.

How many have your name?

Monday, May 14, 2007

Winston Speaks...

Today, it's my turn to talk. Mom, has been crazy with all this banging about my house. I am not sure what they are doing but Grandpa's the worst. Everything he has make awlful noises and scares me. I have been locked out the house for I don't know how many days but today has been like old times, just mom and me sitting on the couch.

The house is put back with everything back in its place. I am happy again. I also found that brown hoppy thing that makes mom scream at me. I like my brown hoppy thing.

Arff for now...

Sunday, May 06, 2007

Frog Proof - Finally!

Things have been very hectic this weekend but we got a lot of work done on the house. Check out my "Green Door" blog to see other pics.

I have whined and whaled about Winston's obsession with frogs and now I can show the world what a pain my little man can be.

Friday, April 27, 2007

What's Up?

" Hey Sarah, watcha doing?" This isn't a new photo but I just love it because this is what Winston does. He gets right in your face and wrinkles his little forehead as if he's trying to figure you out.
The rain is going away and I am sitting here shivering as though I am in Alaska. Hurry, sunshine, hurry.

Thursday, April 26, 2007

Mind, Body and Soul Much Better Now

I am better! Just thought I'd announce that. The icky weather and the icky allergies are not as bad as they were last week - so I can cope a lot better. My head no longer fells as though its revolting against the body.

Work is better since I finally got to order the proper Adobe software to do my job. I have recently been trying to work with Word and anyone who has worked with Word knows that is for letter writing nothing else. I can't wait till next week when it arrives. I have truly been frustrated in ways I didn't think possible, mostly when it came to footers and subdocuments. My books has it's own page numbering system and Word would keep changing it - I have given up and now I am just waiting for my Indesign and Acrobat.

I have to say it really felt good last weekend to be outside and not be sick. Then to be planting pretty flowers to boot - it was a really good weekend. Even better is that the flowers haven't died yet, keep your fingers crossed for me, I have a tendancy to kill plants. If you haven't seen them check out on my "Green Door" blog and see all my pretties.

I am hoping to finish the refrigerator nook this weekend - Dad started mudding the drywall last night and that usually means the begining of the end on these kinds of projects. My house is a complete disaster since I refuse to clean during renovations. Its a complete exercise in futility to do so or you must clean daily and that just pisses Dad off since he can't find his tools the next day.

Enough for now - Winston says Arrf to everyone.

Wednesday, April 18, 2007

More Icky-ness

I am sitting here praying the weather will improve. I cannot stress enough how badly I need a sunny day. My work has settled down tremendously but I still have some getting used to in the personalities department and if I felt good it would be easier. Plus, all this rain has my allergies mad as all get out and they are pounding behind my right eye making being at work hard.

Last night was spent on the couch listening to dad work on my kitchen. That is not a good feeling, its your house and you are supposed be in the mix of the repairs. Mom sat with me and kept me company - I need to feel well both in mind and body.

Enough for now - the coffee has not kicked in.

Tuesday, April 17, 2007

I Need Sunshine

I don't know about you, but I am about to lose my mind. These gray and depressing days are really bugging me. It is totally awesome to have floor to ceiling windows in your office until you have days like this. I am freezing and it feels like it's 8 o'clock at night! I am NOT liking this.

Dad and I've begun another home improvement project. Building a nook for my refigerator so that the doors are in the kitchen but the body of the frig is in the garage. I barely have room to build the walls around the frig, so the project requires a lot of thinking it out. Which really means I stand around and listen to Dad talk it out. It's one of the main projects I've wanted to do since I bought the place. The kitchen is way too small to have a big bulky frig taking up half the floor.

Mom called me at work today to tell me that she had my dog and that he had decided to crawl under the covers. She thought he was just going to play a little but instead he promptly turned a circle and laid down and went to sleep. That is Winston's way of sleeping - I created a little monster by letting him sleep under the covers once and he was hooked. After a few minutes, she couldn't stand it and pulled him out. She was afraid he couldn't breath well enough under the blankets - bet he's royally pissed right about now.

Enough for now...

Sunday, April 15, 2007

Exhausted and Aware

Some of you may have wondered where I have been. Well, work has been just crazy. Last Wednesday, our office hosted an awareness day at the state capitol. Its the biggest thing our office does all year. So needless to say we were crazy busy and to make matters worse one in our office has been out sick for at least a month. I am not mad or irrated at her no one can help things like that it just made it a little harder. Any way the event is done and went well - we managed to feed more than 375 people, visit legislators and have more than 30 exhibitors. It was a good day.

I started to get sick on Monday and just flat ignored the cough and sore throat. By Thursday I felt totally crappy so my new boss gave me comp time for Friday to cover all the over time I have worked for the event. Winston and I stayed on the couch covered up all day - he's very good at snuggling especially when I'm sick.

Well think that's enough for now, Seamus is pacing the house wanting to go out.

Sunday, March 25, 2007

Herding Frogs

Winston lives in a constant state of homical hunt. Today, Dad came over to mow the yard and in doing so released four to five frogs into the open - Winston was in heaven. I spent about three minutes trying to capture my dog and point out the frogs so that Dad wouldn't mow over them. In the end, I think he had to pick them up and move them into a gravel area because they would keep hopping into the area Dad was mowing.

After that, both Winston and Seamus, got baths today in a special effort to speed up the shedding process. You should see the bathroom, it is covered in doggie hair but I've learned the key to cleaning up after doggie baths. Let everything dry and you can simply sweep it up. Winston won't go near the bathroom right now, he's a little irked.

Enough for now...

Saturday, March 24, 2007

Forget Calgon Give Me No Dose

I still like my new job but I am exhausted all the time. I don't know if it's the 6 a.m. work outs, the stress of not knowing much about the subjects I am writting about, working at mom and dad's after work stripping wallpaper and painting or if I am coming down with something. But geeze Louise I am tired.

I had a little scare with little man about a week ago, when Winston came in from outside with a bloody eye lid. I don't know if Seamus got too rough, or the dead robin in the back yard fought for his life or one of the bushes Winston runs to for cover from Seamus scratched him. The whole ordeal required a vet visit - no scratched cornea, whew.....oh crap, I didn't even think about that, am I a bad mom? We got antibotic cream to spread on his eye, yeppers, I had one pissed off beagle for seven days.

Enough for now...

Friday, February 23, 2007

So This Is the Real World

Well I am three weeks into my new job and I am loving every minute of it. I have a great office, great co-workers and an overall happy attitude. I didn't realize how, the district was depressing me until I left -- so this is what it's like to be happy! I just wish I knew what I am supposed to be doing. Disabilities are vast and complicated, so my learning curve will be two or three years.

Currently, I am going to the gym every morning before work (6 am to 7 am). I am up to walking 4 miles per day and hope to get to 4.5 by the end of March. I am dieting like a big dog and now walking - if this doesn't get the weight off I don't know what will.

News from my old job comes in the form of a funny phone call on Tuesday. My old boss calls and asks if I am sitting down. I say yes, as that is my habit at my desk where she called. She then tells me that the woman who made our lives so miserable that we all began looking for new jobs has given her notice to quit. Ironic, that she ran us all off and in turns around and runs away with the communications department a total mess!

Hey, I am new to this blogger system what's the labels for and why should I do it?

Enough for now...

Thursday, January 18, 2007

I GOT A NEW JOB

This morning at 9:30 am, I received the call offering me a job with the State. When she told me the salary she could pay, my mouth dropped and I said when would you like me to start! My first day will be February 5th and my last day at my current employer is February 2nd. Nothing like closing the chapter of one part of my life and opening a new one all at once. I am okay with it - actually I am very excited about it and wish I could start tomorrow.

Enough for now.