End-of-the-Year Meme

If you've been a blogger for all of '06, this is a fun meme to recap the year with. As seen on Teri's blog, the rule says to use the first sentence of the first post from each month. However, after assembling that list of boring lines, I could not bring myself to subject you to them yet again. (I apologize way too often for not posting enough!) So instead, I will pick my favorite line from each month's first post. Links will take you to the full post.

January
Oh the drama that can arise over the spectre of self-improvement--the struggle, the cautious optimism, the fear of failure, the fear of success, the fear of the unknown world which awaits, if only.

February
I think we are witnessing the tragic and yet perversely hilarious gradual decline of yours truly's mental capacity.

March
The Odyssey is almost six months old and except for one major sticking point (someone hire me!) I'm pretty much settled into my new state.
(By the way, I got hired two days later!!)

April*
I'd say the peak of the storm lasted no more than 10 minutes, but what a thrilling 10 minutes it was.
*Chosen from the 2nd post of the month; the first post was "100 Things."

May
I think I might actually be getting too much sleep.

June
When it comes to electronics I usually spring for all the bells and whistles, because, well, they're my sprinkles.

July
I would say that the highlight of my trip was Helen, GA.

August
I just drove four and a half hours to Alleghany County, Virginia, so his [James Lileks'] observations are ringing especially true for me.

September
We've entered the -Ber months, which means that Christmas is right around the corner and then 2007 and before you know it it'll be 2008 and the state quarters program will be over and there will be no reason to pay with cash ever again!

October
My parents and I made the five-hour trek not to gaze upon the seat of our nation's government, but rather to gaze upon a 2005 Honda Accord coupe.

November
This weekend is all about cleaning up and cleaning out (even though it's not spring), but hopefully by Sunday I'll have a chance to put a few words and pics together and share them with y'all.

December
It was somewhat surreal to be walking up and down the aisles, because TJ's is so closely associated with California in my mind, that I had to keep reminding myself I was in Cary.

And what did you do today?

I have invented a cure for boredom! It's quite simple, actually. All you have to do is assign yourself the task of cleaning the house, and then see what you come up with to procrastinate. It works every time! My apartment has been neglected for weeks--which is not unusual--and is in dire need of some attention, especially since I will be having a house guest in one week's time. My only obligations today were to show up for a massage at 10:30, and clean the house. Well, one out of two ain't bad, I guess! I got the massage, naturally, then went out to lunch with the massage-giver. Stopped off at Walmart to pick up a few things, and did the self-checkout thing to avoid the long lines. It backfired. I ended up scanning something twice (not something cheap, either) and didn't notice until I'd gotten back to my car, which meant I had to wait in the returns and exchanges line--twice as long as the regular checkout lines. I think it was karmic payback, because while I was shopping, I changed my mind about purchasing a DVD. So I put it down right where I was standing...in the toy department! Gasp! I don't usually do that sort of thing, but my arms were very full (as usual: run in for a few things, end up wishing you'd gotten a cart) and I just wanted to get out of there. Oh yeah, the universe wasn't going to let me get away with that one!

When I finally got home, I worked on a PowerPoint presentation for my boss. I worked with PowerPoint a LOT in my last job and in a weird way I kind of like it, so I offered to help jazz up his slides. Oh, who am I kidding? My competitive nature compelled me to volunteer. Here's a little background: My office is having its annual kick-off meeting in a week (I'll be in the Bahamas, boo hoo), and somehow my boss and I have been pitted against the director of sales and his new admin assistant. Our task: to create the most kick-butt PowerPoint ever, one that will entertain and amuse and leave you wanting more. Observing this all from above is Taylor, my co-trainer. He of quick wit and stinging sarcasm claimed that the other team's presentation is so astounding that it made him want to trade his long-sought-after and finally-procured Nintendo Wii, just to see it again. I swear, you could write a very funny episode of The Office with this material.

I finished the presentation and emailed it to my boss, and then had to read my blogs and check the news. Then it was dinner time, so I fixed myself a sub sandwich and settled in to watch a couple episodes of House. It's a good show, but it feels kind of lacking compared to the more serialized dramas that I've become accustomed to watching (e.g., Lost). Then I found myself back on the computer browsing pretty much aimlessly, and I ended up here. My intention was to finish telling the news that I had from the other day, but here I've gone and written a few hundred words about a completely different topic ("What I did today" by Melissa Mertz). The news from before was that I got a raise at work (not enough to run out and buy a BMW, but enough to make a difference), AND a spiffy bonus! The CEO took me and Taylor into his office and said out of everyone, he selected us to get bonuses this year. Woo hoo! Oh, and the last bit of news is that the mean girl from work got fired. Of course the rumors are flying about the details of why, but basically she just was very unprofessional, screaming on the phone regarding personal matters and such.

What a lovely way to end a post! Let's discuss something else so we can end on a better note. Um, I booked hotels for the road trip part of my upcoming trip. On the way down to Miami, we're staying in Savannah, and on the way back, we're staying on Hilton Head Island. Of course, we won't be getting in until the evening both nights, so I doubt we'll be doing much sightseeing, but hopefully we'll get to see a little. The best part: both hotel rooms are FREE! I had enough reward points to cover both, which is such an awesome perk of traveling for business. I think I only need four more flights (two trips) on Southwest to earn a free roundtrip ticket. That'll come in quite handy, I'm sure!

Oh, and one more thing: Happy Anniversary to my Mom and Dad. Thirty-two years and counting. Wow!!!

Christmas goings-on

It's not like I don't have anything to say--it has been quite an eventful week--but for some reason I have not been able to form a coherent blog post in my mind. Let's see, last Thursday was my office's potluck and gift exchange, which I organized. I woke up violently ill, but I'll spare you the gory details. I had no choice but to call in sick, which, because I have such fantastic coworkers, caused much concern and sympathy. I really felt miserable, but I dragged myself in for an hour just for the gift exchange. Everyone was so surprised and happy to see me. The president even gave me a hug, despite my germy-ness. The exchange went very well. Almost all the gifts were quality. The most coveted: $50 in scratcher lottery tickets. Other popular items were liquor-related, including a bottle of wine, noise cancelling headphones with a fifth of tequila taped to the package, and some sort of pumping device. I ended up with a fancy alarm clock, the kind with nature sounds and gradually brightening lights and aromatherapy. The lottery ticket recipient ended up winning 50 bucks. So I'd say the event was a big success. Everyone brought food, none of which looked or smelled appetizing to me. Giant platters of shrimp, huge mounds of ribs, salads, a cheeseball, cookies and candy, you name it.


I went home and immediately went back to bed, and did not rise until the next morning. Of course, spending nearly 24 hours lying down (most of it on my right side to help the tummy feel better) led to quite a backache, which was my main complaint on Friday, although my stomach was still not 100%. I barely ate--I tried some chicken soup but after a few bites it was just yucky. Around dinner time, the only thing that sounded good was a Jersey Mike's turkey sub, so I schlepped down the street in the rain to pick one up. Yummy! I felt much better the next morning (Saturday) but stayed home all day and took it easy. My biggest accomplishment was wrapping all the presents I'd accumulated over a few weeks' worth of shopping.

Christmas Eve I went to my parents' house where my brother and his family had already arrived. The commotion was the usual, with three little kids in various states of obedience and cheer, and a growing shepherd-mix puppy that wants nothing more than to play with my parents' three chihuahuas, who want nothing more than to be left alone. That evening we watched Little Miss Sunshine, which I still think is a funny movie, but which both my dad and my brother thought was lame. Bah humbug. Speaking of which, we also watched Scrooged, a modern classic.


Christmas morning I think I was the first to awaken, to the sound of a whimpering puppy who I thought would surely pee on the floor if she was not let outside. But of course, once she was downstairs, the other dogs woke up, and there was clashing, which woke others up, and then before you know it we're having breakfast and getting ready to open presents. Even though we tried to be a little more judicious this year in the volume department, there were still enough presents to open that we had to take three breaks.



Of course, everyone made out. I got a new external hard drive for my computer, as well as some super plush bath towels, a proof set, a car vac, memory cards for my camera, a Paris calendar, some Bath & Body Works stuff, and a couple things for Comet. The kids got toys and clothes galore, most of which they were not allowed to open because of all the tiny pieces that could get lost before they even get home. A couple things they did enjoy were the Aquadoodle mat, and the Speed Stackers cups.




For lunch we had a yummy casserole that had eggs, hash browns, cheese, and sausage. My version was made with southwestern Egg Beaters and textured vegetable protein, and some said it tasted even better than the "real" stuff. For dinner the carnivores feasted on giant slabs of prime rib,


while I had some mighty tasty turkey breast. Even hours later, we were too full to partake of the pie!

On my way out to the car, in the pitch black darkness, I stepped off the edge of my parents' driveway and twisted my ankle. Yowzers! I couldn't elevate it or ice it becuase I was driving home, and by the time I got home, I just wanted to go to bed. The next day I ended up wearing slippers to work because all I could do was hobble. I went to the doctor and she sent me for an xray, which thankfully came back negative. She recommended ice and elevation, of course, and a pull-on Ace bandage. I followed all three orders, and the best one of all was the Ace bandage. Man, with that thing on, I felt no pain! It was so cool. Today I was almost walking normal, which is such a huge relief, because my cruise is coming up very soon and the last thing you want when you're on vacation is to be hindered in some way.

There's more to tell, but I must be off to bed for my beauty rest. More soon, I promise.

Antietam

Tuesday I flew up to Maryland for a training and afterwards visited Antietam National Battlefield in Sharpsburg. It was the first Civil War battlefield I'd ever been to, so I was very excited. I didn't get there until a little before 4:00, and it only stays open until dark, so I had to rush through the driving tour. But it was amazing. You walk in to the Visitors' Center and the first thing you see is a giant photo of dead soldiers lying on the ground, and the caption says it was taken less than 100 yards from where you are standing. Wow. It really puts you in the right frame of mind for what you're about to see. I mean, it's a bunch of rolling hills with trees and fences and statues and monuments,



but when you think about what actually happened there all those years ago, it is quite chilling. On a single day in the fall of 1862, almost 23,000 soldiers were either killed, wounded, or missing. Here are a couple of the photos I took (along with some comparable views of what it looked like back then):

Burnside's Bridge:



Dunker Church:



Bloody Lane:



This is my favorite one:


I was racing against sunset as it was, but could not bear to pull myself away. I kept looking at the clock, thinking about how far away the airport was, and then looking out at where I was, and, well, I ended up missing my flight. That's a first for me. It turned out fine, though, because I just got on the next one. Gotta love Southwest.

Today's post is brought to you by the letter "P"

I love the randomness of this meme. I asked Heather for a letter, and now my task is to name 10 things I love that start with the letter "P." Here goes!

1. Planning vacations
2. Popping my gum
3. Picture taking (er...photography)
4. Petting Comet
5. Picking out yarn for a new knitting project
6. Pillows
7. Peeling the wrapper off a piece of chocolate
8. Phoning friends and family
9. Playing Natalie Merchant songs
10. Posting on my blog!

If you’d like to play, leave a comment and I’ll assign you a letter. :)

Carolina Hurricanes

Last night I got to go to my first ever hockey game. It was the Carolina Hurricanes vs. the Toronto Maple Leafs (do not get me started on Canada's blatantly unorthodox grammar). Alas, we lost, 4 to 3. I went with my brother, Matthew--I took him for his birthday. My company has season tickets in the fancy-schmancy "Championship Club," and I was lucky enough to snag a pair for this game.

We had quite a time getting to the RBC Center. My boss drew me a map of a back way to get there in order to avoid traffic, but I left it on my desk at work. Duh. I had redrawn it right after he drew it (because his handwriting is worse than a doctor's) so I actually was able remember most of it. But "most" was not good enough. We made it all the way to the arena. It was right there. But I made a left-hand turn too soon, when I should have gone through the light and turned left at the first driveway. Needless to say, this resulted in about a 30-minute delay, because I couldn't just "whip a U-y" with cops everywhere directing traffic, not to mention solid lines of cars coming from the other direction. So we got back on the freeway, but going the wrong way (Garmins don't come in handy when you're trying to go a back way and not the most direct way) and backtracking on the freeway was not an option since that was exactly the traffic we had wanted to avoid in the first place

Anyway, we finally got there and turned at the right place, and were directed to awesome parking spots right by the door. We asked someone where the VIP entrance was and got to avoid the long lines at the metal detectors. After asking yet another RBC employee how to get to our section, we finally found it. It was like entering a restaurant, with a maitre'd at a podium, except this guy hands out wristbands and drink tickets. Once we entered the Championship Club area, Matthew said, "You gotta get more tickets so we can come back!" Not only did we have posh leather seats, but there was a big buffet and plenty of chairs and tables where you can eat and watch the game on giant plasma TV's. I had some pizza, salad, half a panini, and some macaroni and cheese. Fountain drinks are unlimited. Matthew enjoyed a burger, pulled pork, and pasta salad with huge chunks of salami.

After we ate, we went to our seats and started to watch the game. From what I hear, 4-3 is a high scoring game for hockey. I can't imagine how frustrating it would be to watch a game that is 1-0. The Canes were playing awfully. This was the fifth game in a row that they've lost, and it was obvious why. They can't keep the puck, and when they do get it, they can't hit it. Seriously, it was like (as my brother said) they allowed the first six spectators who arrived to suit up and hop into the rink. It was still exciting, though, when they did score, and they played that ridiculously loud horn thing that could wake the dead. I was surprised that I could actually follow where the puck was without having the benefit of a camera panning its course.

Speaking of cameras, I got to test mine out a little bit. The zoom rocks!!!



Unfortunately, since I'm still limited by the 32 MB card that came with the camera, I had to take pix at lower resolution with a higher compression rate. But I was very pleased with the speed--hardly any shutter lag. And I think the image stabilization is fantastic.

Naturally, the zambonis were of interest, providing something new to photograph.


Here's one of me and my brother (taken by the owner of my company, who was sitting in the other two company seats with his wife).


When the game ended, we thanked my boss for sharing his tickets with us, and left. I was anticipating gridlock getting out, but apparently the VIP's also have their own exit lane, which made things super easy. It had been a relatively quick game and it was only about quarter after 10, so my brother and I decided to catch a showing of Borat. It is definitely not for the thin-skinned, but it was hilarious with a capital H. I nearly peed my pants during the scene where he's just learned how to talk like a gangsta and he's trying to get a hotel room. On the way home, my brother and I kept doing "remember whens" (the bear!, the family photos!) and we were laughing so hard we couldn't breathe. Good times.

Ponder

These stood out to me this evening and I thought I'd share them for your ponderiffic (yes, I made that up) enjoyment.

Never cut what you can untie.
--Joseph Joubert

What we see depends mainly on what we look for.
--John Lubbock

If you haven't read my spiel on quotes before, please do so here.

Comment roundup

Although I get an email every time someone comments on my blog, sometimes it's hard to tell where that comment was posted if it wasn't in response to the most recent post. So instead of digging through old posts and responding in the comments there, I'll just respond here.

Anonymous said,

I am a one of those people that read your blog and love the insight you have on living in North Carolina. I live in socal and plan on moving to nc next year.

Thanks for letting me know! I set out writing this blog for people just like you, so I'm glad it's reaching its intended audience!

And my "fan," the one who recognized me at Qdoba, said,

It's Kim from MA. It was so much fun meeting you! North Carolina is definitely a friendlier place. I don't think I would have surprised someone like that back home.

I hear you, Kim! If I'd been in L.A., I probably would have not walked up to some strangers who were calling my name. I would have run the other way! But it really was such a delightful surprise to meet a blog reader in that way. It's one of those stories you never forget.

Like the time my boyfriend discovered that our house keys matched. He lived in Lancaster; I was living in Canyon Country (these are suburbs of L.A. about 45 minutes apart). A spare house key of mine was sitting on my mantel. He happened to see it and said it looked just like his. Now, I think all keys look alike (well, you know what I mean) but somehow he recognized the actual shape of the grooves and when we held up mine next to his, sure enough, they were the same! We immediately went to the front door, and he used his house key to unlock my door. That was a Twilight Zone moment if there ever was one! I understand the odds are not all that phenomenal, because when you're talking about common doorknobs, there are only so many groove combinations. BUT, this was still mind boggling to me, that of all the keys to match, it would be mine and his. Of course I wanted to see this as some sort of sign that we were meant to be together--ha!--we're not--but it is still "one of those stories."

I'm becoming somewhat of a story enthusiast. I got back from a trip to South Carolina this afternoon, and one thing I've found that makes the driving go by more quickly is listening to podcasts. My favorites are from NPR, especially "Driveway Moment," "Story of the Day," and "Morning Stories." There is something so precious about a well-told story. If you have iTunes (and if you don't, go download it now!), you should check them out. They're free and usually pretty short, and leave you feeling just a tad bit enriched.

I'll leave you with a lovely cloud formation captured yesterday on my way to South Carolina.

My new camera!

So I finally just took the plunge and bought the Canon G7. It arrived today and so far I am very happy and relieved. It is not too big, and the photo quality is fantastic. Of course, all I've tested with is household items, so I haven't "stretched her legs," so to speak, but I am confident she will continue to impress. What follows will be of little interest to most people who read this blog regularly, but for anyone out there who lands here via a search on the G7, they might find this info worthwhile.

Photo comparisons
Both set on auto, no flash.

Me (Sony T1)


Me (Canon G7)


Flower (Sony T1)


Flower (Canon G7)


Both set on macro.
Quarter (Sony T1)



Quarter (Canon G7)

Let it snow!

Remember making paper snowflakes as a kid? A simple sheet of white paper, a pair of scissors, and even the least artistic could produce a thing of beauty.

Relive your childhood without having to clean up the floor. But only click if you have at least ten minutes to play, because you won't be able to drag yourself away.

Thanks to Ali for sharing where to find this fun web page!