I like math
End of story.
Month: March 2011
My commute to Saturn
I have weeks where work takes over my life, when even though I’m home doing things I enjoy, work is still on my mind. What I’m going to do tomorrow, how I’m going to solve that problem, what I’m going to tell the client in the next meeting – those things buzz around in my brain when I’m trying to relax.
Then I have weeks where work might as well be on another planet as far as my brain is concerned. It’s taking everything I have to concentrate on work today (and clearly, since I’m here, I’m not doing a very good job). My brain would rather be making phone calls and appointments, taking placement exams and registering for classes. Or READING. I had an appointment today (x-rays that determined I will have to have a sinus lift before I get a new molar), and I was able to finish No Second Chance. Good. It was good. I want more! It’s cold outside, but it’s sunny. Why can’t I be out there enjoying the sunlight? I’m not stressed – far from it – but I’d like to be able to enjoy my zen-ish state somewhere other than this gray cubicle.
Multi-tasking
I’m doing something I usually make fun of John for doing: I’m reading three books at once. Not at once, but at the same time. Nope, that’s not right either. I don’t have that many hands, eyes, or brains. I’m in the middle of three books, and I plan to go from one to the next as the spirit moves me, without finishing one first. And – hold on to your hats – one of them is non-fiction! Crazy, right? For me, a little unusual. Also, I say I make fun of John for reading several books at once, but it’s not really something to make fun of (and I’m not really successful at it. That making fun part.). He’s often doing it because he can’t decide what he’s in the mood for, and when one of his books is non-fiction and the other is fiction, I can sometimes see his point. Why am I doing it? I couldn’t decide what to read next. I finished my last book, picked up a book Mom just sent me (a memoir called My Love Affair with England), left it upstairs and, a little absently, picked up No Second Chance to see if I could remember why it was recommended to me, got totally sucked into it (it’s really good!), and then remembered that Hulu is offering a free download from Audible.com and I’d like to listen to a book while I work out at the gym, so I logged in and downloaded The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest (which I had already started reading in PDF). And now you have the long version (and longer sentence) of why I’m reading three books at once. Although if No Second Chance keeps going the way it is, I’ll be back down to two books by morning.
Note for those who care: Audible.com uses DRM, so I’m really glad this book was free. I’m not a fan of DRM.
‘Tis the season…
…for things to get stuck in trees. At the corner of the park down the street, a kite. Makes sense. Kites, trees – there’s a connection. A few streets over, a tree in somebody’s front yard has a football stuck at the very top. About halfway up in the same tree, a tennis ball is wedged in the junction where a branch meets the trunk. As I walked by, three boys came tumbling out the front door with a mini Nerf football, arguing about whose aim was better. Now I know how the football and the tennis ball got stuck. Tomorrow, I’ll probably see the Nerf football up there, too.
I’m trying to get through my to-do list, but I don’t have the motivation. I tried today. Called the insurance company to check on coverage. Got frustrated and wasn’t able to mark it off my list. I understand the necessity of menus and options when you call companies, particularly on weekends, but I really hate the ones you have to talk to. I had to go through three minutes of “Sorry, I didn’t catch that. Did you say medical or help?” just to find out that my insurance company’s customer service center is closed on weekends. Tell me that up front! I much prefer using the keypad. Actually, I’d rather do it online, but I can’t get to that level of detail online.
I hate missing the joke
When I don’t get geek humor, rather than feel good that maybe I’m not as far gone into geekery as sometimes seems to be case, I feel stupid. Well, I guess it depends on what kind of joke it is I’m not getting. Today’s XKCD is an example of the kind of geek humor that makes me feel dumb. My education didn’t include whatever the hell makes this funny.
Things I do find funny? I’m so glad you asked!
Air guitar in Parliament (from The Daily What):
Sign I think I want to post around my neighborhood (also from The Daily What):
Beyond those things, nothing is funny. Nothing in the world. Ever. And ever.
It’s not cool to complain about work all the time.
Grumble grumble work grumble grumble. I had a nice afternoon all planned out. I was going to be home from DC a little after four, take advantage of the nice weather to walk the dogs, all the while relaxing and enjoying myself and NOT thinking about work, and then I was going to go to my Muscle Blast class at the gym. Instead, on our drive back from DC, the world exploded (where world = system I support for work) and I spent my pleasant two hours at home on the computer, on the phone, planning out how to contain the explosion. I did still go to my class, where from the minute I walked in, it didn’t even occur to me to think about work (which was an unexpected bonus – I didn’t realize my head was so clear until I got back home and remembered work). Unfortunately, because the world exploded this afternoon (see previous definition), I have a conference call at 8:30.
Dinner will have to be quick.
Little bits of sunshine
Work has been hard, and I’m not looking forward to going. This morning, I found myself trying to find a day in the next week or so when I can call in sick.
I’m about to leave the house, and when I leaned forward just a few minutes ago to shut down my laptop, I saw lots of cheerful little rainbows on the wall in front of me. The buttons on my sweater are beveled glass, and the sunlight must be coming in the window at just the right angle to refract (it’s refraction, right? It’s been a while.) through them. Made me feel a little better.
Skipping tonight
I have nothing but work stuff on my mind tonight, so I’ve decided not to post. And I came straight here to post that. Probably counts as cheating.