random

I Feel Like Writing!

Yesterday was an AMAZING mail day. I got a letter from wlotus and a letter from verytruly, a load of cards, and two birthday presents!

Today’s line at the post office was INSANELY long. I mean, it was threatening to go out the door! Tell me that’s not a bit scary! Tomorrow is the last day to mail something Priority and get it there before Christmas. I’m sure the place will be a MADHOUSE. Eek.

Work is going okay. I was dreading working on the ELL pages for a while there, but now that I’ve helped develop the style guide, and now that Tamera lets me have the run of the project, I’m really enjoying it! I know I’ve mentioned how awesome Tamera is, but I must reiterate. She is AWESOME. Working with her is so much fun. She’s hilarious and just all around nice. Did I mention that she’s letting me make a lot of style decisions on this project? Wheee!

I’ve been looking at confirming pages for Handwriting–Practice Masters, which are books of excercises one can do to simply practice letter formations, joinings, and sentences. I like seeing the corrections I suggest get incorporated. I like making our products better. No, not better. The best.

There were loads of cards for me in my mailbox today. People come in every morning with holiday bags filled with gifts to give people. The VP gave everyone little houses filled with mini sausages and cheeses. One of the editors gave cards with handmade ornaments in them (mine will be going on my tree shortly!)

A Good Meme

I got this from a friend, and decided to reproduce it for me.

Step One
– Make a post (public, friendslocked, filtered…whatever you’re comfortable with) to your LJ. The post should contain your list of 10 holiday wishes. The wishes can be anything at all, from simple and fandom-related (“I’d love a Snape/Hermione icon that’s just for me”) to medium (“I wish for _____ on DVD”) to really big (“All I want for Christmas is a new car/computer/house/TV.”) The important thing is, make sure these wishes are things you really, truly want.
– If you wish for real life things (not fics or icons), make sure you include some sort of contact info in your post, whether it’s your address or just your email address where Santa (or one of his elves) could get in touch with you.
– Also, make sure you post some version of these guidelines in your LJ, or link to this post (it’ll be public) so that the holiday joy will spread.

Step Two
– Surf around your friendslist (or friendsfriends, or just random journals) to see who has posted their list. And now here’s the important part:
– If you see a wish you can grant, and it’s in your heart to do so, make someone’s wish come true. Sometimes someone’s trash is another’s treasure, and if you have a leather jacket you don’t want or a gift certificate you won’t use–or even know where you could get someone’s dream purebred Basset Hound for free–do it.

You needn’t spend money on these wishes unless you want to. The point isn’t to put people out, it’s to provide everyone a chance to be someone else’s holiday elf–to spread the joy. Gifts can be made anonymously or not–it’s your call.
There are no rules with this project, no guarantees, and no strings attached. Just…wish, and it might come true. Give, and you might receive. And you’ll have the joy of knowing you made someone’s holiday special.

1. Acceptance Mark
lilrongalATaol.com
Money. Until I find a part-time job to supplement my ZB income, I’m going to be cutting it close and barely scraping by, and if something comes up, like needing new brakes on my car (please, not yet), I will be utterly screwed. Any generously given help will be SO appreciated. Normally, it would hurt my pride to do this, but it’s the holidays, this is a wishlist, and I’d do the same for my friends if I could and they needed it. Besides, who doesn’t wish for money??????

2. A Mickey Mouse Clubhouse for Aidan. He really wants one, and he’s been such a great kid, but the thing is SO HARD TO FIND, and on eBay, it’s no cheaper than $75 with shipping. Unfortunately, I can’t get it for him. But he deserves it because he’s so wonderful, such a blessing, the light of my life. ♥ Uncle A was indeed, at it again! πŸ™‚ Thank you!!!! ♥ Aidan will appreciate it so much. Today, he told Santa that he wanted a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. I can’t wait to see his little face!!

3. Gift cards to Barnes and Noble or Amazon.com or Best Buy πŸ™‚

4. Grown-up size pajamas with feet. I lost mine. πŸ™ I wear a small.
Matching!
I’ll post the new picture when I get them!! πŸ™‚

5. A laptop computer for Aidan.

6. Plane ticket for a four-day weekend to Chicago in May.

7. A book publishing contract. A best-selling career.

8. A toaster. I am spoiled. ROTTEN. πŸ˜€ But I appreciate it all. Thank you! πŸ˜€ I’m so excited about eating toast that I will forget to be afraid of it popping up. Yes, yes, yes. πŸ˜€

9. To be off of Lexapro. Peace of mind.

10. My friends to be happy.

I’m going shopping with Angelo tonight. Not buying anything myself, but he needs help, as always, with his purchases. We’re avoiding the Easton area. I think that’s the most wise decision. In the meantime, I’m gonna take a couple of Aleve (stave off the cramps), and hang up Christmas cards.

Til next time! πŸ™‚

ETA: Let me reiterate that I have the BEST FRIENDS EVER!!!!

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I Feel Productive. Kinda. (Pictures)

Enjoying Myself at the Holiday Party

Guess what I did today?

– went to the Post Office, and mailed out holiday packages;
– went to Target and bought necessities like shower gel, cat food, and laundry detergent;
– finally finished my Christmas cards;
– wrapped a bunch of gifts (there are some for Aidan that are shaped so oddly–how in the fresh hell am I supposed to wrap those?);
– put together the rest of the packages which are to be sent when I get paid next week;
– transferred a prescription;
– cleaned the living room

So, w00t.

Now I just have to tackle the dishes. *hides from them*

Today at work, there was the holiday party. Lots of fun. Two hours of not having to work, wheee. Heehee. There was lots of food (I had chicken, scalloped potatoes, and three cookies, plus lemonade to drink), and prizes raffled off, and live music, which included some foot-stompin’ hand-clappin’ traditional Irish music. Yea!!!

I sat at a table with some fun people. The food was good, and I certainly enjoyed that Irish music.

Just Me
Just Me. Smiling, and full.

Centerpiece
This was the centerpiece on our table. I won one, but not this one. Okay, I didn’t actually “win,” it was totally rigged, but still. πŸ™‚

The best part was the raffle ticket that said “Happy Holiday’s.” Do we NOT work for a publishing company? I am beginning to think documentation NEEDS to go through copyediting, because last week, the program from the kids’ program said Doner instead of Donner in the Rudolph song!!! Eeek!

Today at work, I copy edited a book about Coretta Scott King. I had no idea the woman had been so beautiful. She was breathtaking!! Did you know that Martin talked to her about marriage on their first date? Ha. And that she’d thought he was handsome, but too short? How cute, huh? Together, those two made quite a pair and changed American forever.

I got a couple of cards today. A card in the mail from alwaysonlybe, a Vegas postcard from celinedion, and a card from Sandy at work with a $10 gift card to a bookstore. Oh, and a letter from meimeigui with extra happiness inside!! ♥

Early this morning, about 1am, I was hit with a raging craving for chicken and stars soup. I wasn’t about to eat soup at 1am, so I’m eating it now. Yum.

I should head to bed. I have a long day tomorrow, but the evening should be fun. I’m going out to a co-worker’s place with Aidan, to have warm/fuzzy/snuggly/wuggly Christmas time fun. We’re gonna bake cookies and drink cocoa and watch Christmas DVDs. I wish I could find my pajamas with feet so I could wear them, but I’ll be fine. I’ll bring running pants to change into, maybe.

‘Til next time!

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That Meme Again

Directions: Write the first sentence in your journal from every month.

(I am not including posts from locked posts.)

Here are mine from 2006.

January: Hi!
February: So yesterday, I went and got my hair done for the first time since September.
March: Libby is AWESOME!! <3
April: Hi hi!
May:
The Blurrrrrrr is something that’s been on my mind and something I’d wanted to post about for a long time.
June: Radio Fusion Chicago is Love
July: Hmm.
August: Or as E.Mae would say: TFGIF. HA.
September: My mom promised to make me salisbury steak, mashed potatoes, and corn when I go up to see her on Saturday!
October: Happy October!!
November: I’m tired.
December: Current Temp is 28ΒΊF.

HAHA. I’m so random. πŸ™‚

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Potluck

I can’t stop playing the Hidden Pictures game on the Highlights for Kids website. Especially the ones with all the cool sound effects. Sad, huh?

I went home early yesterday and stayed home today. I slept a lot, and woke up a bunch of times today barely able to swallow because my throat and ears hurt so much. Things are still not ideal, but at least the rest of me feels close to normal. Or maybe I still AM sick, because I did the dishes, and you know how I hate to do dishes.

Drinking TONS of orange juice. I have to go back to work tomorrow, feeling better or not, so I hope the OJ helps. At any rate, I will be going to bed pretty early tonight.

Just went through and read all of my Sarah Dessen books. Not in order again, but close enough together that I began recognizing patterns and other characters making cameos. I LOVE when authors do that. But her main characters all attend at least one party, there is always a group playing quarters or cards, and people drinking (ew) beer. I got excited once I recognized places and characters and things all interchanging. Good times. I hope I get to publish more than one book so I can do that, too. Who am I kidding? I hope to publish ONE book. *sigh*

Anyway, I’m not going to sit here getting all depressed and whatnot. It’s probably time for me to eat some dinner, curl up with a good book, and make an early night of it, huh? πŸ™‚ ‘Til next time.

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The Seal Has Been Broken & Other Randomness

I TRIED to wait until Friday, I PROMISE, but you know, I’m starting to feel the spirit a bit, so I decided to go ahead and play some Christmas music. I also thought I’d wait until Friday to start holiday shopping, but nope. I ended up picking up a few things at Target for Booba and some other people. Considering the situation, I am definitely going more frugal this year, but that doesn’t mean the gifts I choose will be any less personal or special.

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving!! It’s going to be weird, I’m not going to lie. Those of you who read Chris’s journal will know why. But I’ll make it. And Friday I get to see my mommy and my little Booba, who I haven’t seen since last Friday, and I miss him! I’m glad he’s with my mom, though, because he’s so happy there. All he could talk about last week was how much he loves his grandmommy and how excited he was to see her. I love calling her and telling her about that, because it makes her so happy. She’s thrilled to be spending Thanksgiving with Aidan again.

I walked to the post office today to mail a letter (starrlyte, watch your mailbox!) and buy stamps. It was a pleasant walk. Nice weather. Then I came home and lit a Nag Champa and for some reason, I sneezed about 10 times. It was weird. I’m okay now, but still. That was so strange.

I booked a LONG trip to Chicago in February. I was planning on going anyway, but not for as long as I ended up booking it. February 9-18, 2007. It’s going to be a busy week. So much going on, with book releases and 30th birthday parties and all sorts of other things. I’m really looking forward to it. It’ll be just the perfect thing to break up the endless Ohio grey days.

I managed to get ahold of a copy of the Philly Dylan concert I attended. I listen to Desolation Row over and over because the arrangement on it is just so freakin’ amazing. I also keep listening to Tangled Up In Blue and Highway 61 Revisted. It’s fun to think “Wow, I was sitting in the audience and bopping my head during this song!”

Tonight, I will be playing on the computer, journaling, and writing letters. Reading, relaxing, all that good stuff. Should be peaceful.

And of course, a survey.

Or two.

Finish The Sentences…

1. I’ve come to realize that…
life is funny.

2. I am listening to…
Christmas music.

3. I talk…
about Aidan a lot.

4. I love…
spaghetti.

5. My best friend(s)…
mostly live out of town.

8. I hate it when people…
are rude and stupid.

9. Love is…
wonderful, terrible, amazing, crazy, unpredictable, beautiful, need I go on?

10. Marriage is….
not going to go there.

11. Somewhere, someone is…
having sex.

12. I’ll always…
be short.

13. I have a secret crush on…
no one.

14. The last time I cried was…
Sunday.

15. My cell phone…
pisses me off. Especially the Verizon never having a signal part.

16. When I wake up in the morning….
I think about how long the work day is.

17. Before I go to sleep at night…
I read.

18. Right now I am thinking about…
holiday stuff.

19. Babies are…
adorable.

20. I get on MySpace…
not too often.

21. Today I…
worked.

22. Tonight I will…
sleep.

23. Tomorrow I will…
eat.

24. I really want…
to be a best-selling author.

25. The person who most likely to repost this is…
Ivy swankivy, Cara caragirl, maybe Helen helenatural.

———————————————

–> What is the date 2 days after your birthday?: Three days before Christmas. You figure it out. Har dee har har.

–> How many pairs of jeans do you own?: I own a lot, but I only wear three of them. My 7s are my favorite.

–> How many are designer?: Just one pair.

–> What color do you wear most?: Pink.

–> Least favorite color?: Mmmm…. hmm. I guess puce. Or something like that.

–> Last song heard on the radio?: I can’t remember.

–> What’s for dinner tonight?: I don’t know yet.

–> Are you happy with your life right now?: I am… astounded by my life right now.

–> Anyone ever said you resemble a celebrity?: Yes.

–> Who did you last call on your cell phone?: The doctor’s office. The line was busy.

–> Do you shop at stores like Hollister, Abercrombie & Fitch, American Eagle, or Aeropostale?: Aeropostale, when I have money.

–> How do you make money?: I work.

–> Last thing you bought over 50 dollars?: A plane ticket.

–> How’s the weather?: Cold and clear.

–> Are you missing someone right now?: Yes, and yes.

–> What chores do you have around the house: Dishes. Empty the trash. Build a bookcase.

–> Finish this sentence. I wish…I had more money.

–> One word to describe you: Passionate.

–> Favorite pair of shoes: My brown Oxfords.

–> Do you own big sunglasses? At least three pair.

–> Do you find yourself attractive?: Sometimes.

–> Why is the first person in your Top 8 in the spot? She’s one of my best friends.

–> What would you rather be doing right now?: No comment.

–> What should you be doing right now?: Probably the dishes. HA.

–> Last IM you recieved?: Adam.

–> Who did you hug today? Lucy.

–> What are you going to do now?: Answer some emails.

Ivy, I usually get surveys from MySpace. There are usually loads posted in the bulletins.

Til next time!

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