I could be pissed - I've worked really hard to up my income, pay down my debt, and increase my savings, and it's still not enough for an abode upgrade, especially in MD. My pre-approval loan amount is laughable. No way would I be able to afford a decent place in a safe neighborhood on that amount. Hell, given what my condo appraised for, I wouldn't even be able to afford to buy where I live now! I'd have to downgrade further!
I could be pissed, but I'm not (I think it's hilarious, actually). The currently cruel world did not count on the fact that I Have Plans for my condo, and a redecorating schedule has already been worked out and can be afforded without too much loss in savings, and will cheer me up also. So there.
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
Thursday, February 23, 2006
PoP goes Cate's career
People in Positions of Power unnerve me. I try to stay away from them if I can. If I must be near them, I try to keep my mouth shut as much as possible. I don't think that a PoP confers the right to ask impertinent (possible illegal) questions of an employee that have nothing to do with said employee's job and have way too much to do with said employee's personal life, which said employee tries really hard to keep separate from job. And of course, that labels employee as "suspicious troublemaker who won't play." I will never end up in a PoP, I'm not cut out for it. Corporate America is lucky I know myself so well.
Monday, February 20, 2006
I hate it when people say...
"I can't understand why someone like you is single." I'm sure they mean well, but that doesn't make me feel better.
I've been hearing this comment a lot lately, and it's really getting on my nerves. I think I'm going to have to fortify myself with a strong drink at Dad and Sharon's wedding in July because I have a suspicion that I will hear that comment all damn day.
I have no f---ing idea why I'm still single, and I don't much care. I can say that with conviction because I have not held up my life waiting for someone who may or may not show up. I have things to do, thank you very much. That's the power of a modern woman, I think - having a mate would be really nice, but is not necessary.
And you can't say I haven't tried - I meet doctors through my job all the time, I've taken classes, I've gone on blind dates, I've tried the Internet, I've been in writing groups, I've gone places, seen things, talked to people. And still, I am single. I must give off some sort of repulsive vibe.
The weird thing is that with all the things I've accomplished in my life, earning a degree, buying my own home, paying my own bills, working, pursuing creative endeavors, etc., the one thing people zero in on is my relationship status, as though everything else were not as important, or are, in fact, diminished by my relationship status. This does not make me feel good. I might be further along in my creative life if I had more encouragement there, I think.
It's like the cartoon says, "how great must a solo act get before it has the appeal of a mediocre duet?"
I've been hearing this comment a lot lately, and it's really getting on my nerves. I think I'm going to have to fortify myself with a strong drink at Dad and Sharon's wedding in July because I have a suspicion that I will hear that comment all damn day.
I have no f---ing idea why I'm still single, and I don't much care. I can say that with conviction because I have not held up my life waiting for someone who may or may not show up. I have things to do, thank you very much. That's the power of a modern woman, I think - having a mate would be really nice, but is not necessary.
And you can't say I haven't tried - I meet doctors through my job all the time, I've taken classes, I've gone on blind dates, I've tried the Internet, I've been in writing groups, I've gone places, seen things, talked to people. And still, I am single. I must give off some sort of repulsive vibe.
The weird thing is that with all the things I've accomplished in my life, earning a degree, buying my own home, paying my own bills, working, pursuing creative endeavors, etc., the one thing people zero in on is my relationship status, as though everything else were not as important, or are, in fact, diminished by my relationship status. This does not make me feel good. I might be further along in my creative life if I had more encouragement there, I think.
It's like the cartoon says, "how great must a solo act get before it has the appeal of a mediocre duet?"
Thursday, February 16, 2006
in case anyone needs to know
- my Myers-Briggs designation is INFJ
- my enneagram number is 5
- my sun sign is Taurus on the cusp of Gemini
- my strengthsfinder profile is intellection, deliberative, empathy, input, responsibility
My briefcase is getting really heavy having to carry all these labels around.
- my enneagram number is 5
- my sun sign is Taurus on the cusp of Gemini
- my strengthsfinder profile is intellection, deliberative, empathy, input, responsibility
My briefcase is getting really heavy having to carry all these labels around.
Sunday, February 12, 2006
snow therapy
I waited until 3 to get outside and dig out my car. I spent most of the day in bed with books, attempting to read while keeping an eye on Louise. I am now hypersensitive to every move and sound she makes. That crazy spinster image is creeping up on me again.
I did fine with the snow shoveling for the most part (great exercise), until I got to the snow-and-ice mixture, which was far heavier than just the snow by itself. I overdid it, and now my right shoulder is screaming at me. I think I'm going to lie low and work from home tomorrow. It's hard even to type, let alone use a mouse. Plus, I can't find my heating pad. And I'm drowning in icyhot, and Louise won't come near me.
I did fine with the snow shoveling for the most part (great exercise), until I got to the snow-and-ice mixture, which was far heavier than just the snow by itself. I overdid it, and now my right shoulder is screaming at me. I think I'm going to lie low and work from home tomorrow. It's hard even to type, let alone use a mouse. Plus, I can't find my heating pad. And I'm drowning in icyhot, and Louise won't come near me.
Saturday, February 11, 2006
diagnosis
Somehow, I knew it. I knew it would be bad. I knew Louise wouldn't get out of this one. The vet told me this morning that Louise has intestinal lymphoma. I was weirdly calm during the conversation. It was only after I got off the phone that I started blubbering. Now, every time I look at her, I get a sting behind my eyes.
The vet was vague as to treatment. Prednisone will keep her comfortable for awhile. I could try chemo. I'm supposed to call her in the next week after I've mulled it over and done some research.
Louise got through a heart murmur and an overactive thyroid, and now this. I partly feel ridiculous crying over a cat. It makes me feel like a spinster who is fast losing her grip on reality because her world is entirely feline in nature and company. On the other side of things, this cat has stayed up with me on many nights while I was suffering panic attacks, she keeps my lap warm while I write at the computer, and she always greets me at the door when I come home, and that's just for starters. How many humans can be that consistent even with simple things?
The vet was vague as to treatment. Prednisone will keep her comfortable for awhile. I could try chemo. I'm supposed to call her in the next week after I've mulled it over and done some research.
Louise got through a heart murmur and an overactive thyroid, and now this. I partly feel ridiculous crying over a cat. It makes me feel like a spinster who is fast losing her grip on reality because her world is entirely feline in nature and company. On the other side of things, this cat has stayed up with me on many nights while I was suffering panic attacks, she keeps my lap warm while I write at the computer, and she always greets me at the door when I come home, and that's just for starters. How many humans can be that consistent even with simple things?
Tuesday, February 7, 2006
if you just ask...
...sometimes, the Universe will grant your wish.
I really REALLY didn't want to go to CA to see a client this week. I've got enough work to do as it is, and the trip would have been two days' worth of not-getting-work-done, not to mention the major jetlag. Plus, I'm waiting to hear from the vet about Louise's endoscopy results, and I couldn't stand the thought of having to board her for even a few days, which I would have had to do so that she'd get her meds regularly.
It had become like a mantra, "I don't want to go. I don't want to go." And suddenly, and simply, I didn't have to. Several co-workers came to their senses and decided it would be better if I stayed put to get work done. Amazing.
Thank you, Universe.
I really REALLY didn't want to go to CA to see a client this week. I've got enough work to do as it is, and the trip would have been two days' worth of not-getting-work-done, not to mention the major jetlag. Plus, I'm waiting to hear from the vet about Louise's endoscopy results, and I couldn't stand the thought of having to board her for even a few days, which I would have had to do so that she'd get her meds regularly.
It had become like a mantra, "I don't want to go. I don't want to go." And suddenly, and simply, I didn't have to. Several co-workers came to their senses and decided it would be better if I stayed put to get work done. Amazing.
Thank you, Universe.
Friday, February 3, 2006
you learn something new every day...
I saw this on Dr. Weil’s Web site this morning:
Cobblestones: A Chinese Way to Walk?
Q: Is it true that walking on cobblestones improves blood pressure and balance? How so?
A: Yes, this is true, at least according to a recently published study from the Oregon Research Institute. Here’s the story:
When researchers from the Institute visited China, they noticed that adults spent about a half an hour each day walking on river stone paths in parks and gardens of large cities. They learned that walking on these uneven paths stimulates acupressure points on the soles of the feet. In China, you’ll see people standing and, sometimes, dancing on these paths. Benefits are said to be pain relief, better sleep, and improved physical and mental well-being.
Back home in Eugene, Oregon, the researchers decided to test what they had seen in a clinical trial involving 108 volunteers between the ages of 60 and 92. Half of the volunteers walked daily on mats specially designed to simulate the river-rock cobblestones. The mats were 16 feet long and a foot and a half wide. Some of the volunteers walked barefoot; some wore socks. The rest did conventional walking for one hour three times a week.
At the end of the 16-week study, the researchers found that the mat-walkers had improved their balance and their blood pressure much more so than the participants who did the conventional walking. One of the researchers, a specialist in balance, noted that finding ways to maintain mobility and balance can delay and even prevent the effects of aging. The study was published in the August 2005 issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
As far as the effects on blood pressure are concerned, more investigation will be needed to confirm the results. The Oregon study is the first controlled clinical trial to evaluate the benefits of walking on cobblestones. If you want to try it and have no cobblestones nearby, you can buy a mat from the Oregon Research Institute in Eugene.
Cobblestones: A Chinese Way to Walk?
Q: Is it true that walking on cobblestones improves blood pressure and balance? How so?
A: Yes, this is true, at least according to a recently published study from the Oregon Research Institute. Here’s the story:
When researchers from the Institute visited China, they noticed that adults spent about a half an hour each day walking on river stone paths in parks and gardens of large cities. They learned that walking on these uneven paths stimulates acupressure points on the soles of the feet. In China, you’ll see people standing and, sometimes, dancing on these paths. Benefits are said to be pain relief, better sleep, and improved physical and mental well-being.
Back home in Eugene, Oregon, the researchers decided to test what they had seen in a clinical trial involving 108 volunteers between the ages of 60 and 92. Half of the volunteers walked daily on mats specially designed to simulate the river-rock cobblestones. The mats were 16 feet long and a foot and a half wide. Some of the volunteers walked barefoot; some wore socks. The rest did conventional walking for one hour three times a week.
At the end of the 16-week study, the researchers found that the mat-walkers had improved their balance and their blood pressure much more so than the participants who did the conventional walking. One of the researchers, a specialist in balance, noted that finding ways to maintain mobility and balance can delay and even prevent the effects of aging. The study was published in the August 2005 issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
As far as the effects on blood pressure are concerned, more investigation will be needed to confirm the results. The Oregon study is the first controlled clinical trial to evaluate the benefits of walking on cobblestones. If you want to try it and have no cobblestones nearby, you can buy a mat from the Oregon Research Institute in Eugene.
Thursday, February 2, 2006
heads up, Nick Bantock fans...
From Chronicle Books:
Windflower - "Nick Bantock presents the unforgettable journey of one woman who must fight for her people's way of life, even while their traditions threaten to overpower her. In a Capolan caravan camp, a striking young dancer named Ana is promised in marriage to a fine man she doesn't love. Torn between her love for her people and her need to escape, she flees by moonlight to cosmopolitan Serona. In this seaside enclave, Ana seeks the elusive Felix Bulerias, a man reputed to have the answers she seeks. But along the way, the unseemly attentions of four unusual men threaten to lure Ana in unimaginable directions... and unlock a powerful sensuality unlike like any Ana has ever imagined..."
Windflower - "Nick Bantock presents the unforgettable journey of one woman who must fight for her people's way of life, even while their traditions threaten to overpower her. In a Capolan caravan camp, a striking young dancer named Ana is promised in marriage to a fine man she doesn't love. Torn between her love for her people and her need to escape, she flees by moonlight to cosmopolitan Serona. In this seaside enclave, Ana seeks the elusive Felix Bulerias, a man reputed to have the answers she seeks. But along the way, the unseemly attentions of four unusual men threaten to lure Ana in unimaginable directions... and unlock a powerful sensuality unlike like any Ana has ever imagined..."
Wednesday, February 1, 2006
the up-side of a migraine...
...is that people feel bad for you and send you flowers. I walked into my office this morning, and was greeted by a vase of tulips and roses from my co-worker, Jane. Then in the afternoon, another little bouquet of pink and purple flowers was delivered to me. They're from my mom, and they are in a pretty, girly tea cup with matching saucer.
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