my 4-hr session later this afternoon got moved to next week!! not that I'm not thankful for the work and I've still got to go hit another one at noon, but now there's a chance the laundry will get done and I can sink into a Domesticity Vibe for most of the day. I've already cleaned the kitchen, even mopped the floor, and sweet potatoes are currently baking in the oven. the coffee in the birdie cup is good and so far this is such a nice day. I feel like a girl. the house is quiet.
I read this a few minutes ago on agent b's blog, and was struck by it: "Waiting is not popular in the westernized world. We are impatient. We want our microwaved hot-n-ready pizzas now. And so forth. In the western world, waiting is considered a huge inconvenience. And inconvenience is considered a major crime against our human rights. Thus, waiting is assumed to be like an inhumane act." I think of my own impatience, how I plan my days to take certain routes and am totally offended when things don't happen in the order I expect them to. of how I sometimes rush into things out of a spirit of fear, unwilling to wait and see. of the long, awkward wait for my husband.
I love this song... we sung it on a Sunday morning recently:
Teach me, Lord to wait
Down on my knees
Till in your own good time
You will answer my pleas
Teach me not to rely on what others do
But to wait in prayer
For an answer from You
Teach me, Lord to wait
While my heart is all aflame
Let me humble my pride
And call on our name
Keep my faith renewed;
Keep my eyes fixed on You
Let me be on this earth
What You want me to be
Those who wait upon the Lord
Shall renew their strength
They shall mount up with wings like eagles
They shall run and not be weary
They shall walk and not faint
Teach me, Lord, teach me, Lord, to wait
Spirit, help me to relax today and grant me perspective. minister to me that I may be a blessing to others.
-m.y.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
things that sound awesome.
now that I'm finally done with my work for this day.
in no particular order:
a bath.
a prayer.
cleaning my face with Pond's cold cream. just like my Grandma.
laundry. folded and put away. ha.
stretching a body that's been sitting way too long.
finishing my third Little House book.
straightening the sheets so I can get in them.
a huge glass of ice water.
working on my scarf.... decompression city...
the idea that I'll block off Friday afternoon for the mythical trip to Magic Nails. and a haircut? dare I push my luck?
this list was interrupted by a commercial on tv for onlinebootycall.com. wha?
my sister-in-law sent some pics of my niece last night - she looks bigger and wiser and like a proper little girl with very expressive eyes, and I wish I could know her more.
some things I'm grateful for:
girlie brunches.
FPU and our dear group.
good friends.
12 steps.
singing in the sanctuary.
student loan payments.
on top of the plumbing bill paid-in-full.
a good vet visit!
my edgy husband, who plays the cards with me.
being haunted by a trumpet. here's my brother-in-law at his last recital at Moores School of Music:
in no particular order:
a bath.
a prayer.
cleaning my face with Pond's cold cream. just like my Grandma.
laundry. folded and put away. ha.
stretching a body that's been sitting way too long.
finishing my third Little House book.
straightening the sheets so I can get in them.
a huge glass of ice water.
working on my scarf.... decompression city...
the idea that I'll block off Friday afternoon for the mythical trip to Magic Nails. and a haircut? dare I push my luck?
this list was interrupted by a commercial on tv for onlinebootycall.com. wha?
my sister-in-law sent some pics of my niece last night - she looks bigger and wiser and like a proper little girl with very expressive eyes, and I wish I could know her more.
some things I'm grateful for:
girlie brunches.
FPU and our dear group.
good friends.
12 steps.
singing in the sanctuary.
student loan payments.
on top of the plumbing bill paid-in-full.
a good vet visit!
my edgy husband, who plays the cards with me.
being haunted by a trumpet. here's my brother-in-law at his last recital at Moores School of Music:
Saturday, April 25, 2009
paper anniversary
last weekend, I celebrated being married to this man for an entire year:
I like the photo above. like he conquered that tree and claimed it for the betterment of us.
because he is extraordinarily thoughtful, he gave me the sweetest gift ever - framed movie tickets of the first movie we saw together on January 16, 2007. we'd been hanging out a couple of weeks, and I was ready to... um, proceed. because he was playing it super-cool, people. which is why, while we were waiting for the previews to start, I pointedly remarked that my hands were cold. see, I'm in my thirties... I don't have time to make small talk and coyly wait for our hands to 'accidentally' meet in the popcorn box. I just want my hand to be held by someone I like and I'm not above making a dork of myself to accomplish this.
truth be told, after the movie we also shared our first kiss at my aunt's house, and I pretty much played the dork to make that happen, too. how forward do I sound?! I have no regrets.
because here we are, married! two people who weren't sure they'd ever find their lobster. ('Friends' reference, anyone?)
we praise Him.
we also think Flemings is an amazing place to get a first anniversary steak. for reals.
-m.y.
I like the photo above. like he conquered that tree and claimed it for the betterment of us.
because he is extraordinarily thoughtful, he gave me the sweetest gift ever - framed movie tickets of the first movie we saw together on January 16, 2007. we'd been hanging out a couple of weeks, and I was ready to... um, proceed. because he was playing it super-cool, people. which is why, while we were waiting for the previews to start, I pointedly remarked that my hands were cold. see, I'm in my thirties... I don't have time to make small talk and coyly wait for our hands to 'accidentally' meet in the popcorn box. I just want my hand to be held by someone I like and I'm not above making a dork of myself to accomplish this.
truth be told, after the movie we also shared our first kiss at my aunt's house, and I pretty much played the dork to make that happen, too. how forward do I sound?! I have no regrets.
because here we are, married! two people who weren't sure they'd ever find their lobster. ('Friends' reference, anyone?)
we praise Him.
we also think Flemings is an amazing place to get a first anniversary steak. for reals.
-m.y.
Friday, April 17, 2009
flowers and birds and vitamins, please.
I'm not feeling 100% today... I've been battling some sort of illness. the throat is sort and whatnot. it's not awful, it's just not fun. and gargling salt water is yuck *screws up face*. weird, this is the second time I think I've gotten sick this year, which isn't normal for me. I'm pretty healthy. the husband says I'm overworking and not taking good care of myself. I'm going to go out on a limb and concede that he may have a point. work-aholism tends to run in my family a bit... which isn't a very good excuse, I know, but I only offer that tidbit to prove that I come by my habits honestly.
It's hard to complain about the work part... when you're self-employed, you have to work as it comes to you while attempting to maintain SOME boundaries that still need to be flexible or not as the occasion demands. Thankfully for our plumbing bill, our debt-snowball, and our psyches, work's been flowing in a steady stream the past few weeks. However, I'll be the first to say that I'm terribly undisciplined when it comes to routinely caring for my body and spirit. Work ethic I have in spades. The habit of stretching and challenging my body, feeding it well, fortifying it with vitamins and water, and giving it ample sleep I could greatly improve upon. I could also stand some practice at not allowing stress and worry to etch itself into my spirit and face.
I don't have the foggiest clue how to develop better self-care, other than to express my desire and try to do a little bit better today. I've just finished writing two episodes that are actually due Sunday... Sunday is our first anniversary, and since we've got other commitments this weekend I wanted to get these out of the way. I'm waiting to hear from a client that may or may not have a script for me to record this afternoon, and if she doesn't I think I might head to Magic Nails on Shepard for some eyebrow pruning and foot rubbing action while I sit in the chair and play with the massage remote control. maybe. or maybe I'll just go back to bed for a bit. we've got a finance team meeting at the church later, and husband has vowed to make me chicken-something for dinner. and then, hello weekend!
here are a few photos I took at the church yesterday... we helped with the Hospitality Apartments dinner, and I really enjoyed it. it was getting overcast outside and all of these colors were so vibrant.
p.s. I've enjoyed so much drinking my coffee from this birdy cup today... I got a set of four from my YaYa:
happy Friday, my fine-feathered friends.
**** addendum: last night I had cake left over from the Hospitality Apartment dinner... I'm trying out different ways of making homemade icing, and had baked both a chocolate and yellow cake (they were mixes, don't trip). I came home with some of the yellow, and decided to save one piece for husband and offer the rest to the men upstairs. I left it at the top of the stairs with a note that said "Men... please enjoy this cake!" and here's what I just discovered when I went to check the mail:
:)
It's hard to complain about the work part... when you're self-employed, you have to work as it comes to you while attempting to maintain SOME boundaries that still need to be flexible or not as the occasion demands. Thankfully for our plumbing bill, our debt-snowball, and our psyches, work's been flowing in a steady stream the past few weeks. However, I'll be the first to say that I'm terribly undisciplined when it comes to routinely caring for my body and spirit. Work ethic I have in spades. The habit of stretching and challenging my body, feeding it well, fortifying it with vitamins and water, and giving it ample sleep I could greatly improve upon. I could also stand some practice at not allowing stress and worry to etch itself into my spirit and face.
I don't have the foggiest clue how to develop better self-care, other than to express my desire and try to do a little bit better today. I've just finished writing two episodes that are actually due Sunday... Sunday is our first anniversary, and since we've got other commitments this weekend I wanted to get these out of the way. I'm waiting to hear from a client that may or may not have a script for me to record this afternoon, and if she doesn't I think I might head to Magic Nails on Shepard for some eyebrow pruning and foot rubbing action while I sit in the chair and play with the massage remote control. maybe. or maybe I'll just go back to bed for a bit. we've got a finance team meeting at the church later, and husband has vowed to make me chicken-something for dinner. and then, hello weekend!
here are a few photos I took at the church yesterday... we helped with the Hospitality Apartments dinner, and I really enjoyed it. it was getting overcast outside and all of these colors were so vibrant.
p.s. I've enjoyed so much drinking my coffee from this birdy cup today... I got a set of four from my YaYa:
happy Friday, my fine-feathered friends.
**** addendum: last night I had cake left over from the Hospitality Apartment dinner... I'm trying out different ways of making homemade icing, and had baked both a chocolate and yellow cake (they were mixes, don't trip). I came home with some of the yellow, and decided to save one piece for husband and offer the rest to the men upstairs. I left it at the top of the stairs with a note that said "Men... please enjoy this cake!" and here's what I just discovered when I went to check the mail:
:)
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
happy tax day?
an article I really liked on CNN today:
Commentary: Ticket to freedom is a line on your tax form
By Peter Bregman
Special to CNN
Editor's note: Peter Bregman is chief executive of Bregman Partners Inc., a global management consulting firm, and the author of "Point B: A Short Guide to Leading a Big Change". He writes a weekly column, How We Work, for HarvardBusiness.org.
Peter Bregman says doing your taxes is a chance to look at your spending and saving habits.
NEW YORK (CNN) -- In the Academy Award-winning short film "The Accountant," the O'Dell brothers call an accountant to save them from losing their family farm.
As he's being introduced to one of the brothers, he interrupts, saying "I'll know all about him soon enough." Which he does by going through a stack of his receipts.
"Just facts and figures." That's all he's interested in, because people can make themselves look good by how they dress or where they live or the car they drive.
But facts and figures tell it like it is.
It's that time of year again: April 15, the day of reckoning. The day our lives are represented by facts and figures, by the receipts that tell us how we've spent our past year.
However frustrating and stress inducing it might be to prepare your taxes, it would be a mistake to quickly get them done and move on, like taking a test just to pass. The real value is in learning the material.
And the material of your tax forms is your life. Most people look at their taxes as a picture of their past. But even more interesting than your past is your future. And your tax return speaks volumes about your future.
"Tell me," writes Mary Oliver in her poem, The Summer Day, "what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?" That's the real question of April 15.
Money is not about living in a bigger house. The average American house has already more than doubled, to 2,414 square feet, since the 1950s. It's not about bigger TV's, nicer restaurants or more stuff.
Money is about freedom: The freedom to do challenging work you enjoy. The freedom to spend time with the people you love and who love you. And the freedom from worry about how you're going to feed your family. The most unproductive thing you can do with your money is spend it on things that don't help you achieve those goals.
That freedom can be found on line 8 in your Form 1040 tax return (or line 2 on Form 1040 EZ). Line 8 is our ticket to, if not life, then at least liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
It represents your income from interest on your savings. And when it exceeds your living expenses, you'll be financially independent. Completely and securely free.
In all likelihood, line 8 will show a pretty small number. In recent years in the United States, as we spent more than we earned, our savings rate dipped below zero. The last time that happened was the Great Depression.
But isn't this the wrong time to write a column about saving? If we save instead of spend, won't that hurt our economy further? And anyway, many of us don't have the money for basic necessities; how can we save when we need our money to put food on the table?
Saving might make the downturn worse. But what choice do we have? An economy based on spending more and more, even incurring debt to keep spending, is unsustainable. That's what got us here in the first place. Eventually it would all have to collapse. Eventually is now. Our economy had to get smaller.
And even in the midst of financial hardship, people are finding all sorts of ways to save. Everything from commuting by bike to selling belongings and moving into a smaller home to renting an extra room to boarders.
The good news is that we've already begun to change. This economic downturn has given us a reality check. We no longer expect the rising value of our homes and investments to fund our lifestyles.
Now we're reducing debt, spending less and saving more. The third quarter of 2008 was the first time U.S. household debt declined since the Federal Reserve began tracking it in 1952. For the first time in 17 years, U.S. consumer spending growth declined. And by the fourth quarter of 2008, our savings rate was more than 3 percent and as of February 2009 it was up to 6 percent.
You might be living in a beautiful mansion, but if you have a million-dollar mortgage and only $1,000 of interest income, you're at risk. Even if you have good income from your job. Because if you lose your job, you'll lose your lifestyle. And there are a lot of people living with that fear right now.
But if you have a smaller house, fewer expenses, and the interest income to pay for those expenses, your lifestyle is secure. And that gives you something more valuable than any possession ever could -- peace of mind.
If you had started doing this 10 years ago, wouldn't you be better off today? Interest rates will only go up from here and if you keep investing, a little bit with each paycheck, reinvesting the interest until you need it, your interest income will grow fast. If you're able to save even a little now, given the power of compounding and assuming you're under 50, you can accumulate a lot by the time you retire.
There's one more gift April 15 might bring. A tax refund. Many of us will receive one. Whatever you do, don't spend it. Instead, either pay down debt or invest it in an interest-bearing account. Start to pave your path to a free life.
The facts and figures of April 15 could serve as your own private stimulus package, stimulating you to create financial independence by growing the number in line 8 of your 1040. So you are free to answer Mary Oliver's question without constraint.
Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?
The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Peter Bregman.
I don't know how I feel about these Tea Party demonstrations. I'm all about legal protests, for sure... if you don't like it, by all means get out there and say it! I just don't know about the motivations and effectiveness of these. I'll tell you, it makes me suspicious that, while doing a cursory search last night to learn what's going on, I saw Fox News everywhere. I'm open to hearing people's veiwpoints about it. I do know that if I, in all my self-employed glory, were to show up at the post office with my sign and then go in to file my extension, I'm pretty sure it would read more 'undisciplined, unorganized contractor who hasn't prioritized to get her stuff together on time' than patriotic tax protester. but whatever. we've already filed. I don't like it much, but I suppose I do buy into the whole 'rendering unto Caesar what is Caesar's'... even if Caesar chooses to burn through the funds, I assume it doesn't negate my legal obligation to fork it over. unless, as my husband mentioned last night, you feel so strongly about unfair taxation and government spending that you straight up refuse to pay your taxes. that's a strong protest with very real consequences. for now, I suppose I'll grumble and continue to pay what I think is a ridiculous and incredibly wrong 12% into social security every year. I might even have to keep voting libertarian.
-m.y.
Commentary: Ticket to freedom is a line on your tax form
By Peter Bregman
Special to CNN
Editor's note: Peter Bregman is chief executive of Bregman Partners Inc., a global management consulting firm, and the author of "Point B: A Short Guide to Leading a Big Change". He writes a weekly column, How We Work, for HarvardBusiness.org.
Peter Bregman says doing your taxes is a chance to look at your spending and saving habits.
NEW YORK (CNN) -- In the Academy Award-winning short film "The Accountant," the O'Dell brothers call an accountant to save them from losing their family farm.
As he's being introduced to one of the brothers, he interrupts, saying "I'll know all about him soon enough." Which he does by going through a stack of his receipts.
"Just facts and figures." That's all he's interested in, because people can make themselves look good by how they dress or where they live or the car they drive.
But facts and figures tell it like it is.
It's that time of year again: April 15, the day of reckoning. The day our lives are represented by facts and figures, by the receipts that tell us how we've spent our past year.
However frustrating and stress inducing it might be to prepare your taxes, it would be a mistake to quickly get them done and move on, like taking a test just to pass. The real value is in learning the material.
And the material of your tax forms is your life. Most people look at their taxes as a picture of their past. But even more interesting than your past is your future. And your tax return speaks volumes about your future.
"Tell me," writes Mary Oliver in her poem, The Summer Day, "what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?" That's the real question of April 15.
Money is not about living in a bigger house. The average American house has already more than doubled, to 2,414 square feet, since the 1950s. It's not about bigger TV's, nicer restaurants or more stuff.
Money is about freedom: The freedom to do challenging work you enjoy. The freedom to spend time with the people you love and who love you. And the freedom from worry about how you're going to feed your family. The most unproductive thing you can do with your money is spend it on things that don't help you achieve those goals.
That freedom can be found on line 8 in your Form 1040 tax return (or line 2 on Form 1040 EZ). Line 8 is our ticket to, if not life, then at least liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
It represents your income from interest on your savings. And when it exceeds your living expenses, you'll be financially independent. Completely and securely free.
In all likelihood, line 8 will show a pretty small number. In recent years in the United States, as we spent more than we earned, our savings rate dipped below zero. The last time that happened was the Great Depression.
But isn't this the wrong time to write a column about saving? If we save instead of spend, won't that hurt our economy further? And anyway, many of us don't have the money for basic necessities; how can we save when we need our money to put food on the table?
Saving might make the downturn worse. But what choice do we have? An economy based on spending more and more, even incurring debt to keep spending, is unsustainable. That's what got us here in the first place. Eventually it would all have to collapse. Eventually is now. Our economy had to get smaller.
And even in the midst of financial hardship, people are finding all sorts of ways to save. Everything from commuting by bike to selling belongings and moving into a smaller home to renting an extra room to boarders.
The good news is that we've already begun to change. This economic downturn has given us a reality check. We no longer expect the rising value of our homes and investments to fund our lifestyles.
Now we're reducing debt, spending less and saving more. The third quarter of 2008 was the first time U.S. household debt declined since the Federal Reserve began tracking it in 1952. For the first time in 17 years, U.S. consumer spending growth declined. And by the fourth quarter of 2008, our savings rate was more than 3 percent and as of February 2009 it was up to 6 percent.
You might be living in a beautiful mansion, but if you have a million-dollar mortgage and only $1,000 of interest income, you're at risk. Even if you have good income from your job. Because if you lose your job, you'll lose your lifestyle. And there are a lot of people living with that fear right now.
But if you have a smaller house, fewer expenses, and the interest income to pay for those expenses, your lifestyle is secure. And that gives you something more valuable than any possession ever could -- peace of mind.
If you had started doing this 10 years ago, wouldn't you be better off today? Interest rates will only go up from here and if you keep investing, a little bit with each paycheck, reinvesting the interest until you need it, your interest income will grow fast. If you're able to save even a little now, given the power of compounding and assuming you're under 50, you can accumulate a lot by the time you retire.
There's one more gift April 15 might bring. A tax refund. Many of us will receive one. Whatever you do, don't spend it. Instead, either pay down debt or invest it in an interest-bearing account. Start to pave your path to a free life.
The facts and figures of April 15 could serve as your own private stimulus package, stimulating you to create financial independence by growing the number in line 8 of your 1040. So you are free to answer Mary Oliver's question without constraint.
Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?
The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Peter Bregman.
I don't know how I feel about these Tea Party demonstrations. I'm all about legal protests, for sure... if you don't like it, by all means get out there and say it! I just don't know about the motivations and effectiveness of these. I'll tell you, it makes me suspicious that, while doing a cursory search last night to learn what's going on, I saw Fox News everywhere. I'm open to hearing people's veiwpoints about it. I do know that if I, in all my self-employed glory, were to show up at the post office with my sign and then go in to file my extension, I'm pretty sure it would read more 'undisciplined, unorganized contractor who hasn't prioritized to get her stuff together on time' than patriotic tax protester. but whatever. we've already filed. I don't like it much, but I suppose I do buy into the whole 'rendering unto Caesar what is Caesar's'... even if Caesar chooses to burn through the funds, I assume it doesn't negate my legal obligation to fork it over. unless, as my husband mentioned last night, you feel so strongly about unfair taxation and government spending that you straight up refuse to pay your taxes. that's a strong protest with very real consequences. for now, I suppose I'll grumble and continue to pay what I think is a ridiculous and incredibly wrong 12% into social security every year. I might even have to keep voting libertarian.
-m.y.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
all work and no play makes yoshimi go crazy... or not.
I've been jonesing for a day off... and it has yet to materialize. BUT, I've gotta say, when you're looking down the barrel of a gigantic plumbing bill, work being heaped about your shoulders feels an awful lot like God saying 'it's okay, baby girl, I gotcha covered. AND you'll get out of debt in a crazy way! BAM!' except He's maybe not so Emeril Lagasse about it.
but He is very very Great. and Faithful. and that's the teary, wonderful truth.
know what else is wonderful? having a husband to do the negotiating with plumbers. I'm not kidding.
I knocked out writing an entire episode today and celebrated by throwing on my shoes and heading for the park to walk around in the sunshine for awhile...
so beautiful out today. and so appreciated after sitting in front of a computer all day.
then I came home and used one pound of ground turkey to make both a turkey helper and turkey vegetable soup... I love doing that, getting multiple meals out of something like ground turkey or beef. Now we're good for dinner and lunches tomorrow...
we had the Bells over for Easter dinner, and at the risk of tooting our own horn I have to say it was pretty tasty:
I really can't take any credit for the food... M was the point person on all of the edibles. but the tablecloth, the flowers, the vacuuming and such that preceded the meal, oh yeah, that was all me.
in other news, my sister-in-law was apparently taking the trash out or something and my 2 year old niece LOCKED HER OUT OF THE HOUSE. she locked the DEADBOLT. help us all. if you're reading this, LC, grab that little girl and squeeze her for Lulu, would you please? then squeeze yourself. :)
'member when I said I was knitting in the recording booth? behold the proof:
my first homemade scarf is way longer now. WAY.
-m.y.
but He is very very Great. and Faithful. and that's the teary, wonderful truth.
know what else is wonderful? having a husband to do the negotiating with plumbers. I'm not kidding.
I knocked out writing an entire episode today and celebrated by throwing on my shoes and heading for the park to walk around in the sunshine for awhile...
so beautiful out today. and so appreciated after sitting in front of a computer all day.
then I came home and used one pound of ground turkey to make both a turkey helper and turkey vegetable soup... I love doing that, getting multiple meals out of something like ground turkey or beef. Now we're good for dinner and lunches tomorrow...
we had the Bells over for Easter dinner, and at the risk of tooting our own horn I have to say it was pretty tasty:
I really can't take any credit for the food... M was the point person on all of the edibles. but the tablecloth, the flowers, the vacuuming and such that preceded the meal, oh yeah, that was all me.
in other news, my sister-in-law was apparently taking the trash out or something and my 2 year old niece LOCKED HER OUT OF THE HOUSE. she locked the DEADBOLT. help us all. if you're reading this, LC, grab that little girl and squeeze her for Lulu, would you please? then squeeze yourself. :)
'member when I said I was knitting in the recording booth? behold the proof:
my first homemade scarf is way longer now. WAY.
-m.y.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
holy update, batman!
It's pretty much been a wild and wooly time the past week and a half or so. I've just finished writing one of two episodes that are due this weekend, so I thought I'd indulge in a little blogger time...
I was in Dallas most of last week, and pulled 40 recording hours in four days. I got a lot of knitting done on my scarf in the booth up there! shhh, don't tell that I'm knitting while working. Then I got to come home, work a bit last Saturday, and go with the hubby to sign off on taxes (we OVERPAID by $55. I know.). We celebrated the culmination of Taxes 08 with tasty treats from one of my favorite places to eat:
I forget what else happened this day, but I do remember that I was awfully grumpy. This will be the first mention of my husband's sweetness to me over the past couple of weeks, just being gracious and loving even when I'm emotionally thunderclouding. it won't be the last time it comes up.
Sunday, the FPU class stayed after church through the afternoon to hit two lessons in one, so we could skip a week due to people's schedules. They were all troopers and the class went really well, plus we did a potluck so M and I totally got to bring home some of S.L.'s broccoli rice casserole. I think we caught up with some DVR-ings that night, and I packed to head to Lubbock.
I was at Tech the last few days, speaking in three non-major classes and giving a Master Class for theatre folk. This trip went really well - my hotel was wonderful, the classes went well, everyone was super-nice, I ate reeeely good food, and best of all I got to reconnect with an old friend of mine from college who's a professor in the Theatre Department:
Getting to spend time with her was definitely the best part of the whole trip, and she's responsible for my getting to go there and do my thing. I also got to see a sweet, talented lady whose future I'm very interested in hearing about... our moms go way back and there's lots of history there, and it was so good to get to spend time with her.
here's me giving her some sample dialogue to read:
and me trying to be informative in general:
It should be said that while I was at the airport on my way to Lubbock, I got these scripts to write... so when I had time I was plunking away on my computer at the hotel. While there, we also found out from our renters that our house is having plumbing issues, which are apparently major and involve getting under the foundation. I didn't sleep super well that night.
I flew home last night, and husband fixed a flipping yummy late-night dinner for us after dealing with plumbers and whatnot by himself. Mention of his awesomeness deux. I slept like a baby last night, and woke up to go meet some friends for a much-needed lady-time breakfast.
I ran around town getting work done, then came home to write my fingers to the bone... because I have to appear at an anime convention this weekend, and time for writing is dwindling. However, when I let the dog out I noticed this bird:
I thought maybe he'd fallen out of a nest or something. He let me get so close. Apparently, these two other birds were trying to teach him to fly... I watched them for awhile, just because it was so cool (you can see the little bird made it to the table)
there was also this random kitten that I was in love with for 2 minutes, who was thankfully unaware of all the bird activity:
I cut some flowers and branches off the tree and bushes outside and came in to work.
which made work a lot nicer, really. p.s. during the course of the day I also got a speeding ticket. I realize I was technically breaking the law, but speed traps and cops lying in wait to catch hordes of people made me feel mad and dumb. anyhoo, I wrote all afternoon and evening until husband came home, hugged me tight, and made dinner (he's great, I tell ya):
and then it was over. and he cleaned the kitchen. what can I say.
I finished writing my first episode, told you all about it, and ended this post to go take a much needed bath.
and we're all caught up.
-m.y.
I was in Dallas most of last week, and pulled 40 recording hours in four days. I got a lot of knitting done on my scarf in the booth up there! shhh, don't tell that I'm knitting while working. Then I got to come home, work a bit last Saturday, and go with the hubby to sign off on taxes (we OVERPAID by $55. I know.). We celebrated the culmination of Taxes 08 with tasty treats from one of my favorite places to eat:
I forget what else happened this day, but I do remember that I was awfully grumpy. This will be the first mention of my husband's sweetness to me over the past couple of weeks, just being gracious and loving even when I'm emotionally thunderclouding. it won't be the last time it comes up.
Sunday, the FPU class stayed after church through the afternoon to hit two lessons in one, so we could skip a week due to people's schedules. They were all troopers and the class went really well, plus we did a potluck so M and I totally got to bring home some of S.L.'s broccoli rice casserole. I think we caught up with some DVR-ings that night, and I packed to head to Lubbock.
I was at Tech the last few days, speaking in three non-major classes and giving a Master Class for theatre folk. This trip went really well - my hotel was wonderful, the classes went well, everyone was super-nice, I ate reeeely good food, and best of all I got to reconnect with an old friend of mine from college who's a professor in the Theatre Department:
Getting to spend time with her was definitely the best part of the whole trip, and she's responsible for my getting to go there and do my thing. I also got to see a sweet, talented lady whose future I'm very interested in hearing about... our moms go way back and there's lots of history there, and it was so good to get to spend time with her.
here's me giving her some sample dialogue to read:
and me trying to be informative in general:
It should be said that while I was at the airport on my way to Lubbock, I got these scripts to write... so when I had time I was plunking away on my computer at the hotel. While there, we also found out from our renters that our house is having plumbing issues, which are apparently major and involve getting under the foundation. I didn't sleep super well that night.
I flew home last night, and husband fixed a flipping yummy late-night dinner for us after dealing with plumbers and whatnot by himself. Mention of his awesomeness deux. I slept like a baby last night, and woke up to go meet some friends for a much-needed lady-time breakfast.
I ran around town getting work done, then came home to write my fingers to the bone... because I have to appear at an anime convention this weekend, and time for writing is dwindling. However, when I let the dog out I noticed this bird:
I thought maybe he'd fallen out of a nest or something. He let me get so close. Apparently, these two other birds were trying to teach him to fly... I watched them for awhile, just because it was so cool (you can see the little bird made it to the table)
there was also this random kitten that I was in love with for 2 minutes, who was thankfully unaware of all the bird activity:
I cut some flowers and branches off the tree and bushes outside and came in to work.
which made work a lot nicer, really. p.s. during the course of the day I also got a speeding ticket. I realize I was technically breaking the law, but speed traps and cops lying in wait to catch hordes of people made me feel mad and dumb. anyhoo, I wrote all afternoon and evening until husband came home, hugged me tight, and made dinner (he's great, I tell ya):
and then it was over. and he cleaned the kitchen. what can I say.
I finished writing my first episode, told you all about it, and ended this post to go take a much needed bath.
and we're all caught up.
-m.y.
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