We have been flirting with the idea of looking for a house in town so that Maggie will be close to the library, church, the stores, the rec center, and possible employment opportunities. When we moved here, we knew we wanted to be close enough to town to walk or bike. But it is an hour walk -- for me or Gary -- more for Maggie. Could we ever find another house that's comparable?
Difficult aspects of this house:
Big yard to mow.
Big deck, so it's hard to keep up.
Three miles from downtown.
No dining room; breakfast nook is tiny.
Nice aspects of this house:
Brick. Warm. Little wood to paint.
Newish roof.
Dry! No mildew.
No water in our basement even when others have flooding.
Not an apartment/condo where you share walls, basement, and entryways.
Established garden space, with room for more,
and asparagus, cherries, berries, etc, are already solid.
Mortgage is decent; what's comparable in town seems pricier.
Radon mitigation system in place from former owners.
Kitties allowed outside; in town they must be leashed.
Large garage; plenty of parking space in driveway too.
Most of the windows have been replaced.
Light and bright and airy.
Fantastic neighborhood. Safe.
Well water is healthier and tastier than city water.
No water or septic bills.
Lower property taxes than in town.
And finally, we're already here, settled. (I hate moving.)
I can see why people downsize to smaller homes when the yardwork and housecare becomes burdensome as they age. On the other hand, it could possibly be cheaper to pay someone else to do that rather than live in town with the extra costs there. The big question is whether Maggie can develop enough strength and endurance to transport herself into town when necessary. Thing is, there are two businesses here in town that work with the Dept of Vocational Rehabilitation; our current home is, at most, half-mile further from many of the homes in the center of town, and right now we're closer than many to these two business. So while it may be convenient now to be closer to downtown, it might actually move us away from potential jobs for Mags.
Where's that crystal ball when you need it?
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Mysterious Chemical
It's time for that biannual job -- weather sealant for the deck. Step 1: clean the deck. Don't use the power washer. Don't wear myself out with too much elbow grease. Instead, this time I would use the chemical wood cleaner.
I realized, when we had cleaned about 1/4 of the deck, that we were halfway through the jug of this blue cleaner-stuff. Do a little math: "Gary, while I keep applying this, would you run to the hardware store and buy another gallon?" He did. When the first jug was empty, we opened the second.
It was brown.
And it smelled turpentiny.
And it looked oilier.
But the label was exactly the same. I pondered whether they had changed to a new formula?? I began to use it.
But something was wrong. Gary came over from his part of the job (where he was using the hose) to have a look. He too thought something was wrong. So we quit for the evening.
A couple of hours later, my hands were burning from the chemical (even though I had been wearing rubber gloves).
Nothing on the website about recalls.
The next day I called the manufacturer. They had not heard any complaints. They told me which jug contained the correct cleaner. (The blue one was real. The brown one is the Mystery Chemical.) I took the bottle back to the store to swap it out. I explained to the store's owner and the manager what had happened. The guys couldn't believe it. We checked all the jugs on the shelves; there was another weirdo one.
Right now, my guess is that the brown liquid was one of the active ingredients in the wood cleaner, unmixed. I hope that someday I'll find out what it was.
Moral of the story: I really ought to trust my gut-level instincts more. Why do I keep rationalizing possible reasons/excuses for things? Why do I always assume that I'm being stupid, that I'm not understanding, that the other guy is right? It seems like I too often end up regretting it.
I realized, when we had cleaned about 1/4 of the deck, that we were halfway through the jug of this blue cleaner-stuff. Do a little math: "Gary, while I keep applying this, would you run to the hardware store and buy another gallon?" He did. When the first jug was empty, we opened the second.
It was brown.
And it smelled turpentiny.
And it looked oilier.
But the label was exactly the same. I pondered whether they had changed to a new formula?? I began to use it.
But something was wrong. Gary came over from his part of the job (where he was using the hose) to have a look. He too thought something was wrong. So we quit for the evening.
A couple of hours later, my hands were burning from the chemical (even though I had been wearing rubber gloves).
Nothing on the website about recalls.
The next day I called the manufacturer. They had not heard any complaints. They told me which jug contained the correct cleaner. (The blue one was real. The brown one is the Mystery Chemical.) I took the bottle back to the store to swap it out. I explained to the store's owner and the manager what had happened. The guys couldn't believe it. We checked all the jugs on the shelves; there was another weirdo one.
Right now, my guess is that the brown liquid was one of the active ingredients in the wood cleaner, unmixed. I hope that someday I'll find out what it was.
Moral of the story: I really ought to trust my gut-level instincts more. Why do I keep rationalizing possible reasons/excuses for things? Why do I always assume that I'm being stupid, that I'm not understanding, that the other guy is right? It seems like I too often end up regretting it.
Monday, August 27, 2012
The Mini-MoPed Girl
Dear Neighbor,
I understand. And I agree that most people are over-protective of children. I understand that your 7-yr-old daughter is having a grand time zipping around the neighborhood in her new toy. I understand that it's good for her to play outside instead of being zoned out in front of a television or video game. I understand that a little freedom is important to her development.
But I have news for you. A helmet is not enough protection for a child who is operating a motorized vehicle. On public streets. At 15-20 miles per hour.
I assume your child does not have a license to operate. After all, she's half the minimum driving age. And her inability to notice oncoming traffic or to stop-&-look at intersections tells me that she'd fail a driving test if she were old enough to apply for a license.
I'm sure you are blissfully ignorant of how many close calls your daughter has had. I doubt she realizes the close calls either. Luckily the cars that she has come close to smashing into have seen her first, stopped, and sat still, waiting, while your daughter narrowly missed damaging their vehicles. And she goes on her merry way, unrattled.
I hope we can figure out who you are and where you live before the day the ambulance arrives. I'd rather talk to you sooner instead of later.
Susan
I understand. And I agree that most people are over-protective of children. I understand that your 7-yr-old daughter is having a grand time zipping around the neighborhood in her new toy. I understand that it's good for her to play outside instead of being zoned out in front of a television or video game. I understand that a little freedom is important to her development.
But I have news for you. A helmet is not enough protection for a child who is operating a motorized vehicle. On public streets. At 15-20 miles per hour.
I assume your child does not have a license to operate. After all, she's half the minimum driving age. And her inability to notice oncoming traffic or to stop-&-look at intersections tells me that she'd fail a driving test if she were old enough to apply for a license.
I'm sure you are blissfully ignorant of how many close calls your daughter has had. I doubt she realizes the close calls either. Luckily the cars that she has come close to smashing into have seen her first, stopped, and sat still, waiting, while your daughter narrowly missed damaging their vehicles. And she goes on her merry way, unrattled.
I hope we can figure out who you are and where you live before the day the ambulance arrives. I'd rather talk to you sooner instead of later.
Susan
Saturday, August 25, 2012
Hiring the Good Employees
I am not the manager. I am not the supervisor. But I've seen quite a few tellers come and go during the months I've spent at my job. Some went on to promotions. Some quit. Some lost their job. And I've noticed a pattern.
There is an indefinable, unpinpointable characteristic that distinguishes the good employees from the bad. And it's got something to do with compassion for others.
Employees can put on a show about being polite, but for some of them the politeness comes with relatively little effort because of the concern they have for helping the other guy.
Employees can be hard workers because they know the boss will smile upon them for it, but if their hard work is done only to earn the boss's favor, it's hard to keep up the effort when he's not looking. Others work hard because it's part of their desire to help their customers and their co-workers.
Employees can complain behind the backs of the nasty customers, but then their crabby rebuttals [spoken surreptitiously to co-workers] affect their attitude so that it oozes out around the edges to all the customers. Others understand that a rude customer may be "rude" simply because she didn't hear the cheery greeting to give a pleasant response, or because something tragic is going on his life.
Most people who are looking for jobs these days must apply online. Sometimes hundreds of people apply for a handful of jobs. There is no way for an employer to get that "feel" for what the prospective employee is like, to assess those indefinable "vibes." And there is no way for the guy who's job-hunting to be able to "sell" himself on the basis of that most-important quality. That's hard for the guy who needs a job. But it's also a difficulty for the person who's doing the hiring. I'm beginning more and more to think that, if I'm ever in a position of making hiring-decisions, my gut-level intuition should have a lot more clout than my reason and logic.
There is an indefinable, unpinpointable characteristic that distinguishes the good employees from the bad. And it's got something to do with compassion for others.
Employees can put on a show about being polite, but for some of them the politeness comes with relatively little effort because of the concern they have for helping the other guy.
Employees can be hard workers because they know the boss will smile upon them for it, but if their hard work is done only to earn the boss's favor, it's hard to keep up the effort when he's not looking. Others work hard because it's part of their desire to help their customers and their co-workers.
Employees can complain behind the backs of the nasty customers, but then their crabby rebuttals [spoken surreptitiously to co-workers] affect their attitude so that it oozes out around the edges to all the customers. Others understand that a rude customer may be "rude" simply because she didn't hear the cheery greeting to give a pleasant response, or because something tragic is going on his life.
Most people who are looking for jobs these days must apply online. Sometimes hundreds of people apply for a handful of jobs. There is no way for an employer to get that "feel" for what the prospective employee is like, to assess those indefinable "vibes." And there is no way for the guy who's job-hunting to be able to "sell" himself on the basis of that most-important quality. That's hard for the guy who needs a job. But it's also a difficulty for the person who's doing the hiring. I'm beginning more and more to think that, if I'm ever in a position of making hiring-decisions, my gut-level intuition should have a lot more clout than my reason and logic.
Thursday, August 23, 2012
Update
Tomatoes are doing nicely. Best year for peppers I've ever had. We ate some awesome stuffed-pepper skillet the other day.
Maggie and I went to the science museum today. They have a bed of nails to lie on (to demonstrate dispersion of pressure). We tried it. Prickly. But not painful.
Bethany and Evan moved back to Madison. You get a big ol' crew of workers on moving day, and yowza, the work goes fast!
Monday was a potluck tailgate party at the Brewers/Cubs game. A whole bunch of people from church attended; it was one of the events for the 50th-anniversary celebration. Fun night. The best part was the home-run ball hit right to our section, the first major-league homer for that player. Maggie has decided that she is a Cubs fan.
This week and next I'm not scheduled for any extra hours at work. I'm just working my own hours without any substituting. I hope all the new tellers work out so that this stability-of-schedule lasts for a while. This week I'm learning to balance the ATM. Next week I will be trained on being a morning-opener. New stuff -- hooray!
Maggie and I cleaned the garage. Now I can use it for lunch tables for a baptism dinner someday soon. :-)
Andrew started classes today. Well, class. He is taking only one this semester. He still has his part-time pizza job. Saturday is his first day of CNA-type home-visitation job.
School (and thus chapel) starts next week. Today was my last day to sleep past 6:30. I should learn to go to bed in the evenings.
Maggie and I went to the science museum today. They have a bed of nails to lie on (to demonstrate dispersion of pressure). We tried it. Prickly. But not painful.
Bethany and Evan moved back to Madison. You get a big ol' crew of workers on moving day, and yowza, the work goes fast!
Monday was a potluck tailgate party at the Brewers/Cubs game. A whole bunch of people from church attended; it was one of the events for the 50th-anniversary celebration. Fun night. The best part was the home-run ball hit right to our section, the first major-league homer for that player. Maggie has decided that she is a Cubs fan.
This week and next I'm not scheduled for any extra hours at work. I'm just working my own hours without any substituting. I hope all the new tellers work out so that this stability-of-schedule lasts for a while. This week I'm learning to balance the ATM. Next week I will be trained on being a morning-opener. New stuff -- hooray!
Maggie and I cleaned the garage. Now I can use it for lunch tables for a baptism dinner someday soon. :-)
Andrew started classes today. Well, class. He is taking only one this semester. He still has his part-time pizza job. Saturday is his first day of CNA-type home-visitation job.
School (and thus chapel) starts next week. Today was my last day to sleep past 6:30. I should learn to go to bed in the evenings.
Monday, August 13, 2012
Roman Soldier?
Our town hosted "Heritage Days," a montage of historical re-enactments, all the way from ancient Greece & Rome, up to WWII. Fun times! And it gets better every year.
Sunday, August 12, 2012
Wisconsin Senate Race
Jeff Fitzgerald.
For all you undecideds, take a look at our Assembly Speaker. He stood firm with Gov Walker.
Granted, any of the four candidates will make a good Senator. And I will vote for whoever is running against Tammy; she's all for bigger government, higher taxes, and more govt regulations.
But choosing between the four on Tuesday? Tommy isn't as conservative as I'd like. Mark has pulled some shenanigans in recent elections, so that he's not my top choice. Hovde sounds good in many ways, but he's unproven; without a voting record (and being what I consider an out-of-stater) I have no way to know whether he's feeding me a line he thinks will gain my vote, or if he's genuine.
Jeff Fitzgerald has endured the nastiness thrown at him, and still has governed well. I encourage you to vote for him on Tuesday.
For all you undecideds, take a look at our Assembly Speaker. He stood firm with Gov Walker.
Granted, any of the four candidates will make a good Senator. And I will vote for whoever is running against Tammy; she's all for bigger government, higher taxes, and more govt regulations.
But choosing between the four on Tuesday? Tommy isn't as conservative as I'd like. Mark has pulled some shenanigans in recent elections, so that he's not my top choice. Hovde sounds good in many ways, but he's unproven; without a voting record (and being what I consider an out-of-stater) I have no way to know whether he's feeding me a line he thinks will gain my vote, or if he's genuine.
Jeff Fitzgerald has endured the nastiness thrown at him, and still has governed well. I encourage you to vote for him on Tuesday.
Romney-Ryan Rally
I haven't been in a traffic jam this bad in years. Even when on my rare forays into Chicagoland, I haven't seen this kind of traffic for a long long time. But people were polite and safe and (for the most part) patient drivers, so that helps.
There were, of course, protesters. I counted 23. I may have missed 1 or 2. I wondered how the network news would report the number of protesters.
Of all the folks who spoke (Congressmen, national leaders, state leaders, etc.), Scott Walker and Paul Ryan received the most enthusiastic reception. The crowd is reported to have been 8000 to 10,000+ (and since we needed tickets to enter, they actually have a count of attendees, and not just a guess).
There were, of course, protesters. I counted 23. I may have missed 1 or 2. I wondered how the network news would report the number of protesters.
Of all the folks who spoke (Congressmen, national leaders, state leaders, etc.), Scott Walker and Paul Ryan received the most enthusiastic reception. The crowd is reported to have been 8000 to 10,000+ (and since we needed tickets to enter, they actually have a count of attendees, and not just a guess).
Tuesday, August 07, 2012
What to Call the In-Laws
When you're a kid, you don't know what adults call their in-laws. After all, parents usually refer to their in-laws as "Grandma" and "Grandpa" around the munchkins.
So when you get all grown-up and acquire yourself some in-laws, you have to figure out what to call them. It feels funny to start calling someone "Dad" who used to be "Mr Lastname." But hey, what may feel funny at first is something you get used to eventually. The problem comes when there are objections.
Maybe the bride's mom doesn't want her daughter calling another woman "Mom." Maybe she thinks, "That's my spot!" Maybe the groom feels like it would be betraying his father to call somebody else "Dad." Maybe you don't feel comfortable enough around the spouse's family to use such close & endearing names. Maybe [gasp] there's some dislike.
When Gary and I got married, we didn't know what to do, and nobody told us. When I asked about calling my mother-in-law "Mom," I was told no, but that I could call her "Mother." (Unfortunately, to me, "Mother" is a term of exasperation, rather like when a parent uses a child's full name; kids usually know that they're in trouble when they're summoned with the middle name and last name in addition to the first name. That's how "Mother" feels coming out of my mouth. Because "Mother" sounded disrespectful to me, I didn't want to use it for my mother-in-law. Maybe I should have anyway.)
When two of my girls got married, we didn't know what to tell them. We did tell them that we thought "Mom" and "Dad" would be good, but that it was up to them because we recognized that it might make the husbands uncomfortable or make the guys' parents uncomfortable.
In hindsight, I think we botched it.
There is a change of relationship, a change of family, new connections being created, at a wedding. The bride has to get used to introducing herself with a new name. She has to get used to a new signature. The couple has to get used to living together instead of separately in their parents' homes. Calling the in-laws "Mom" and "Dad" is just one of those changes.
So I'm saying it for all you yet-unmarried youngsters who are my kids' friends. There's a theological reality here. When you refer to your spouse's parents with words/nicknames for parents, you are teaching yourself something about who these people are and what your relationship is. If they object to being called "Mom" and "Dad," maybe they need to learn something about this new family-relationship. Neither should your parents object to your in-laws being called "Mom" and "Dad." You've probably got decades together, through kids and grandkids, through illnesses and moves and job changes and fights and reconciliations and school plays and Little League games and deaths and sorrows and joys. Y'know, "for better or for worse, ..." and all that.
And through it all, it would be good to know that this person who raised your husband (or wife) IS "Mom" or "Dad." Not just to your spouse, but to you too. And using the words helps you to believe it.
So say it. Squirm if you must. If you can't help it and turn red in the face, so be it. But say "Mom" and "Dad" anyway. In 40 years, you'll be glad you did.
So when you get all grown-up and acquire yourself some in-laws, you have to figure out what to call them. It feels funny to start calling someone "Dad" who used to be "Mr Lastname." But hey, what may feel funny at first is something you get used to eventually. The problem comes when there are objections.
Maybe the bride's mom doesn't want her daughter calling another woman "Mom." Maybe she thinks, "That's my spot!" Maybe the groom feels like it would be betraying his father to call somebody else "Dad." Maybe you don't feel comfortable enough around the spouse's family to use such close & endearing names. Maybe [gasp] there's some dislike.
When Gary and I got married, we didn't know what to do, and nobody told us. When I asked about calling my mother-in-law "Mom," I was told no, but that I could call her "Mother." (Unfortunately, to me, "Mother" is a term of exasperation, rather like when a parent uses a child's full name; kids usually know that they're in trouble when they're summoned with the middle name and last name in addition to the first name. That's how "Mother" feels coming out of my mouth. Because "Mother" sounded disrespectful to me, I didn't want to use it for my mother-in-law. Maybe I should have anyway.)
When two of my girls got married, we didn't know what to tell them. We did tell them that we thought "Mom" and "Dad" would be good, but that it was up to them because we recognized that it might make the husbands uncomfortable or make the guys' parents uncomfortable.
In hindsight, I think we botched it.
There is a change of relationship, a change of family, new connections being created, at a wedding. The bride has to get used to introducing herself with a new name. She has to get used to a new signature. The couple has to get used to living together instead of separately in their parents' homes. Calling the in-laws "Mom" and "Dad" is just one of those changes.
So I'm saying it for all you yet-unmarried youngsters who are my kids' friends. There's a theological reality here. When you refer to your spouse's parents with words/nicknames for parents, you are teaching yourself something about who these people are and what your relationship is. If they object to being called "Mom" and "Dad," maybe they need to learn something about this new family-relationship. Neither should your parents object to your in-laws being called "Mom" and "Dad." You've probably got decades together, through kids and grandkids, through illnesses and moves and job changes and fights and reconciliations and school plays and Little League games and deaths and sorrows and joys. Y'know, "for better or for worse, ..." and all that.
And through it all, it would be good to know that this person who raised your husband (or wife) IS "Mom" or "Dad." Not just to your spouse, but to you too. And using the words helps you to believe it.
So say it. Squirm if you must. If you can't help it and turn red in the face, so be it. But say "Mom" and "Dad" anyway. In 40 years, you'll be glad you did.
Monday, August 06, 2012
Wisconsin Homeschoolers
Although the DPI now has available the online census form on which we report the enrollment of our homeschools, now is not the time to file.
If your child has already been enrolled in a conventional school for the 2012-13 school year (even though he would not yet have attended), you may not begin homeschooling until the government receives a copy of your PI-1206. If your child has been enrolled for the upcoming school-year, file your 1206 this week or next.
But for everybody else (those of us who unenrolled the kid last spring, or those of us who were homeschooling last spring and even before) we do NOT file the PI-1206 until after the third Friday in September.
I know some of you want to get things checked off your to-do list. I know some of you don't want to wait, for fear you may forget. Put it on your calendar for September 26 or 28 or October 3. Like all the other schools in the state, we count our enrollment on the third Friday of September. Wait until that day, please.
If your child has already been enrolled in a conventional school for the 2012-13 school year (even though he would not yet have attended), you may not begin homeschooling until the government receives a copy of your PI-1206. If your child has been enrolled for the upcoming school-year, file your 1206 this week or next.
But for everybody else (those of us who unenrolled the kid last spring, or those of us who were homeschooling last spring and even before) we do NOT file the PI-1206 until after the third Friday in September.
I know some of you want to get things checked off your to-do list. I know some of you don't want to wait, for fear you may forget. Put it on your calendar for September 26 or 28 or October 3. Like all the other schools in the state, we count our enrollment on the third Friday of September. Wait until that day, please.
Arnica Gel
Because I bruise easily, I know that every single bump into a corner of a counter-top, a piece of furniture, or a car door, will result in a bruise. A tube of arnica gel is sitting in my bedroom to alleviate carpal tunnel pain. As I had done with my inadvertent aloe experiments, a week ago I experimented with the arnica. Arnica on only one of the bruised spots. The newer bruise (which was just as deep, with the same amount of pain as the older bruise) healed much faster, much more comfortably.
How does it DO that?!
That arnica is awesome stuff! And no, I don't get paid by the Arnica Foundation to wax eloquent about this amazing herb. :-)
How does it DO that?!
That arnica is awesome stuff! And no, I don't get paid by the Arnica Foundation to wax eloquent about this amazing herb. :-)
Sunday, August 05, 2012
Alia's Axe
So while we're babysitting today, the 3-yr-old comes from the garage, onto the deck, with a hatchet. Andrew's eyebrows pop up, and he queries, "So ... what are you doing with the axe, Alia?"
"I want to chop down a tree."
Naturally! Silly us. Why else would a kid want an axe?
I explain, "You may not chop down a tree. I want my trees!"
"But.... But ..... I want to chop down a tree. Why do you have an axe if you don't chop down trees??"
"For chopping the branches that fall down after a windstorm."
She trots back to the garage and puts the hatchet away.
So as we're in the kitchen, putting away the food and beginning to wash the lunch dishes, I'm thinking that we really need to keep a close eye on this kid. Then Andrew gasps from the deck. Alia had picked up the cat (the younger one, the mild-mannered one, the suck-it-up-and-take-whatever-comes one) and tossed her in the kiddie pool. Surprisingly enough, the cat wasn't as pleased with the pool as was the kid in the bathing suit.
Then we went to the playground. The nice, safe playground. LOL.
"I want to chop down a tree."
Naturally! Silly us. Why else would a kid want an axe?
I explain, "You may not chop down a tree. I want my trees!"
"But.... But ..... I want to chop down a tree. Why do you have an axe if you don't chop down trees??"
"For chopping the branches that fall down after a windstorm."
She trots back to the garage and puts the hatchet away.
So as we're in the kitchen, putting away the food and beginning to wash the lunch dishes, I'm thinking that we really need to keep a close eye on this kid. Then Andrew gasps from the deck. Alia had picked up the cat (the younger one, the mild-mannered one, the suck-it-up-and-take-whatever-comes one) and tossed her in the kiddie pool. Surprisingly enough, the cat wasn't as pleased with the pool as was the kid in the bathing suit.
Then we went to the playground. The nice, safe playground. LOL.
Peach Pie
So when the peach pie or the apple pie contains the fruit-skin,
when the mashed potatoes have skins in them,
does that mean
a) the cook is nobly concerned about good nutrition and not wasting the food,
or
b) the cook is too lazy to peel the fruit?
I vote for choice A. Yes. I do. You believe that, don't you?
when the mashed potatoes have skins in them,
does that mean
a) the cook is nobly concerned about good nutrition and not wasting the food,
or
b) the cook is too lazy to peel the fruit?
I vote for choice A. Yes. I do. You believe that, don't you?
Saturday, August 04, 2012
Making Mistakes
I think it might be worse to watch somebody else make a mistake at work than to botch it myself.
Almost half of our tellers are new in June or July. Two were on their own for the first time this week. The person I was working with today is such a sweetie. It was really busy. And, as luck would have it, she ended up with her drawer being off. She hadn't made a big error, but it was enough to trouble her. I wanted so much to hug her and assure her. I wanted to make it all better for her. I remember those mistakes happening all-too-frequently when I was new. I wished that things had gone differently during the morning; I wondered if there was something I could have done to be more helpful to her. I feel awful that she was off, and it wasn't even my mistake.
When I was new, they kept telling me, "Everybody makes mistakes." That didn't make it any better at the time. But now that I've been there for a while, and I can see what the new girl is going through, it's true: everybody does make mistakes when they're learning!
When I was new, they kept assuring me that I would learn from my mistakes. I didn't like that. I knew it was true. But I hated it. In fact, I still remember my second-grade teacher giving us a homework assignment to come up with a list of homonyms. I of course, in overdrive, came up with a list of not 10 or 20, but nearly 100. My list included "our" and "are" as homonyms. It was wrong! [gasp] [By the way, Teacher didn't listen to how folks in that section of Illinois pronounced "are" and "our."] I still remember being WRONG about that. Of course, Mr Choir Director appreciates that because I make sure to sing "our" with the correct pronunciation. And sometimes I edit his writing, correcting the same mistake (because he was raised amongst people with the same accent). All because of my mortification that my second-grade teacher caught me being WRONG.
During my senior year when I was taking a programming class, my computer program didn't run as it was supposed to. I couldn't figure out what was wrong. I went to the prof. He asked me what I'd done to debug the program. "What? What do you mean, 'debug the program'?" He asked me what I'd done before, when my programs hadn't run properly. I was stunned. They'd never not-run before. I was nearing the end of my computer-science major, and I had never debugged a program. I'd always gotten it right from the get-go. That's not actually a good way to learn to solve problems, eh?
I am still stunned by the parable of the lost sheep. For decades I had wondered about how there is "more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 just persons who need no repentance." God is not like me. I would much rather have my kids obey me than to screw up and break things and be sassy and then ask for forgiveness. I don't understand this verse: how can God delight in repentance more than He delights in so much obedience that there's no need for repentance?! I mean, He certainly wants us to obey and do what is right! But this verse -- there is more joy in heaven....
I don't like mistakes.
I like to be right.
I like to do things the right way so that there's no need to fix it.
I want so desperately to comfort those who are grieving
over their inability to do the job perfectly.
I know we learn from our mistakes.
I still don't like mistakes.
Maybe I'll get it straightened out in my mind before I die.
Almost half of our tellers are new in June or July. Two were on their own for the first time this week. The person I was working with today is such a sweetie. It was really busy. And, as luck would have it, she ended up with her drawer being off. She hadn't made a big error, but it was enough to trouble her. I wanted so much to hug her and assure her. I wanted to make it all better for her. I remember those mistakes happening all-too-frequently when I was new. I wished that things had gone differently during the morning; I wondered if there was something I could have done to be more helpful to her. I feel awful that she was off, and it wasn't even my mistake.
When I was new, they kept telling me, "Everybody makes mistakes." That didn't make it any better at the time. But now that I've been there for a while, and I can see what the new girl is going through, it's true: everybody does make mistakes when they're learning!
When I was new, they kept assuring me that I would learn from my mistakes. I didn't like that. I knew it was true. But I hated it. In fact, I still remember my second-grade teacher giving us a homework assignment to come up with a list of homonyms. I of course, in overdrive, came up with a list of not 10 or 20, but nearly 100. My list included "our" and "are" as homonyms. It was wrong! [gasp] [By the way, Teacher didn't listen to how folks in that section of Illinois pronounced "are" and "our."] I still remember being WRONG about that. Of course, Mr Choir Director appreciates that because I make sure to sing "our" with the correct pronunciation. And sometimes I edit his writing, correcting the same mistake (because he was raised amongst people with the same accent). All because of my mortification that my second-grade teacher caught me being WRONG.
During my senior year when I was taking a programming class, my computer program didn't run as it was supposed to. I couldn't figure out what was wrong. I went to the prof. He asked me what I'd done to debug the program. "What? What do you mean, 'debug the program'?" He asked me what I'd done before, when my programs hadn't run properly. I was stunned. They'd never not-run before. I was nearing the end of my computer-science major, and I had never debugged a program. I'd always gotten it right from the get-go. That's not actually a good way to learn to solve problems, eh?
I am still stunned by the parable of the lost sheep. For decades I had wondered about how there is "more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 just persons who need no repentance." God is not like me. I would much rather have my kids obey me than to screw up and break things and be sassy and then ask for forgiveness. I don't understand this verse: how can God delight in repentance more than He delights in so much obedience that there's no need for repentance?! I mean, He certainly wants us to obey and do what is right! But this verse -- there is more joy in heaven....
I don't like mistakes.
I like to be right.
I like to do things the right way so that there's no need to fix it.
I want so desperately to comfort those who are grieving
over their inability to do the job perfectly.
I know we learn from our mistakes.
I still don't like mistakes.
Maybe I'll get it straightened out in my mind before I die.
Proper-Fitting Bras
Heads-up to guys: This is a girls' topic.
About a decade ago, the doctor sent me for tests. She was quite sure I didn't have cancer, but needed to eliminate that as a possibility before looking into more reasonable explanations for the pain I was experiencing. The mammogram technician told me that she sees many women who are having problems with their undergarments. She suggested trying an alternative-type undergarment, and that has been my only option for years. It doesn't make a person look attractive, but it seemed the best choice given the circumstances.
Recently, a friend pointed out Breakout Bras and their advice on sizing and finding a proper fit. Hey! This is fantastic! Nobody ever told me this before!
Y'know how They always told you to measure your rib cage and then add 4-5" to find your band size? No! That's wrong. That's how I ended up with poor fit, pain, and straps that kept slipping off my shoulders. Breakout Bras says to measure your rib cage, and then start shopping for the size that reflects that measurement. And it works. Awesome!
Friday, August 03, 2012
The Kids Pulled It Off!
We got stuck with a dentist appointment for Maggie on a day that I had to work. But that was okay: Andrew could drive her. Then Andrew had to go in to make arrangements for his new job (CNA work for at-home assistance for the elderly or disabled). But Katie was willing to borrow our car and drive Maggie to the dentist (even when we forgot to switch car seats into the van, and she had to come chase them down). I dropped off Andrew at his appointment. Katie waited for Maggie, and then all the girls hit the beach while waiting for Andrew's appointment to conclude. It took longer than it should have. Many thanks to Katie for her help!! Who needs Hermione's time-turner when Katie helps us out this way?!
Garden
Enough aloe, and the sunburn will soak in, turn to tan, and won't peel!
I thought I would have three days in a row off this week. Since late May, I had been hoping to go visit Mom this week. But somehow I ended up scheduled to work Wednesday afternoon. As Murphy's Law would dictate, business was slow, and I stood around bored for most of the afternoon. What a bummer!
But Maggie has been motivated to overcome the weeds. The garden got SO out-of-control during June's vacation and symposium, and then with July's heat and our reluctance to go do garden work and give ourselves heat stroke. :-) So for the past week, we have been working together to make a dent in the jungle.
The patch by the grapes and blueberries has been thoroughly weeded, mulch laid down, and a few small strips planted. Cilantro, beets, lettuce -- because it will be cooling down pretty soon -- right?
The strawberry patch and the asparagus patch have been thoroughly weeded. Part of it is mulched. We need to move a few straggler berry plants back into the proper rows, and then finish mulching.
The tomato patch (where live the cucumber, zucchini, basil, and peppers) is weeded and has mulch in all the places I want it. We still need to till under the cilantro patch and plant something that will grow before snow & frost.
The blackberries are partly weeded. And the raspberries need lots of attention: pruning and weeding and mulch.
The patches that have been weeded are drying out so fast! I know the weeds hog the nutrients and moisture, supposedly harming my plants. But the weeds also provide ground cover so that the ground stays moist there. I'm not entirely convinced at this point that we haven't done harm in this drought to have yanked the weeds.
Not enough blackberries to make a pie or a batch of jam. But there are enough to graze for some treats. The raspberries were even thinner than that. The grapes, however, are looking nice. The tomatoes are beginning to come in and taste oh-so-wonderful! There are only a few pumpkins, but that will be okay. I loved the romaine we grew in spring; I hope the heat now won't be too much for a fall crop.
The heat and lack of rain seems to have forestalled the pest damage from Japanese beetles. It also seems to have significantly delayed the fungus problems everybody around here faces. So I think most of the tomato crop may ripen before the plants succumb this year. Woo hoo!
I thought I would have three days in a row off this week. Since late May, I had been hoping to go visit Mom this week. But somehow I ended up scheduled to work Wednesday afternoon. As Murphy's Law would dictate, business was slow, and I stood around bored for most of the afternoon. What a bummer!
But Maggie has been motivated to overcome the weeds. The garden got SO out-of-control during June's vacation and symposium, and then with July's heat and our reluctance to go do garden work and give ourselves heat stroke. :-) So for the past week, we have been working together to make a dent in the jungle.
The patch by the grapes and blueberries has been thoroughly weeded, mulch laid down, and a few small strips planted. Cilantro, beets, lettuce -- because it will be cooling down pretty soon -- right?
The strawberry patch and the asparagus patch have been thoroughly weeded. Part of it is mulched. We need to move a few straggler berry plants back into the proper rows, and then finish mulching.
The tomato patch (where live the cucumber, zucchini, basil, and peppers) is weeded and has mulch in all the places I want it. We still need to till under the cilantro patch and plant something that will grow before snow & frost.
The blackberries are partly weeded. And the raspberries need lots of attention: pruning and weeding and mulch.
The patches that have been weeded are drying out so fast! I know the weeds hog the nutrients and moisture, supposedly harming my plants. But the weeds also provide ground cover so that the ground stays moist there. I'm not entirely convinced at this point that we haven't done harm in this drought to have yanked the weeds.
Not enough blackberries to make a pie or a batch of jam. But there are enough to graze for some treats. The raspberries were even thinner than that. The grapes, however, are looking nice. The tomatoes are beginning to come in and taste oh-so-wonderful! There are only a few pumpkins, but that will be okay. I loved the romaine we grew in spring; I hope the heat now won't be too much for a fall crop.
The heat and lack of rain seems to have forestalled the pest damage from Japanese beetles. It also seems to have significantly delayed the fungus problems everybody around here faces. So I think most of the tomato crop may ripen before the plants succumb this year. Woo hoo!
Thursday, August 02, 2012
Poll
Gary and I aren't in the habit of hanging around the house in our underwear. Our kids have learned in the last couple of years that several of their friends' dads do. (Come to think of it, we don't know about friends' moms.)
An argument arose yesterday. Is the decency-standard different for girls and guys? I think in public it is. But what about in the privacy of home? I suspect that girls are less likely to wander the house in their underwear, but I may be wrong. If the girl thinks all the guys are gone or asleep, and then is seen in her undies [gasp!] whose problem is it? Should the female take greater care in modesty? Or should the male realize that, if he can wander the house in his boxers, he shouldn't hold others to a higher standard?
What do you say?
An argument arose yesterday. Is the decency-standard different for girls and guys? I think in public it is. But what about in the privacy of home? I suspect that girls are less likely to wander the house in their underwear, but I may be wrong. If the girl thinks all the guys are gone or asleep, and then is seen in her undies [gasp!] whose problem is it? Should the female take greater care in modesty? Or should the male realize that, if he can wander the house in his boxers, he shouldn't hold others to a higher standard?
What do you say?
Wednesday, August 01, 2012
Avoiding a Traffic Ticket
You know that "Move Over" law? If an emergency vehicle or tow truck is stopped on the side of the road, we are supposed to move over or slow down. Well, "move over" doesn't just mean to move over; it means to change lanes completely.
I talked to someone who got a whoppin' fine and three points on her license today because she needed to be in the right lane to exit the highway, so she moved over to the middle of the road to give wide berth to the police car and the tow truck which were sitting on the shoulder. But she did not change lanes so that her car was completely in the left lane. That was the reason for the ticket. When she explained to the policeman that she was exiting and had to be in the right lane, he told her that she should have stayed on the highway and proceeded to the next exit ramp.
I also did not know until today that slowing down is not an option if you can change lanes. But if you can't change lanes, how much must we slow down? That's not clear either.
So there ya go. Just sharing the warning.
I talked to someone who got a whoppin' fine and three points on her license today because she needed to be in the right lane to exit the highway, so she moved over to the middle of the road to give wide berth to the police car and the tow truck which were sitting on the shoulder. But she did not change lanes so that her car was completely in the left lane. That was the reason for the ticket. When she explained to the policeman that she was exiting and had to be in the right lane, he told her that she should have stayed on the highway and proceeded to the next exit ramp.
I also did not know until today that slowing down is not an option if you can change lanes. But if you can't change lanes, how much must we slow down? That's not clear either.
So there ya go. Just sharing the warning.
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Local Politics
Oh, the level of vitriol against a man who's just trying to look at some out-of-the-box options! Not to enact them. Just to ask if we should consider them.
I have been thankful for the leadership of our town chairman, Matt. He doesn't want to play political games. He's as fiscally conservative as I am. He's got loads of common sense. He's not a fool, to be taken advantage of. He's good!
The problem is that our township and the village within its borders have been fussing with each other for decades. Town properties can be (and have been) annexed by other villages, depleting our tax base. Our town doesn't have the authority to make plans for itself; we have to get approval from the neighboring villages and from the county. We can protect ourselves and be more self-governing if we have village status. Recently our township attempted to become incorporated into a village, but the village-within-our-borders thwarted the attempt (in violation of the current Border Agreement between the two entities).
So now the question is: Shall we look into the possibility of a merger between the town and the village? It would be a way to achieve village status. It might be better than being "eaten up" slowly by neighboring villages because we'd go into the merger as equal partners. But there would be some serious downsides too. In a few weeks, we'll have an advisory referundum on whether we should even begin to look into this. This is not a vote on whether to consolidate with the village. It's merely a vote to determine whether we should explore the possibility.
Last night was the third town meeting on the subject. It was the first non-Wednesday, and thus the first Gary and I were able to attend. Some of the folks from church made good points against looking into consoliation. The county exec (who was speaking in favor of consolidation) made the strongest case to me to vote against consolidation. (Bigger = better! Progress! Numbers!) But the main things that I saw at last night's meeting:
a) Grudges are powerful. And long-lasting. And they blind people. There's a place for being cautious and wary when someone in the past has done dirt to you. There's certainly a place for "trust but verify"! But to say that we can never even talk about ending a feud? Sad.
b) I'm shocked at the anger against a man who's wanting to look at options for protecting the township he's in charge of. I shouldn't be. Gary said the same thing has happened to him. When he would float ideas at his previous congregation for ways to reach out to the community, or point out repairs that needed to be made to the building, or suggest changes to the confirmation program, so often people refused to even consider it. "We can't even discuss the pros and cons of what we have now and what I'm suggesting?" Nope.
I still don't know how I'll vote on the referendum. Short of seeing into the future, there's no way to know what's the best course of action. Both sides have really good arguments on how to save money, reduce government, ensure freedoms. But we don't know what decisions will be made by neighboring villages, who will be sitting on town boards, and what kind of decisions will be made if/when we appeal the decision on last year's incorporation effort.
I have been thankful for the leadership of our town chairman, Matt. He doesn't want to play political games. He's as fiscally conservative as I am. He's got loads of common sense. He's not a fool, to be taken advantage of. He's good!
The problem is that our township and the village within its borders have been fussing with each other for decades. Town properties can be (and have been) annexed by other villages, depleting our tax base. Our town doesn't have the authority to make plans for itself; we have to get approval from the neighboring villages and from the county. We can protect ourselves and be more self-governing if we have village status. Recently our township attempted to become incorporated into a village, but the village-within-our-borders thwarted the attempt (in violation of the current Border Agreement between the two entities).
So now the question is: Shall we look into the possibility of a merger between the town and the village? It would be a way to achieve village status. It might be better than being "eaten up" slowly by neighboring villages because we'd go into the merger as equal partners. But there would be some serious downsides too. In a few weeks, we'll have an advisory referundum on whether we should even begin to look into this. This is not a vote on whether to consolidate with the village. It's merely a vote to determine whether we should explore the possibility.
Last night was the third town meeting on the subject. It was the first non-Wednesday, and thus the first Gary and I were able to attend. Some of the folks from church made good points against looking into consoliation. The county exec (who was speaking in favor of consolidation) made the strongest case to me to vote against consolidation. (Bigger = better! Progress! Numbers!) But the main things that I saw at last night's meeting:
a) Grudges are powerful. And long-lasting. And they blind people. There's a place for being cautious and wary when someone in the past has done dirt to you. There's certainly a place for "trust but verify"! But to say that we can never even talk about ending a feud? Sad.
b) I'm shocked at the anger against a man who's wanting to look at options for protecting the township he's in charge of. I shouldn't be. Gary said the same thing has happened to him. When he would float ideas at his previous congregation for ways to reach out to the community, or point out repairs that needed to be made to the building, or suggest changes to the confirmation program, so often people refused to even consider it. "We can't even discuss the pros and cons of what we have now and what I'm suggesting?" Nope.
I still don't know how I'll vote on the referendum. Short of seeing into the future, there's no way to know what's the best course of action. Both sides have really good arguments on how to save money, reduce government, ensure freedoms. But we don't know what decisions will be made by neighboring villages, who will be sitting on town boards, and what kind of decisions will be made if/when we appeal the decision on last year's incorporation effort.
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