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We just had yet another wonderful feast – our second – with Handsome’s family. It was again delicious, and now we are just making conversation and digesting now. Later we will be going to the hospital; unfortunately, Handsome’s dad’s girlfriend is spending the holiday there with an awful infection in her right kneecap.

But for now, Handsome and Fidiot are enjoying catching up with cousins they haven’t seen for many years, and George is dozing on the couch.

Happy Thanksgiving!

We made it…and the weather is nicer than in Oregon: 45 degrees and sunny, not a cloud in the sky. No snow, but the roads were clear so I guess I’ll survive.

Eat lots, watch football, and be merry!

Things are starting to fall into place:

• Living arrangements – check!
• Key to living quarters – check!
• Trip food – check!
• Check weather conditions in the passes – check! (dry roads all the way)

But others still need doing:

• Pack
• Make bed
• Finish web projects
• Clear desk at work
• Clean bathroom counter/tub

We leave tomorrow around 1:30pm…gotta run!

After all my gardening and yardwork, I’m very excited to see what spring brings. But for now, my body aches: particularly my hands. Yanking and digging and clipping make for sore digits; I’ll have an iron grip, but just not today.

Today is a beautiful fall day in the Pacific Northwest! The last leaves are falling from the trees, the slight breeze is gently refreshing against my face, the sun warms my skin as I soak up the last few rays for the next 6 months. You’re welcome – Handsome and I brought it back from Mexico!

I feel really good about today! I have been resting my leg after the break scare, and it’s finally feeling good enough to be active again. It’s a good thing, too, because I need it.

After 3 long months of sparse activity, I got up around 9:30 this morning and went to the local elementary school track to run for 30 minutes. Since I have an anti-runner’s body (big bones, thick legs – especially in the thighs, awkward limbs), I’m pretty pleased to have made it that long. My goal is to be able to run for an hour and make at least 4 miles. I know this sounds ridiculous – four miles in an hour could be done crawling backwards – but I have neither speed nor endurance and have been likened to a camel when I run. I’m the one in the back looking like I’m exerting the most effort and getting nowhere. My fastest mile ever was 9:15 and I felt like the wind that day.

I also weeded my flower beds, winterized my rose bushes, and planted some Crocus and Tulip bulbs in preparation for spring 2009. Oregon hasn’t been nearly as cold as it was this time last year, so the time is still ripe for planting. I also intend to get my lily bulbs in the ground soon too. INFO WANTED: If anyone has any ideas as to a pretty shade plant that vines or grows tall and skinny, I would love to hear it. I have a very small rectangle of dirt between my sidewalk and my fence on the north side of our house that needs something other than weeds. Ooooh, perhaps something that could vine up and over utilizing trellises to make a partially covered walkway. Flowers or colored leaves would be nice but aren’t necessary. Oh, and non-poisonous to pets (and humans).

Awesome, one more thing down. Plus, I got some gaming in, too. Played some Madden ‘09 and Rock Band 2. I’m now almost exclusively playing Expert on lead guitar. I’m usually in the 4-star range on middle difficulty songs, but I’m working my way toward 5-star. We are going to have it at our company Christmas party, so I have to make sure I look good!

Today commemorates my 3-year anniversary at work. I usually am not around on Fridays but since I took Monday off there I was. Dragonfly brought me chai from Dutch Bros. that I really like and also made me chocolate truffles with sprinkles. They were very good and made me feel really special. Thank you! Then after work Handsome and Fidiot took me to dinner to celebrate as well. We went to Denny’s (no laughing) and all had breakfast. It was nice.

In other news, I feel like I’m at the end of a long week. Nothing really bad happened, nor terribly stressful, but I just feel weary. With only two days to recover before another work week, I hope I achieve all the things I need to do before I go home for Thanksgiving AND rest some. I need extra sleep I think.

Ta Ta! Time to rock.

Honestly, I don’t have much interesting to say tonight. I had some very good chicken tacos for dinner just now. I still haven’t put up the pictures from Mexico yet. I just feel like vegging out and playing video games all night. Or perhaps watching some Prison Break (season 3) – I’m a season behind so don’t spoil it for me!

A joke for you (told to me by a Mexican): Why do the Mexicans refry the beans? 

In November 2001 I started working with a program called FileMaker Pro (version unknown). It’s a database program with a GUI interface to make the “databasing” part more user-friendly. I barely knew what a database was, and I certainly hadn’t figured out why it was better than an Excel spreadsheet. It was one of my first jobs at WITS Production to figure out how to create a bird catalog, if my memory serves. No, no no…it was a skulls project for the Biology Dept. I failed miserably and went about my way in graphic design (and computer science).

In November 2008 I am the database guru at Highland. I am currently retooling our old system into something much more comprehensive, also in a little program called FileMaker Pro (version 5 & 5.5 – VERY old). So far I’ve built two more databases and interweaved them into the current system and I’m prepared to make a third. If I get to finish my vision, we will be able to accurately portray

1. How much each label costs to print.
2. What materials are needed for each label.
3. Where those materials are located.
4. When the last time a customer ordered a specific product.
5. When the last time a customer’s labels have been printed.

Oh, and btw, I can also use MySQL and PHP to interface databases on the web.

My salary should be double what it is. But hey, for now…”free” education.

The fog didn’t lift until 2 or 3 pm today – and it was chilly too. I’m still wondering why I came back. By the eighth hour of work today I was tired – what do you mean I can’t do what I want all day long? But it was nice to see my coworkers again. Everyone wanted to know how Mexico was and therefore I didn’t get nearly as much done as I had planned.

Now I just have 5.5 days left until I go on vacation again…hee hee! I love the holidays!