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October 26, 2005

I'm a cartoon character.

Today, I did more training. With some different people but for the same client.
I discovered, to my great dismay, that everyone who works for this client is just downright rude.

I was constantly interrupted by the people I was attempting to teach - and these were interruptions that had absolutely nothing to do with the subject - sometime they would just talk amoung themselves about whatever, and I had to ask them to focus several time.

It was a very harrying day.

When I was getting ready to walk back to the hotel, I made a stop in the ladies room to wash my hands and brush my hair.

There were two other women 'freshening up' at the same time - I saw them - perfectly coiffed hair, mucho makeup, trim little wool skirt and jacket kinda suits and highheeled shoes, and I thought, gee, those older women look nice.

Then I looked at my more funky-looking self in the mirror - I could see both women via the same mirror - and I realized that I look like a cartoon next to those women.

I also suddenly realized that chances are, I am older than the two of them.

It was just kinda odd, but my features are plain, and I don't use make up, so I'm a pretty boring looking woman. And they kinda looked like graying Barbie Dolls.

Posted by Beth at 8:43 PM | Comments (13)

October 25, 2005

Cat Herding

The part of my job that I like the least is training groups of people. I prefer the nearly-lone tasks of installing, configuring and troubleshooting and developing system management software.

For some reason, though, our clients prefer me over others in my group when it comes to training. Why, I'm not sure. Perhaps because I'm a woman and my personality is a bit warmer than my male cohorts'. I don't know.

As you know, John and I have a large herd of cats - 8 head, to be exact.
I swear, my eight kitties listen better and behave better than the 5 Unix system admins I attempted to train today.

Aside from the loud-mouthed eater mentioned below, I had a manager wander in with a video of his kids that he had to show everyone on his laptop. Nice guy, but I was in the middle of walking them through using the application.

And then, hungry girl, a nice girl, but extremely clueless when it comes to interacting with people on a professional basis, was grumpy because we were running a little late while waiting on another sys admin type.

So she asked someone for a book or a magazine -because she was bored and didn't want to waste her time.

Someone actually handed her one.

I was dumbfounded.

When I once again started the class, she glared at me because I was disturbing her reading.

Don't get me wrong - everyone there is nice, they just need lessons on how to behave in public.

Maybe Emily Post should be required reading for all college students before they graduate from college.

Perhaps that will give them some kind of clue as to proper behaviour when one's employer is paying me the big bucks to teach them something.

But, probably not.

Anyone remember Emily Post?

Anyone?

Posted by Beth at 4:36 PM | Comments (11)

oh my.

I am sitting here trying to train some people - one is eating her lunch and absolutely makes more noise than a dog or horse or any other animal with no lips.

She has lips.

She doesn't close her mouth when she chews and it is totally grossing me out.

I'm just saying...

Posted by Beth at 12:01 PM | Comments (5)

October 24, 2005

Heh

Thank you, Punctilious!

Posted by Beth at 5:12 PM | Comments (1)

Storm Blogging

Pam of Pamibe is live-blogging Hurricane Wilma from her home in Florida. I just turned on the tv, and all those dumb newspeople are standing out in the wind and rain talking about how not everyone has evacuated. Can't they report from inside a building?

They don't look brave. They look like idiots.

Someday, a piece of wood or metal or something is going to fly down a street and kill a reporter on live storm TV.

Maybe then they will quit this silliness.

Posted by Beth at 4:28 AM | Comments (2)

October 23, 2005

off to Boston

I get to go to Boston this week. Looked at the forecast, I'm gonna be wet!

Posted by Beth at 8:18 AM | Comments (7)

October 22, 2005

Carnival of the Recipes schedule

My good friend, Punctilious, has agreed to help me out with the Carnival of the Recipes for the next few months - it's the last quarter of the year, and in order to make our numbers, I'll be travelling pretty much non-stop for awhile.

Thank you very much, Punctilious, for doing such a great job of reorganizing it all. I have been more than incompetent lately.

Carnival of the Recipes over the next couple months. Note that some of the hosts have specied a theme for the week. Here is the schedule...

Deadline Blog Host

22-Oct.......Fishtown Chatter
29-Oct........Everything and Nothing
5-Nov..........Pajama Pundits
12-Nov........Myopic Zeal (This host asks for a patriotic theme. Red, white and blue.)
19-Nov........Rocket Jones
26-Nov........Lost Budgie Blog (Hot and spicy is the theme for this week)
3-Dec.........Blog o'RAM (Please submit your best holiday appetizer recipes for this one.)
10-Dec........Dubious Wonder
17-Dec........
24-Dec........World Famous Recipes
31-Dec........Tentative Caterwauling
7-Jan..........Technogypsy
14-Jan........

Remember the deadline for recipe submissions is Noon on Saturday. Links or recipes can be sent to recipe-dot-carnival-at-neversendspam-gmail-dot-c0m

Posted by Beth at 7:25 PM | Comments (3)

October 21, 2005

For women only

I am 52 years old. I thought I was going through all this evil menapause stuff for the past few years without feeling too bad.

But the last couple of weeks, I have been getting really extreme hot flashes. My face turns bright red and I have a nearly irrestible urge to tear off all my clothes.

At home, that's no problem.

But when I'm at a client's site, I absolutely scare the folks I'm working with - they are afraid there is something wrong with me, so I find that I have to tell them that I am having a hot flash.

Since the great majority of people I work with are men, they are greatly embarrassed by this admission of mine.

But if I don't tell them what's going on, they will think that I'm ill. I don't know - is it better to be truthful or to try to ignore the ever so obvious?

Posted by Beth at 9:26 PM | Comments (12)

October 19, 2005

This was somewhat embarrassing

Today I decided to wear a dress to work. I put it on, looked in the mirror and my pale white legs just look too white here in Florida, so I put on a pair of control top panty hose.

As it happens, I spent most of my day sitting down, setting up some software and teaching my client how to use it all.

When I finally stood up to leave (everyone else in the IT office was gone already), I could tell that my panty hose had slipped down a little - but not a lot, I was sure I could make it through the hospital and to the car with no problem.

Boy, was that a dumb thing to think.

This is a very large place - I was walking through the hallways and was nearly at the main lobby when I could tell my pany hose were slipping - quickly.

Every step I took forced the damned panty hose to fall down farther.

Before I knew it, they were at my knees.

Yes. At. My. Knees.

The waist of the pantyhose was at my knees.

Fortunately, I had a dress on that hits me at mid-calf.

I stopped walking - I looked around - the closest ladies room was about a block away from where I stood (told you this is a big, big place).

There was a chair about 10 feet away - I shuffled over to the chair - in the humongous lobby - and attempted to surreptitiously pull the panty hose up - but I realized that was impossible.

So I finally just took off my shoes and pulled them off.

In front of the world.

Fortunatly, no one said anything to me.

Geeze, I hate panty hose - especially the so-called Control Top types.

Posted by Beth at 6:25 PM | Comments (8)

More on ear worms

Well, I got rid of the Beach Boys Kosomo and now I have Let's Dance by David Bowie stuck in my head.

I am absolutely positive that there was a time in my life when I did not have some song playing over and over in my head, but I almost don't remember when that was!

Posted by Beth at 6:10 PM | Comments (1)

Good news and bad news

The good news is that the Freda Payne earworm that's been bugging me for a week is gone.

The bad news is that it has been replaced by the Beach Boys - Kokomo.

Posted by Beth at 4:30 AM | Comments (2)

October 18, 2005

Amazing Storm!

okay, go to LoneStar Times and click on the Wilma hyperlink. Finish drinking your coffee before you click.

Posted by Beth at 7:14 PM | Comments (1)

Plame Blame Flame?

How much money is this stupid Valerie Plame thing costing taxpayers? Let's see, so far, we find that a reporter went to jail to protect someone who said nothing. Judith Miller needs to check into a nice quiet hospital somewhere where she can try to get a grasp on reality.

Of course, it would be a really big hospital, because every single Democrat who thinks this Plame thing is an issue anywhere outside the Beltway should go check themselves into the same hospital.

Unless the prosecuter has some new evidence that actually points to someone *breaking* the law, I don't see any reason for this farce to go on.

Even the New York Times is embarrased about the whole thing.

There are more important things going on that need to be taken care of. I want to see the Congress and the President come up with a realistic plan for lowering energy costs. The sharp rise in oil prices is causing inflation and before we know it, we could be in the same fricking mess we were under Jimmy "the sweater" Carter - energy costs caused inflation to go up so much that the Feds kept increasing the interest rates to the point where no one could afford to purchase a home (16% interest rates on mortgages), etc. For those of you who were not of an age to remember those years - they sucked. The economy sucked big green ones.

Posted by Beth at 5:41 AM | Comments (5)

October 16, 2005

On the behaviour of fellow travelers

As you know if you have read me for more that a week or so, I travel a lot. A whole lot.

The more I travel, the less patient I become with .. other travelers. American businessmen are becoming pushy, rude, noisy and conceited jerks when they travel. They seem to think that their time is more valuable than anyone else's time.

I have been pushed, I have had business men butt in front of me, I have had them try to convince me that they deserve *my* aisle seat because they are wearing an expensive suit that might get wrinkled. (I'm not nearly that stupid, dear readers).

When I flew back from the U.K. a couple of Sundays ago, there was a line at US Immigration at the Newark, NJ airport. The man behind me was absolutely beside himself, fuming about the length of time it was taking the Immigration Man to check people through. After all, he had things to do, places to go.

I got rather tired of his tirade and offered him my place in line - after all, my connecting flight didn't leave for another 2 1/2 hour - I was in no hurry.

Oddly enough, my offer embarrassed him (and his wife) - he said, no, no - I'm home now. I guess I can wait a little while.

I have learned that I can diffuse the nastiness of some (not all) business travelers by being so nice that they start feeling bad about their behaviour.

I get my own satisfaction out of doing this - the bastards ought to feel guilty the way they push who they believe are the 'little people' around!!

Posted by Beth at 2:46 PM | Comments (7)

Carnival of the Recipes!

The pro-pork Carnival of the Recipes is up!

Ooops! Wrong URL! Here is the correct link.

Ala has done a superb job of putting together this week's selections - featuring PORK!

(Pork fat rules!)

Posted by Beth at 2:29 PM | Comments (2)

Pet Stories

Blogeois has a series of lovely posts about her pets' personalities. I can't find a way to link to the individual posts, so just go over there and scroll down a bit.

I love stories about pets and critters. We have some of the same personalities in our household that Blogeois has - our Alpha kitty is female - Little Girl - just as Blogeois' the Queen is the alpha. Little Girl is known as the Empress, though, so I think she outranks the Queen. She has been in the Donovan household longer than I have - I think she must be about 14 or 15 or so - but she is in great shape and is very bossy. She doesn't hesitate to slap Houdini the trouble-making terrier around, even though he will growl at her.

If the Empress (of the dark) wants to get on the bed - everyone else has to get off until she has settled herself in a suitable position.

She is loud and purry and cuddly, too. Like many of our kitties, Little Girl headbutts us when she wants attention - only she makes grumpy noises too - until we pick her up or cuddle with her.

I miss all the critters when I'm traveling. Our house is really rather full of kitties and dogs.

When I woke up yesterday morning, all the cats and dogs were in the bedroom - looking at me - at least 5 or 6 of the cats were on the bed. It looked like a scene out of Dr. Doolittle. John had already fed them a couple of hours earlier, but the critters decided that Saturday or not, it was high time for the humans to get the heck out of their bed.

Posted by Beth at 7:42 AM | Comments (4)

Sensitivity

I have apparently been insensitive to people of the Jewish faith by making this week's Carnival of the Recipes a 'Pork Only' affair.

I decided to make this week's Carnival 'pork only' to mock the English Council that has banned Piglet from government offices so as not to offend Muslims working there.

Religious dietary laws - be they in the minority or the majority - should not be the determining factor when it comes to regulations that limit free speech and freedom of expression. In fact, nothing should be regulating free speech and freedom of expressions. For goodness' sake - if it's okay to call a Crucifix soaked in urine art - and to have government funds pay for that, then certainly, it's okay for me to point out the sneaky infiltration of sharia laws in the West.

By the way, I am aware that Orthodox Jews have very similar same dietary restrictions that fundamentalist Muslims have, so please don't send me informational emails about your faith unless you want me to send informational emails about my faith - Catholicism - which is mocked regularly by bloggers of other faiths - from Jews to Muslims to Christians.

So, if anyone wants to bitch about my choice of recipes this week, bitch at me - not at the hostess of this week's Carnival.

Posted by Beth at 6:53 AM | Comments (6)

October 15, 2005

Saturday = slug day

I have done nothing today. Just nothing. Except stay in bed and have John wait on me (well, he offered to, kinda). I am so worn out from the constant travel, that when I get home, I pretty much collapse for a day. Doesn't give me much quality time with John, though - because I have to leave tomorrow for Lakeland, Florida.

But I'm taking next Friday off so I'll have two whole days at home to unwind and decompress before I fly back to Boston that Sunday.

Anyone wanna come and clean my house?

Posted by Beth at 6:50 PM | Comments (1)

Appropriate, I think

You are the the Swedish Chef.
You are a talented individual, nobody understands
you. Perhaps it's because you talk funny.

FAVORITE EXPRESSION:
"Brk! Brk! Brk!"
HOBBIES:
Kokin' der yummee-yummers

FAVORITE MOVIE:
"Wild Strawberries...and Creme"

LAST BOOK READ:
"Der Swedish Chef Kokin' Bokin'"

QUOTE:
"Vergoofin der flicke stoobin mit der brk-brk
yubetcha!"


What Muppet are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

Got this one from Ala who found it at my handsome husband's blog!

Posted by Beth at 10:05 AM | Comments (1)

October 13, 2005

Grand Rapids

I hope I get to come back to work with this client again. They are very smart and very good people. And funny.

This is a nice city. It's big enough that there are nice restaurants and stores, but small enough that the people here are not all stressed out all the time .. everyone is nice - from the people at the hotel, to wait staff at restaurants to the techie kind of guys I'm working with.

The building I'm working in has won all sorts of architectural awards because it is a great environment for working. Only a couple of floors, but very high ceilings and glass all around. Lots of natural light, and some very cool fixtures.

In fact, the building I'm working in is featured here. It was the prototype for a company called Workstage (not who I am working with - in fact, the people I'm working with just moved into the building).

It's very different from the normal cubicle farm!

Posted by Beth at 5:19 AM | Comments (4)

October 10, 2005

Another Monday, another city

I'm off to Grand Rapids, Michigan today. I decided to fly to Chicago and then drive to Grand Rapids and see a part of Michigan I have not seen. I plan to bring my camera and pretty much take my time, as I don't have to be there until late this afternoon.

Andy came home for the weekend - he brought one of his roommates, Ashes, and August with him. They went to the KC Rennaisance Festival. I had planned to go also, but something I ate upset my stomach Saturday night and I stayed in bed all day yesterday.

Actually, I spent the entire weekend doing next to nothing. I think maybe my brain just needed a couple of days of no input or output after working 20 straight days.

No wonder John gets a little annoyed at my work schedule. It is ridiculous.

Too bad I like what I do so much, otherwise, I'd be shopping my resume around for shorter working hours!

Posted by Beth at 6:02 AM | Comments (4)

October 9, 2005

Free Piglet!

My friend, Ala, from Blonde Sagacity, sent this graphic for the Free Piglet campaign -

Posted by Beth at 2:47 PM

Oink! Pork Fat Rules, Not Sharia!

If you have not heard about the ridiculous anti-pig and anti-piglet occurences in the UK, you need to read up on it! The Lost Budgie Blog has a run down on the most recent offense against pigs.

Over at Relapsed Catholic, Kathy has more.

I am joining the Save Piglet movement. In fact, the upcoming Carnival of the Recipes will be NOTHING BUT PORK!

So, denizens of the recipe world - send your very best Pork Recipes to recipe.carnival@gmail.com - to be revealed next weekend.

Because, you know, if Piglet is banned in England because Muslims are offended by piggies, bacon will be banned next. And then Canada will follow suit.

So everyone, search out your great pork recipes, because they will be featured in the next Carnival of the Recipes!!!

Posted by Beth at 12:22 PM | Comments (9)

October 8, 2005

playing catch up on the blogosphere

1. On the Supreme Court nomination of Harriet Miers - I'm amazed and stunned by the snobbishness and elitism of conservatives in regards to this nomination. I think their reaction is downright embarassing. Go read Baldilock's post on this. Her thoughts are very close to mine.

2. On the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize - OMG, I was completely shocked by that reward. Bad enough that Yassar (that's my baby) Arafat and Jimmy Carter have been recipients - but this is totally absurd. Jay Tea at Wizbang has a great post about this. And of course, Laurence has a few words.

3. Al Gore's take on Freedom of the American Press - just go read Hubris.

4. Caption Contest.

5. Top of Europe.

Posted by Beth at 10:02 AM | Comments (5)

Carnival of the Recipes

I have to apologize to everyone. My work life has taken up neary all my waking hours and I do not have time to manage the Carnival of the Recipes. Yes, that is a duh statement - I have not even linked to the last two because of this crazy travel.

So, last week's carnival was at Blog O Ram, and the lovely and talented Punctilious has agreed to take over managing the carnival for me until my life returns to something resembling normalcy.

arghhhh.

Posted by Beth at 8:42 AM

October 3, 2005

A strange afternoon!

Here I was, sitting at my computer trying to get expense reports done whilst balancing our virtual checkbook, and the doorbell rang.

Now, I'm not one to answer the door to strangers, especially if the dogs are out back - as they were and still are. But they rang again, so I went to the door and one FBI Agent and one US Marshall were at the front door.

They asked if they could come in. I asked for their ID again, so I could see if it really looked real, and invited them inside.

The house is kinda messy, as is the norm, and I apologized for its state of disorganization. The two agents sat down in the living room with me and they asked me if I had been in the Washington DC area recently. I mistakenly thought they were talking about my trip to Silver Spring, MD, when I was there a few weeks ago, but they asked me about the Ft. McHenry Tunnel, and I suddenly knew why they were here.

The week I went to Delaware, I took one of my co-workers with me, J, I'll call him. We flew into BWI and drove to Delaware. On our way back, we went through the Ft. McHenry tunnel. J had never seen anything like it before, so he stuck his head out the window of my rental car and took a picture of the tunnel.
He wanted to show it to his son and daughter. He also took a picture of the road leading up to it - it was about 16 lanes or so - and inadvertently took a picture of a power plant that neither of us noticed while doing so.

Let me tell you about J - he is a great guy, I think he is 30 or 32 or something. He grew up on a farm and lives about 90 miles out in the middle of nowhere. He is as innocent as the day is long, and quite innocently took those pictures, which is not against the law, but could be seen as suspicious.

At the time, I told him that someone is going to end up reporting us to the Department of Homeland Security, and sure enough, someone did.

And I'm glad the FBI is checking out these things. Makes me feel like they are much more capable than previous to 9/11.

So that is why the FBI came to my house today. And it is also why I could use a margarita this early in the afternoon. But I'll try to wait - have to do that huge expense report for last week still.

Update: I forgot to mention that I asked the FBI agents if it is okay for me to blog about the visit. They said, sure. Then they said - what's a blog? I said, you know, a web log? They said no, never heard of it - seems they are not big on computer stuff and had never heard of a web blog - I tried to explain, then I finally just told them to go to Instapundit and start clicking on links.

Update the second: They were very observant - they asked if someone in the family had been in the military (of couse the American Flag presented to John when he retired is framed and on display) and asked about the bullet board and the gun on the bar. Gandolf and Annie just loved the US Marshal guy, and then, of course, they asked me about the cats - how many, where did they all come from, etc.

I suppose you need to be a naturally curious person to be doing Homeland Security work. Nosy, really. Kinda like me.

Posted by Beth at 2:34 PM | Comments (14)