the problem with rants...

i feel guilty just telling you the bad stuff about my job instead of the good stuff.  and there are days that my job is very good.  i get to work on cutting edge stuff and for a state agency, that is sometimes a dangerous place to because the default for something no one understands is to rely on archaic regulations and laws.  so, that is a hazard.  some days you win, sometimes you rant, and some days you feel like screaming.  most days are winning.  so in my honesty here, i tend to blow off steam with you guys.  sorry about that.  but...all in all - as we say in my office, it is what it is.


the pansies above are like me, bruised and battered, but they carry on.  (hope you all are safe in these rather violent storms.)  i'm planning to participate in a pay it forward.....i'm sure you all have heard of this before, but....for those of you that haven't.  a pay it forward is a gift that you give because you want to express gratitude for what you've been given.  i've been given a lot in my life and though i sometimes stomp and complain a bit, i know that there are others that have it much worse than me....so...here are your choices (pick one of the four)  the rules follow the choices.

• a choice from my etsy shop,
• a small cookbook of recipes i use all the time and maybe a few i've been taught by my mom,
• used books that i've read (not handmade i know, but they are hand selected by me and some people would just prefer a book),
• or my photoshop skills in making you an art piece such as your favorite quote and photograph combined or a blog header.

should you decide to take up the challenge, then are willing to:

write a short blog about paying it forward.  then be willing to send five people something "handmade".  i'm pretty loose about the handmade part - as i count photography as "handmade" and as you see, the used books.  then, select five people from your list of participants - in this case, the blogger suggested the first five that responded, so i'm going with that.  i recognize that handmade for five may take a while - don't feel like you have to send all five at once, quality takes some time, yo?


it's just a fun way to share.  also....last year we did a valentine's day card swap.  anyone feeling a spring swap?

sleepy girl

work has been crazy hectic with the interviews of potential assistants, the awarding of an RFP (request for proposal), an advisory commission meeting...and the fun never stops.  no, really - most days it is really fun as i feel we are doing something exciting - much like when we went mainly from paper checks to atm cards....just with medical records.

the most jaw dropping thing that happened to me today is during an interview i had someone lie directly to my face and when i told her that i worked in that office about 10 years before her and worked on the same project she was calling her "success story" - she still didn't back off the lie.  it was pretty amazing to see in action actually.  needless to say, she is now off the list of potentials.

i'm glad that the last blog touched so many of you.  on the days where i feel the world is kicking my butt, it's good to know you know how i feel.  now, if i could just get some of you to come rub this crick out of my neck, life would be sweet.  

if it doesn't rain here soon, my entire yard is going to burn up.  it's crazy that it is raining all around us, but not here.  i'm ready for a day long, steady rain.  not the gutter washing kind or the intermittent storms...but just the kind that keeps you lazy in bed.  but, the clear weather is good as i'm trying to decide if i want to set the alarm for 4:00ish to go watch the meteor shower.  i have good intentions but....  (hahahaha)  what about you....would you do that?  have you?  i'm enough of a science geek to think about it.

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today on my ipod -  wonder (natalie merchant), follow you down (the gin blossoms), fallin' in love (hamilton, joe frank & reynolds), come undone (cravin' melon), girl, you'll be a woman soon (covered by urge overkill), try a little tenderness (otis redding), the unforgettable fire (u2), out of my head (fastball), pardon me (incubus)

bitty bits and pieces

it was a good day. did you have a good day too?

i'm e.x.h.a.u.s.t.e.d in the very best of ways - the kind where you know that you did a good job. i like that. i work for the state medicaid agency and am working on a new initiatives on electronic health information exchange. today was the kick off - something i've been working toward since i started the job. it feels good to finally 'start'.

what else? i cooked a bit this weekend (as you saw) so today i'm enjoying leftovers. aren't leftovers great on a day like this?

i'm reading an article on 'secrets to a happy marriage' and smiled at this cute couple who said, '...we tolerate and accept every part of each other's personalities. that, and i let her go shopping.' adorable, right? but the word 'tolerance' - in light of the holiday yesterday, it amazes me still how many people are still so intolerant of others. skin, religion, size, wealth....and there are many more dividers. what would happen this week if we all tore down at least one barrier that we have. it would be beautiful. content of character....that's where it's at baby.

i'm always inspired by real simple - if you have read me any length of time, you've probably figured that out by now....and how they find new uses for everyday stuff (this month it's a tennis ball). do you do that - what's a new use for something you have around the house. and don't give me canning jars for vases (hahaha) because i do that already. my favorite is using a dryer sheet to 'unstatic' my hair in the winter.

Gratitude:: day 6 of 30

i bet you were wondering when i was going to get around to it. admit it. i'm grateful to be employed again. so very grateful. with unemployment hitting over 10% this week - it's a scary world out there.

i sit at my new desk and study - hard. i worry about getting past this learning curve and doing a good job. i think everyone does that with a new job. it's natural.

employment is a very important thing to be grateful about.