Monthly Archives: September 2016

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: September 19, 2016

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For Today… September 19, 2016

Simple Woman's Daybook

Looking out my window… dark. We had a wonderful rainy weekend, some sun yesterday, more rain today, and I think we’re clearing up again.

I am thinking… about my Excel/Access class and how I’m going to structure my week to get in the work I need to get done.

I am thankful… that my first Practical Accounting class went well today. It seems like it will be a fun class.

One of my favorite things… Daniel not being wired and going to sleep without a fight. That isn’t going to happen tonight. 🙁 On the other hand, he had a good day of school today.

I am wearing… jammies. My outfit today was my charcoal shirt from Old Navy, jeans from Kohl’s, running shoes from (now defunct) Sport Authority, and my blue hoodie from Costco.

I am creating… this entry. 🙂

I am watching… COPS. It’s an addiction.

I am hoping… the Giants make it into the wild card game.

I am learning… about accounting basics and balance sheets.

In my kitchen… Dad made a fabulous tri-tip yesterday for Sunday dinner.

In the school room… Daniel continues to have a fabulous time in his class.

Post Script…

Shared Quote… I saw this on Facebook and it seemed appropriate. (Artwork done by Lori Hetteen.)

This seems to apply to my life.

A moment from my day… One of my favorite songs to use when working with Confirmation kids.

Closing Notes: I am honestly disgusted that Ashley Madison (the dating site for lechers has a commercial on DISH Network’s non-local channels. Its existence is horrible in the first place but encouraging people to step out on their significant others is evil.

Hosted by The Simple Woman.

7 Quick Takes: The “Wow… I’m a Student Again” Edition

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7 Quick Takes

— 1 —

Duuuuuuude… The website for the local community college isn’t incredibly user-friendly so I didn’t know that I could have just walked in, filled out a non-degree seeking student application for classes, and been on my way. Instead, I did the community college application and found out that it would possibly take two weeks for them to review it. Then, I got an email from the college telling me that they got my application and it could take up to five days to review… and was notified 24 hours later that I was accepted.

I then had to jump through the enrollment hoops and had to go down in person and talk them into taking the block off my account so I could enroll in classes. (The block was on my account until I did the new student orientation stuff.) They made an exception for me this quarter but if I continue taking classes, I have to do the group advising session.

So… I start Monday.

— 2 —

My classes. I’m taking a class on Excel/Access and one on practical accounting. Both are areas where I know how to do some of it already but it’s been years since I’ve done things with it. I’m really hoping that a lot of it will come back to me pretty quickly. One of them is online so I’ll only be on campus 3 days a week and the campus isn’t far away.

— 3 —

My study/writing space. As I will be having to study and do homework while Daniel is in school and after he goes to bed, I have been making a nice spot for myself. I have my desk cleaned off, my pens/pencils sorted, a desk lamp, a cat bed, and a nice grey cat to occupy said cat bed. (Homer has volunteered to be my stress ball. He is so helpful. 🙂 )

— 4 —

I’m doing it and so should you. Even with taking the two classes, I’ll still be participating in Write 31 Days next month. Having to structure my schedule will be a good thing and I might be more efficient at writing daily if I have to plan around various things.

Come do Write 31 Days with me!

— 5 —

Useful infographic. Upworthy posted this infographic on Andrew Wakefield and the damage his falsified study has wrought. Feel free to share it and a tinfoil hat with your favorite anti-vaxxer.

— 6 —

I need this. Do you tap your fingers while waiting or do similar movements? Someone started a Kickstarter for a fidget toy with 6 different surfaces. They were hoping to raise $15,000 and have raised $4.3 million. I’m hoping the gross excess of funds means they can get it on the market faster!

— 7 —

Football funny. The calling of the run of the streaker at the game between the 49’ers and the LA Lambs was probably the best football thing I’ve seen all year. I think he also got more yardage than the Lambs did.

For more Quick Takes, visit Kelly at This Ain’t The Lyceum.

{five favorites}: Miscellanea (LXXIV)

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#5Faves

One

Willamette Valley Fruit Company. Their “Berry Bananza” blend is my go-to for smoothies. I add some cranberry juice, Greek yogurt, the frozen fruit, and a handful or two of spinach and blend it all. It’s a lovely meal and a lovely way to use up overripened bananas and wilted spinach.

Two

Being the only one awake in the house right now. It’s peaceful and really what I need right now as I try to wind down before bed.

Three

“A Whisper and a Clamor” by Anberlin. I heard it on the the radio 6 years ago and fell in love with it. It usually has a place on mixed CD’s that I take on car trips.

Four

“Painting Pictures of Egypt” by Sara Groves. I heard this on my drive to San Jose in early October 2015 and it spoke to my heart and how I was feeling at that moment. It has been only recently that I’ve stopped feeling like I’m in such a liminal space.

Five

“It Is Well” by Bethel Music. It fits where I am emotionally and spiritually at the moment. One of the songs I used to sing to Daniel during his hospital stays was It Is Well With My Soul which seems to be the hymn that inspired this song.

Bonus

“Build Your Kingdom Here” by Rend Collective. The song just totally makes me smile and it’s a fun song to rock out to in the car… though other drivers probably think I’m having a seizure.

Go love up Bonnie, DeBalino, and the others.

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: September 12, 2016

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For Today… September 12, 2016

Simple Woman's Daybook

Looking out my window… sunny and in the 70’s. It was cold enough in the house this morning that I had a hoodie on over my jammies while getting Daniel ready for school and on the bus!

I am thinking… about the classes I’m going to try and take this fall.

I am thankful… for a wonderful alto part in the anthem we sang for the offertory yesterday. It is so rare to find one this good in regular choral music.

One of my favorite things… my iced grande vanilla latté from $tarbux.

I am wearing… a green striped shirt and jeans. I’m barefoot as usual.

I am creating… various things with yarn.

I am listening to… one of the classical channels on Dish Network. (I think it’s Ensemble?)

I am hoping… to get all the application and registration stuff done in time for Fall Quarter.

I am learning… what my stomach will and will not allow me to eat. IBS stinks!

In my kitchen… my mom made beef burgundy yesterday and we ate it over some squash that my aunt brought. Dessert was plum clafouti and ice cream.

In the school room… Daniel continues to enjoy school.

Post Script… I am totally *NOT* surprised that vaccine critic Dr. Robert Sears is being charged with gross negligence and about to lose his license to practice medicine. Seriously, why would you trust a doctor that does not do his due diligence and do something as simple as REQUEST THE FREAKING RECORDS for a kid he is about to exempt from vaccines, endangering the life of this kid (for whom there is no proof that he actually had the problematic reaction in question) and the rest of us?

Seriously, I cannot understand the complete stupidity of some people.

Shared Quote… This isn’t a quote but an observation. My parish has two congregations sharing a building and we’ve been worshiping together for most of the summer, which means that worship is in both English and Spanish. Yesterday, our first hymn was “Amazing Grace” which is “Sublime Gracia” in Spanish. I find the idea of grace being “sublime” to be an interesting thought. 🙂

A moment from my day… One of my favorite classical pieces — the Bach: Concerto for Two Pianos in C major BWV 1061 (Vivace). I will never have advanced enough piano skills to play even one of the parts but I love the piece. It showcases the intricacy of Bach’s music and why he is the composer whose music I go to mentally when I need a happy place.

Closing Notes: I came across this on Facebook and I recommend checking it out as the pictures of the athletes in their native dress are stunning.

Hosted by The Simple Woman.

7 Quick Takes: My Somewhat Boring Life Edition

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7 Quick Takes

— 1 —

Write 31 Days. I’ve decided to participate in Write 31 Days again this year. I tried to make all 31 days last year but had to quit at Day 17 due to Daniel and I being forced to move up to San Jose.

My topic this year will probably be special needs parenting.

— 2 —

For girls who aren’t afraid to make some noise! A friend of mine told me about Kazoo Magazine and I wanted to share the link with y’all in case you have daughters. It’s a magazine for girls that isn’t based around the beauty paradigm and it has interesting things to do like building rafts and cracking codes. I think it’s something that would have been awesome to have when I was growing up!

— 3 —

The way the cookie crumbles. For those of you studying piano or music in general, you might be interested in what music theory looks like using Oreos. 🙂

— 4 —

The faces of some of the men who fought for independence from Britain. There exists a handful of photos of soldiers who fought in the American Revolution. All of the men were ~100 years old when these pictures were taken. I’m greatly amused by the Rev. Levi Hayes who settled in Granville, Ohio because my grandfather’s family were some of the founders of the town and I lived next door in Newark for about a year and a half!

— 5 —

Prerequisite politics take. I really feel like this is the worst election I’ve voted in thus far. Considering that my first presidential election as a voter was the 2000 election that George Bush and the Supreme Court stole, that says something. It surprises me that I’m honestly offended by Trump stickers on cars. To be fair, I’m sure that there are voters that dislike Hillary stickers on cars.

November can’t come fast enough.

— 6 —

Back to school? I’m looking at taking a couple classes online at the local community college this fall to make me more marketable when I start job-hunting again. One is on Excel and Access and the other one is practical accounting. Both are things I’ve learned on the job but it would probably be good to actually take the classes so I have something to put on my resumé. It’s been 14 years since I was in school so this should be fun.

— 7 —

125 years. My church celebrates its quasquicentennial anniversary on Sunday. It’s the second time I’ve been attending a church when this particular anniversary has rolled around so I’m pretty excited! I’m also hopefully going to be singing with the choir for it as well.

For more Quick Takes, visit Kelly at This Ain’t The Lyceum.

Road Rage in the Evergreen State

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I’ve been a Washingtonian for almost three months now and there’s something that has shocked me up here other than the amount of humidity.

It’s the level of road rage.

I don’t know if it has to do with the number of Canadian drivers navigating strange shopping centers and adding to traffic on already congested I-5 but people here are pretty cranky. I have been flipped off and screamed at more times than I can count as well as had people tailgate me.

In the last week:

[+] I was driving on errands on Saturday and there was a guy sitting across two lanes of traffic in front of Fred Meyer. My thought was that he tried to cross to the left turn lane and got stuck… until I saw him repeatedly hitting his horn. I looked up, saw that the light was green in that lane, and thought it was weird that he wasn’t moving. Then, he turned off his car, got out, walked to the car in front of him, and started screaming expletives at them. By the time he got back in his car, the car in front of him had gone so he hit gas causing him to literally lay out rubber as his tires squealed. He made it through the intersection before it turned red and I was just shaking my head because the second part of the exchange was completely unnecessary. For all I knew, the driver in the car in front had a stalled engine or perhaps the person in front of them hadn’t moved or something.

[+] A couple days ago, I was trying to get into the drive-thru at my favorite $tarbux and in the process, I accidentally blocked the lane while I tried to maneuver. No big deal most of the time… except that a jerk in a Suburban decided to roll down his window and ask me rudely if I planned to block the lane after he went through. I rolled up my window and didn’t respond… but I would have loved to respond that I only planned to block the lane while he was occupying it.

[+] Drivers here seem equally as likely as California drivers to pull up flush with my car when I’m trying to change lanes on I-5 for the sole purpose of preventing me from changing lanes so I can exit the interstate. God forbid I cause one less car to be on I-5 during peak congestion!

[+] Yesterday, I had someone speed up behind me as I changed lanes. (They weren’t there when I checked my blind spot.) They then decided to lay on the horn for about a minute and a half. Because, you know, it was a travesty that it would take them an extra five seconds to reach their destination.

[+] My town has a speed limit of 25 mph everywhere, including the main arteries. I’ve had people tailgate me in hopes that it will make me stop obeying the speed limit and speed up. Yeah… because there *TOTALLY* aren’t a number of cops enforcing it everywhere.

I’m seriously wondering if I should have just kept my California plates so that people would just avoid me and give me a wide berth!

{five favourites}: Miscellanea (LXXIII)

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#5Faves

One

Fresh Express Pear Gorgonzola salad kit. This has become my favorite salad. We’ve found it to be even better with fresh sliced pears, blueberries, and extra gorgonzola cheese.

Two

My regular latté order. After a week and a half of having to avoid my beloved daily iced vanilla whole milk latté because of the milk content messing with my poor lungs and throat, I can handle it again! *angels sing from heaven*

Three

The sound of rain beating against my window and the roof. It was a calming thing last night when I was trying to the kiddo back to sleep. I’m sure rain is boring to most lifelong Washingtonians but this native northern Californian loves it!

Four

This idea for a “reverse Advent calendar”. Someone shared it on Facebook and I thought it was cool!

Reverse Advent Calendar

Five

Homer. Someone is being a very needy grey kitty and is following me around the house.

Go love up Bonnie, DeBalino, and the others.