Very proud of myself :)

For the last week we've been struggling with the pdf converter option from Adobe that allows me to use Distiller to convert a PageMaker document to a pdf that anyone can read with Adobe Reader. That way I can email documents to people. The fast color printer also prints pdfs better than PM files. I don't know why, but that's the way it is.

So, when I got that new computer about 2 weeks ago we had to go through that whole post script driver thing again. My tech person couldn't figure it out either and the Home Office doesn't support Adobe, so we had a call in to the guy who sets up our computers. While waiting for him to call back, I had an epiphany and tried something a little outside the box and it worked! Thank God! Now I have to catch up on all the stuff I've been trying to put together for people.

I need to go back through my goals for 2005 and see where I am. I also need to make some July goals. I've been bad about that for the last month or so and I know if I only have just a few goals for the month it helps keep me focused:

Stitching Goals
Work Goals
Home Goals
Financial Goals

I hate sounding so structured, but that's even more reason to do this. I'm the sort who thinks that because I'm the creative artsy type that it means I should be allowed to be a bit flighty sometimes and that it should be expected. Not that I don't work very hard in the office or anything, but I need to get over that whole sterotype. That idea actually makes things much more difficult for me than if I buckle down, go against my nature, and actually do some planning. Nowhere is it written that it's written in stone or that I can't make some changes if necessary, but getting things at least on paper (or on-screen, in this case) will help keep me focused on my long-term goals of financial independence, less WIPs, a promotion and an organized home.

Down another pound

It's not much but it's going in the right direction. I really wasn't as careful this week as I had been the week before, but am starting this week off right.

I have been working on my little ornaments and have created 3 basic designs I use with different colors, mostly variegated. Some I have added beads and metallics, others I haven't but may after I look at them a bit more. Now that I have that out of my system, maybe I can finish Waiting for Ships and Christmas Flourishes. They are both close to the finish line, but I just wasn't in the mood to work on them anymore. The Mirabilia SAL is this weekend, so I'm sure I can get some work done on them -- especially since we leave at 3PM on Friday and have Monday off :)

The more I look at who will be at Philly's Live 8 concert, the happier I am that I decided a while back not to go. There's really nobody there I'm interested in, except Bon Jovi. Now, if I could be in London for THEIR concert, I'd love it -- Pink Floyd (Pink Floyd!), REM, U2, Elton John, Annie Lennox... the list goes on. What a spectacular concert that will be! I'm very envious.

Feeling better today

I slept long last night and feel much better today. I was cranky to begin with and the weather change just was NOT helping.

I've been bad about counting my points the last few days. We'll see what happens when I WI on Monday. I've been making better choices, though. For instance, yesterday I went to the Wawa and picked up regular popcorn instead of the almost irresistable white cheddar popcorn, chose fruit and lowfat yogurt instead of cookies or candy, and picked up water instead of more soda. This morning Tim picked up breakfast and instead of getting the heavy stuff I asked him to get me a fruit parfait at McDonald's. I know they aren't exactly calorie-free, but at least this way I'm getting some dairy and fruit instead of just loads of carbs and empty calories.

I have a few bucks and need to pick up some minor groceries to get me through 'til payday on Wednesday, but I'm not going anywhere today. Maybe I'll go late tonight before I go to bed. I cannot handle grocery stores on the weekends very well. No offense to parents, but the worst are those carts with those huge car things on the front for the kids. I know not all parents do this, but it seems I always have one running into me or over me because her "vehicle" is bigger than me, or because she must be in more of a hurry than me or something. I just have no patience for it and am better off going at other times.

In the meantime, the windows are closed and the fans are on. It's a lot easier to keep the indoor temperature under control in this weather if I don't open the windows. I tend to open them a little at night when it's cooler so that I can get some fresh air, but for now I want as little of that heat and humidity in here as possible.

Kinda blah

I'm glad it's Friday, but I'm planning on going to bed soon. During the last hour I've had a headache creeping up on me. I've had some caffeine and water, but I think it's the impending heat and humidity coming in for tomorrow. It's supposed to be 95, with a heat index of over 100. Ick. I was planning on having a friend over but I don't have a/c and her health isn't the best so I think I'll put it off until next week. She's better at her place with a/c.

Not much to say, really. Actually, I have a lot to say about some news items this week, but I'm just so sick and tired of it and other stuff that I just can't do it right now. Between the issues of burning the flag (I personally think it's freedom of expression), homeownership (now private industry can "buy" it from you for "the public good") and this crap I'm seeing more and more of not even being able to buy your goddamn cold medicine without being tracked in some manner, I've just had it. Every week it seems like there are more infringements on my rights and I feel that the majority of Americans just don't care, or even notice.

I'm sure that's not reality, but I'm just disgusted.

I'm in shock, but in a good way

When I showed up at work this morning the freezer had been completely cleaned up. Yes! There still are grown-ups who clean up their messes at work! It's the little things that make me happy, and made my boss happy since she didn't have to go on the warpath.

Use ice, people!

My boss cleaned out the fridge and freezer just last Friday. We come in to work this morning and somebody had left a Diet Pepsi in the freezer a bit too long -- SPLOOSH! So, now there's frozen Diet Pepsi all over the inside of the freezer. What a mess! So, my boss is waiting to see if the responsible party will do something about it or, as she says, "I'll have to be the Gestapo."

I know people put sodas and such in the freezer for a few minutes to make it cold quicker, but ya gotta leave a note for yourself or something so you don't forget. This is why I use ice, because I will forget even with a note. The freezer has an ice maker and there's always ice. I know some people don't like ice, but it's better than having this mess in the freezer.

The Resource Center is not a personal maid service!

Quick post

Weighed myself this morning and am down 4 pounds! I always end up losing more the first week than later, but it certainly is a good start. I'll be updating my little trackers later, waaaaayyyy down at the bottom of the page.

Since I'm up, it's quiz time!

Your Star Wars Pickup Line

"Hey! Did you just grab my ass from across the room with your Force Grip?"

What's Your Star Wars Pickup Line?

Your Deadly Sins

Greed: 40%

Sloth: 40%

Gluttony: 20%

Envy: 0%

Lust: 0%

Pride: 0%

Wrath: 0%

Chance You'll Go to Hell: 14%

You will die love and feared by many. And you'll be buried in a tomb.

How Sinful Are You?

The Keys to Your Heart

You are attracted to those who are unbridled, untrammeled, and free.

In love, you feel the most alive when things are straight-forward, and you're told that you're loved.

You'd like to your lover to think you are stylish and alluring.

You would be forced to break up with someone who was emotional, moody, and difficult to please.

Your ideal relationship is open. Both of you can talk about everything... no secrets.

Your risk of cheating is zero. You care about society and morality. You would never break a commitment.

You think of marriage as something that will confine you. You are afraid of marriage.

In this moment, you think of love as something you can get or discard anytime. You're feeling self centered.

What Are The Keys To Your Heart?

Your Birthdate: April 8

Born on the 8th day of the month, you have a special gift for business, as you can conceive and plan on a grand scale. You have good executive skills and you're a good judge of values. You should try to own your own business, because you have such a strong desire to be in control. You are generally reliable when it comes to handling money; you can be trusted in this regard. Idealistic by nature, you are never too busy to spend some time on worthwhile causes, especially if managerial support are needed. There is much potential for material success associated with this number.

What Does Your Birth Date Mean?

Hate it when this happens

I had a headache most of the day and slept it off, but since I slept quite a bit off and on today I'm wide awake and feel great now, at 2:01AM. I've actually been feeling good for the past few hours. I'm going to pay for this on Monday when I have to go back to work. Oh, to have a job where I make my own hours. Oh well, it was nice when I had it but that's not what I have now, gotta deal like most everybody else.

Does it really matter in the grand scheme of things?

All this talk about Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes is too much! I have been watching movies more than TV lately but it's hard to even get away from it then. Am I the only one around who really doesn't give a crap?

1. The age difference: who cares? Yes, he's quite a bit older than her, but she's 26 and a big girl even though she looks much younger. I guess this always hits me because when I was 27 I was dating a very nice gentleman who was 17 years older than me. We dated for about 9 months but realized it wasn't working. I looked much younger than I was and I'm sure people wondered, but it's frankly none of their business. Granted, this is purposely in the public eye, but who cares about age?

2. The "Is he gay? Is this just a stunt? factor: who cares? If they actually get married and stay that way for 50 years, good for them. If it doesn't work -- well, the same could be said for half the marriages in this country. Why do we think that celebrities getting divorced is such a huge deal when half this country does it? I'm not saying it's necessarily a GOOD thing that so many people get divorced, but it's not out of the ordinary.

3. The whole Scientology thing: who cares? I don't believe one word of that particular religion so anything he says goes in one ear and out the other. I think he was a jerk to Brooke Sheilds, but I see people being jerks to others EVERY DAY on the boards because a person does something against another's religion. Yes, I think he's a bit whacked on on this whole thing, but if she wants to play into it that's on her. She's 26 and an adult.

In the end, the only thing I really care about when it comes to Tom Cruise is if he acts well in the movies I pay to see him in. I've actually liked many of the movies he's been in these last few years. I'm probably going to get flayed, but I HATE TOP GUN! I never thought it was that great, nor he that cute. I loved him as Lestat in "Interview with the Vampire" and it was the first movie in which I thought he acted well. I guess he was good in "Rainman" but also overshadowed by Dustin Hoffman.

It's the same with Russell Crowe. I think he has an anger management problem that he needs to get under control. However, I don't pay to see him as HIM in movies, I pay to see him as other people and I think he does a wonderful job.

I mean, in the end, does it really matter to my life if Tom and Katie get married, get divorced, have kids, both end up being gay, etc.? No, it doesn't. Celebrities' lives really don't matter to me, except for when I can't escape hearing about it as "news" when the real news is hidden in the bottom of pages and peole are dying in a war that supposedly "ended" over a year ago.

Updated my silly trackers

I figure if I'm going to be honest about this I really should update that silly tracker waaaay at the bottom of my blog. I also added another one for my short-term goal of losing 20 pounds by CATS. I'm looking forward to seeing them both move, but by having the short-term slider there I can see that one move more quickly to the other side. I think that being able to finish one and create a new one every few months is going to help me get through this, rather than having just one that moves verrrryyy slowly.

I wish all summer was like today!

It's about 7pm on Friday night and I'm on my computer with the windows open and no fans on! Last night I slept this way and actually was chilly in the middle of the night! It's going to be like this for a few days but it won't be long before the humidity is back. We needed this after that last couple days of heat in the 90s and high humidity. I just don't handle that type of weather very well these days. When it gets very humid out suddenly I tend to get headachey. I prefer cold weather to hot, but my favorite weather is in the 60s and 70s, like today.

On another note: Why do people feel it's necessary to chew gum like they are cows chewing their cud? I don't chew gum anymore due to my jaw issues, but when I did I didn't go around making all that racket. Ick.

Not perfect today on WW, but doing OK. A coworker's last day was today and we had cake for her. So that combined with the Coke I drank first thing this morning to help with my weird stomach added up to some points. Did well the rest of the day, though. I rarely drink full-calorie Coke, but sometimes my stomach is a little queasy and if I drink that and eat a ginger Altoid here and there it helps. It's a woman thing, if you know what I mean.

Not much else to say, mainly wanted to comment on the beautiful weather here :)

Well, something must be working right

I'm currently wearing a pair of khakis that didn't fit me earlier in the week. I don't think I've actually lost any weight, but I think it's because I'm drinking more water and less diet soda. I'm still drinking soda, but not as much and replacing much of it with more water. I'll see what my weight is on Monday.

Also, I've been creating some of my own little designs. I buy wonderful tuck pillows and flat pillow ornaments from Ames at Amy's Cross Stitch Corner. The problem is that most designs that are small enough for the ornaments are very simplistic and not what I want to use. Also, they are very Christmas oriented and I have a lot of people I give to who are not Christian.

So, I made two ornaments that were derived from the middle of a TW whitework ornament. These two are a little big for the ornament pillows, but will work for others.



These two are perfect for the ornament pillows and I made them up by myself as I stitched along. I'm pretty happy with the results and started a different one last night. Here I am, close to two big finishes (WFS and Flourishes) and I'm obsessed with making these little ornaments that aren't needed until December. This is the way my brain works, folks :)

More funny pictures

If you know the credits for any of these, please let me know. I don't know where I picked them up. I know the little picture of the cat was in someone's EZBoard avatar, but don't remember who.

Plumber Dogs




Karate Kats




Ever have one of those days?




Cute Kitty




Penguin Slap

Older version of WW points system

Cool I found it on an old link at the DWLZ board. I KNEW I'd find it over there somewhere! I love that board and the wealth of knowledge on it, but sometimes it's a little overwhelming.

Anyway, I'm posting it here so that I have a place where I can always find it, assuming Blogger doesn't have issues. Hmmmm, think I'll also save a copy to my hard drive. Looks like I'm in the 24-29 range. I've been targeting myself to 26 for the new version, but I liked the older system better.

Less than 150 lbs. (18 to 23 Points)
150 to 174 lbs. (20 to 25 Points)
175 to 199 lbs. (22 to 27 Points)
200 to 224 lbs. (24 to 29 Points)
225 to 249 lbs. (26 to 31 Points)
250 to 274 lbs. (28 to 33 Points)
275 to 299 lbs. (29 to 34 Points)
300 to 324 lbs. (30 to 35 Points)
325 to 349 lbs. (31 to 36 Points)
Over 350 lbs. (32 to 37 Points)

Dianne sent me this earlier today and I love it! Thanks!

Back on WW

I tried to post this yesterday but I hit some button that went backwards and deleted the whole post. Maybe I should type it in WordPad or Notebook first, then copy and paste it. Be back in a moment, because that's exactly what I'm going to do...

(insert clock playing Jeopardy music)

...So, I had decided over the weekend that I was going to start WW again, on my own but also with the help of some message boards. I have the information I need so should be able to do it, and Monday was my frist weigh-in. Ack! 218 pounds! I lose 3, I gain 5. Anyway, guess I made the right decision.

My first goal is to lose 20 pounds by the time I go to CATS in late Septebmer. That way I'll look better when I "meet" people for the first time and also if any pictures are taken. It will also get me below the 200 mark, where I haven't been in about 3 years. Since I'll be exercising as well as WWing, I'm going to also say that if I look good in a specific pair of capris and the top I bought to go with it, I'll count it. I don't like using weight goals all the time, but it's easier for me to measure that than anything else. I don't measure myself well so that's out -- I'll get inches of difference when I measure twice in a row LOL!

I started out the week by going to the grocery store yesterday. I'm set up with Lean Cuisines for lunch all week, and also fat-free pudding, sugar-free Jello, lowfat cheese, carrots (have to replenish) and little Diet Cokes. I bought the 8oz. cans of Diet Coke so that I can better regulate my caffeine intake at work.

I can tell from yesterday's food intake that I need to be better at night. I do pretty well at work but at home I'm munching. Must spend less time munching, more time stitching! Part of that problem is that I often drink/eat in front of the computer. I need to get in the habit of only drinking water and eating carrots when I'm on the computer.

So, that's my story so far :)

Darn it!

I just had a long post about getting back on the horse of WW after thinking about what I want to do this weekend. I don't have the heart to go through it again right now, but will post it again later.

Progress Bars now on sidebar

Cool! I got them to work and the ones that have the bolded titles are actual links to the current picture in Webshots. As you can see, not all of my WIPS have current pictures. Some I haven't scanned because there's not enough progress to really tell what it is, one or two others just haven't been scanned in yet.

Now I just have to be good about keeping them current :)

Also, I have been playing with the idea of making a left and a right sidebar for all the links and info I have on my current sidebar. I decided against it. For one, I'm too lazy and don't know enough about HMTL coding to mess around much more with my template without making a total mess. Also, for it to work both sidebars would have to be smaller than the one I have now, plus the middle section would be smaller. I think it would be too much in a small space and not be easily readible. I think it's pretty easy to read now, so I'll leave it as is. I think I'm the only one who uses all those blog and other links anyway, so it's no biggie.

Progress Bars -- no, really.

Whew! My blog was completely screwy there for a minute, but I think I have the colors right now. I was having tag closure problems but the seem to be OK now. So anyway, here's my current progress on my WIPs. I'm going to put it in the sidebar, too. Still have to go back and credit the person who posted this in her blog. This isn't the one from Anna's Knits but a simpler one that another woman created.

Dammit! I just realized that the text is different but all the bars show the same progress. That's not gonna work. I'm still looking for the blog where I found them, and I think she had more coding info for this.

Wahoo! I think I finally got it right! I'm going to eventually convert the titles into links so one can just click on it to see the progress, but for now I'm taking what I can get. Oh, the credit should go to Stitching for Sanity. I've also deleted the actual bars from this post since they are now on the sidebar and I don't want everything to be too cluttered.

Progress Bars

I need to go back and find the blog from which I got this information so I can give proper credit. These will eventually show up on my sidebar and I'm trying to make my blog with two sidebars since I have so much stuff over there now. I'm also going to change the progress color to a dark blue and the text to a light color so that it better matches my blog. This is a start, at least.

Edited to add: Whew! I just made a big mess, somehow. I had saved my blog template in a text file so getting that back shouldn't be a problem, just gotta figure out what the heck I just did LOL!

Going to Hershey CATS, baby!

My friend Karri and I just reserved our room at the Hershey Fairview Motel. Cheap prices, indoor pool, not far from the Lodge, works for us! We'll probably end up renting a car because both or our cars are in rough shape, although I'm hoping by then to have a new-to-me car. We'll see.

It looks like quite a few people I know are going, so it should be fun. I had a really good time when I went last year. I wonder why so many people from around the country come to this one? Is it bigger, with more exhibits? Either that or the combination of stitching and chocolate is just too much for some :)

So, I plan on staying on the stash wagon until then so that I can have some fun at the market. I may be FORCED to buy some silk threads, Chatelaines, Northern Pine Designs, and more! I saw those Northern Pine Designs last year and thought they were great! They're more like needlepoint with lots of specialty stitches and metallics and are gorgeous!

Well, it's 9:12PM on Friday and Tim just went out to hang out with a friend. I may have to go to see that Star Wars movie again at 11:30. I really liked it and want to see it again, and I don't mind seeing movies by myself. We'll see though. Sometimes I get great ideas and then an hour later I'm tired and don't do it.

Book list -- what have you read

I snagged this from Sisquoc's blog. Copy and paste into your blog, highlighting the books you've read. Then add three more that you've read that aren't already on the list. So many books, so little time :)

1.The Lord of the Rings, JRR Tolkien
2. Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen
3. His Dark Materials, Philip Pullman
4. The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams
5. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, JK Rowling
6. To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee
7. Winnie the Pooh, AA Milne
8. 1984, George Orwell
9. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, CS Lewis
10. Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte
11. Catch-22, Joseph Heller
12. Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronte
13. Birdsong, Sebastian Faulks
14. Rebecca, Daphne du Maurier
15. The Catcher in the Rye, JD Salinger
16. The Wind in the Willows, Kenneth Grahame
17. Great Expectations, Charles Dickens
18. Little Women, Louisa May Alcott
19. Captain Corellis Mandolin, Louis de Bernieres
20. War and Peace, Leo Tolstoy
21. Gone with the Wind, Margaret Mitchell
22. Harry Potter And The Sorcerers Stone, JK Rowling
23. Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets, JK Rowling
24. Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban, JK Rowling
25. The Hobbit, JRR Tolkien
26. Tess Of The Durbervilles, Thomas Hardy
27. Middlemarch, George Eliot
28. A Prayer For Owen Meany, John Irving
29. The Grapes Of Wrath, John Steinbeck
30. Alices AdventuresIn Wonderland, Lewis Carroll
31. The Story Of Tracy Beaker, Jacqueline Wilson
32. One Hundred Years Of Solitude, Gabriel Garcia Marquez
33. The Pillars Of The Earth, Ken Follett
34. David Copperfield, Charles Dickens
35. Charlie And The Chocolate Factory, Roald Dahl
36. Treasure Island, Robert Louis Stevenson
37. A Town Like Alice, Nevil Shute
38. Persuasion, Jane Austen
39. Dune, Frank Herbert
40. Emma, Jane Austen
41. Anne Of Green Gables, LM Montgomery
42. Watership Down, Richard Adams
43. The Great Gatsby, F Scott Fitzgerald
44. The Count Of Monte Cristo, Alexandre Dumas
45. Brideshead Revisited, Evelyn Waugh
46. Animal Farm, George Orwell
47. A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens
48. Far From The Madding Crowd, Thomas Hardy
49. Goodnight Mister Tom, Michelle Magorian
50. The Shell Seekers, Rosamunde Pilcher
51. The Secret Garden, Frances Hodgson Burnett
52. Of Mice And Men, John Steinbeck
53. The Stand, Stephen King
54. Anna Karenina, Leo Tolstoy
55. A Suitable Boy, Vikram Seth
56. The BFG, Roald Dahl
57. Swallows And Amazons, Arthur Ransome
58. Black Beauty, Anna Sewell
59. Artemis Fowl, Eoin Colfer
60. Crime And Punishment, Fyodor Dostoyevsky
61. Noughts And Crosses, Malorie Blackman
62. Memoirs Of A Geisha, Arthur Golden
63. A Tale Of Two Cities, Charles Dickens
64. The Thorn Birds, Colleen McCollough
65. Mort, Terry Pratchett
66. The Magic Faraway Tree, Enid Blyton
67. The Magus, John Fowles
68. Good Omens, Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman
69. Guards! Guards!, Terry Pratchett
70. Lord Of The Flies, William Golding
71. Perfume, Patrick Susskind
72. The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists, Robert Tressell
73. Night Watch, Terry Pratchett
74. Matilda, Roald Dahl
75. Bridget Joness Diary, Helen Fielding
76. The Secret History, Donna Tartt
77. The Woman In White, Wilkie Collins
78. Ulysses, James Joyce
79. Bleak House, Charles Dickens
80. Double Act, Jacqueline Wilson
81. The Twits, Roald Dahl
82. I Capture The Castle, Dodie Smith
83. Holes, Louis Sachar
84. Gormenghast, Mervyn Peake
85. The God Of Small Things, Arundhati Roy
86. Vicky Angel, Jacqueline Wilson
87. Brave New World, Aldous Huxley
88. Cold Comfort Farm, Stella Gibbons
89. Magician, Raymond E Feist
90. On The Road, Jack Kerouac
91. The Godfather, Mario Puzo
92. The Clan Of The Cave Bear, Jean M Auel
93. The Colour Of Magic, Terry Pratchett
94. The Alchemist, Paulo Coelho
95. Katherine, Anya Seton
96. Kane And Abel, Jeffrey Archer
97. Love In The Time Of Cholera, Gabriel Garcia Marquez
98. Girls In Love, Jacqueline Wilson
99. The Princess Diaries, Meg Cabot
100. Midnights Children, Salman Rushdie
101. Three Men In A Boat, Jerome K. Jerome
102. Small Gods, Terry Pratchett
103. The Beach, Alex Garland
104. Dracula, Bram Stoker
105. Point Blanc, Anthony Horowitz
106. The Pickwick Papers, Charles Dickens
107. Stormbreaker, Anthony Horowitz
108. The Wasp Factory, Iain Banks
109. The Day Of The Jackal, Frederick Forsyth
110. The Illustrated Mum, Jacqueline Wilson
111. Jude The Obscure, Thomas Hardy
112. The Secret Diary Of Adrian Mole Aged 13 1/2, Sue Townsend
113. The Cruel Sea, Nicholas Monsarrat
114. Les Miserables, Victor Hugo
115. The Mayor Of Casterbridge, Thomas Hardy
116. The Dare Game, Jacqueline Wilson
117. Bad Girls, Jacqueline Wilson
118. The Picture Of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wilde
119. Shogun, James Clavell
120. The Day Of The Triffids, John Wyndham
121. Lola Rose, Jacqueline Wilson
122. Vanity Fair, William Makepeace Thackeray
123. The Forsyte Saga, John Galsworthy
124. House Of Leaves, Mark Z. Danielewski
125. The Poisonwood Bible, Barbara Kingsolver
126. Reaper Man, Terry Pratchett
127. Angus, Thongs And Full-Frontal Snogging, Louise Rennison
128. The Hound Of The Baskervilles, Arthur Conan Doyle
129. Possession, A. S. Byatt
130. The Master And Margarita, Mikhail Bulgakov
131. The Handmaids Tale, Margaret Atwood
132. Danny The Champion Of The World, Roald Dahl
133. East Of Eden, John Steinbeck
134. Georges Marvellous Medicine, Roald Dahl
135. Wyrd Sisters, Terry Pratchett
136. The Color Purple, Alice Walker
137. Hogfather, Terry Pratchett
138. The Thirty-Nine Steps, John Buchan
139. Girls In Tears, Jacqueline Wilson
140. Sleepovers, Jacqueline Wilson
141. All Quiet On The Western Front, Erich Maria Remarque
142. Behind The Scenes At The Museum, Kate Atkinson
143. High Fidelity, Nick Hornby
144. It, Stephen King
145. James And The Giant Peach, Roald Dahl
146. The Green Mile, Stephen King
147. Papillon, Henri Charriere
148. Men At Arms, Terry Pratchett
149. Master And Commander, Patrick OBrian
150. Skeleton Key, Anthony Horowitz
151. Soul Music, Terry Pratchett
152. Thief Of Time, Terry Pratchett
153. The Fifth Elephant, Terry Pratchett
154. Atonement, Ian McEwan
155. Secrets, Jacqueline Wilson
156. The Silver Sword, Ian Serraillier
157. One Flew Over The Cuckoos Nest, Ken Kesey
158. Heart Of Darkness, Joseph Conrad
159. Kim, Rudyard Kipling
160. Cross Stitch, Diana Gabaldon
161. Moby Dick, Herman Melville
162. River God, Wilbur Smith
163. Sunset Song, Lewis Grassic Gibbon
164. The Shipping News, Annie Proulx
165. The World According To Garp, John Irving
166. Lorna Doone, R. D. Blackmore
167. Girls Out Late, Jacqueline Wilson
168. The Far Pavilions, M. M. Kaye
169. The Witches, Roald Dahl
170. Charlottes Web, E. B. White
171. Frankenstein, Mary Shelley
172. They Used To Play On Grass, Terry Venables and Gordon Williams
173. The Old Man And The Sea, Ernest Hemingway
174. The Name Of The Rose, Umberto Eco
175. Sophies World, Jostein Gaarder
176. Dustbin Baby, Jacqueline Wilson
177. Fantastic Mr. Fox, Roald Dahl
178. Lolita, Vladimir Nabokov
179. Jonathan Livingstone Seagull, Richard Bach
180. The Little Prince, Antoine De Saint-Exupery
181. The Suitcase Kid, Jacqueline Wilson
182. Oliver Twist, Charles Dickens
183. The Power Of One, Bryce Courtenay
184. Silas Marner, George Eliot
185. American Psycho, Bret Easton Ellis
186. The Diary Of A Nobody, George and Weedon Gross-mith
187. Trainspotting, Irvine Welsh
188. Goosebumps, R. L. Stine
189. Heidi, Johanna Spyri
190. Sons And Lovers, D. H. Lawrence
191. The Unbearable Lightness of Being, Milan Kundera
192. Man And Boy, Tony Parsons
193. The Truth, Terry Pratchett
194. The War Of The Worlds, H. G. Wells
195. The Horse Whisperer, Nicholas Evans
196. A Fine Balance, Rohinton Mistry
197. Witches Abroad, Terry Pratchett
198. The Once And Future King, T. H. White
199. The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Eric Carle
200. Flowers In The Attic, Virginia Andrews
201. The Silmarillion, J.R.R. Tolkien
202. The Eye of the World, Robert Jordan
203. The Great Hunt, Robert Jordan
204. The Dragon Reborn, Robert Jordan
205. Fires of Heaven, Robert Jordan
206. Lord of Chaos, Robert Jordan
207. Winters Heart, Robert Jordan
208. A Crown of Swords, Robert Jordan
209. Crossroads of Twilight, Robert Jordan
210. A Path of Daggers, Robert Jordan
211. As Nature Made Him, John Colapinto
212. Microserfs, Douglas Coupland
213. The Married Man, Edmund White
214. Winters Tale, Mark Helprin
215. The History of Sexuality, Michel Foucault
216. Cry to Heaven, Anne Rice
217. Same-Sex Unions in Premodern Europe, John Boswell
218. Equus, Peter Shaffer
219. The Man Who Ate Everything, Jeffrey Steingarten
220. Letters To A Young Poet, Rainer Maria Rilke
221. Ella Minnow Pea, Mark Dunn
222. The Vampire Lestat, Anne Rice
223. Anthem, Ayn Rand
224. The Bridge To Terabithia, Katherine Paterson
225. Tartuffe, Moliere
226. The Metamorphosis, Franz Kafka
227. The Crucible, Arthur Miller
228. The Trial, Franz Kafka
229. Oedipus Rex, Sophocles
230. Oedipus at Colonus, Sophocles
231. Death Be Not Proud, John Gunther
232. A Dolls House, Henrik Ibsen
233. Hedda Gabler, Henrik Ibsen
234. Ethan Frome, Edith Wharton
235. A Raisin In The Sun, Lorraine Hansberry
236. ALIVE!, Piers Paul Read
237. Grapefruit, Yoko Ono
238. Trickster Makes This World, Lewis Hyde
240. The Mists of Avalon, Marion Zimmer Bradley
241. Chronicles of Thomas Convenant, Unbeliever, Stephen Donaldson
242. Lord of Light, Roger Zelazny
242. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, Michael Chabon
243. Summerland, Michael Chabon
244. A Confederacy of Dunces, John Kennedy Toole
245. Candide, Voltaire
246. The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Six More, Roald Dahl
247. Ringworld, Larry Niven
248. The King Must Die, Mary Renault
249. Stranger in a Strange Land, Robert Heinlein
250. A Wrinkle in Time, Madeline L'Engle
251. The Eyre Affair, Jasper Fforde
252. The House Of The Seven Gables, Nathaniel Hawthorne
253. The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne
254. The Joy Luck Club, Amy Tan
255. The Great Gilly Hopkins, Katherine Paterson
256. Chocolate Fever, Robert Kimmel Smith
257. Xanth: The Quest for Magic, Piers Anthony
258. The Lost Princess of Oz, L. Frank Baum
259. Wonder Boys, Michael Chabon
260. Lost In A Good Book, Jasper Fforde
261. Well Of Lost Plots, Jasper Fforde
261. Life Of Pi, Yann Martel
263. The Bean Trees, Barbara Kingsolver
264. A Yellow Rraft In Blue Water, Michael Dorris
265. Little House on the Prairie, Laura Ingalls Wilder
267. Where The Red Fern Grows, Wilson Rawls
268. Griffin & Sabine, Nick Bantock
269. Witch of Blackbird Pond, Joyce Friedland
270. Mrs. Frisby And The Rats Of NIMH, Robert C. OBrien
271. Tuck Everlasting, Natalie Babbitt
272. The Cay, Theodore Taylor
273. From The Mixed-Up Files Of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, E.L. Konigsburg
274. The Phantom Tollbooth, Norton Juster
275. The Westing Game, Ellen Raskin
276. The Kitchen Gods Wife, Amy Tan
277. The Bone Setters Daughter, Amy Tan
278. Relic, Duglas Preston & Lincolon Child
279. Wicked, Gregory Maguire
280. American Gods, Neil Gaiman
281. Misty of Chincoteague, Marguerite Henry
282. The Girl Next Door, Jack Ketchum
283. Haunted, Judith St. George
284. Singularity, William Sleator
285. A Short History of Nearly Everything, Bill Bryson
286. Different Seasons, Stephen King
287. Fight Club, Chuck Palahniuk
288. About a Boy, Nick Hornby
289. The Bookmans Wake, John Dunning
290. The Church of Dead Girls, Stephen Dobyns
291. Illusions, Richard Bach
292. Magics Pawn, Mercedes Lackey
293. Magics Promise, Mercedes Lackey
294. Magics Price, Mercedes Lackey
295. The Dancing Wu Li Masters, Gary Zukav
296. Spirits of Flux and Anchor, Jack L. Chalker
297. Interview with the Vampire, Anne Rice
298. The Encyclopedia of Unusual Sex Practices, Brenda Love
299. Infinite Jest, David Foster Wallace.
300. The Bluest Eye, Toni Morrison.
301. The Cider House Rules, John Irving.
302. Enders Game, Orson Scott Card
303. Girlfriend in a Coma, Douglas Coupland
304. The Lions Game, Nelson Demille
305. The Sun, The Moon, and the Stars, Stephen Brust
306. Cyteen, C. J. Cherryh
307. Foucaults Pendulum, Umberto Eco
308. Cryptonomicon, Neal Stephenson
309. Invisible Monsters, Chuck Palahniuk
310. Camber of Culdi, Kathryn Kurtz
311. The Fountainhead, Ayn Rand
312. War and Rememberance, Herman Wouk
313. The Art of War, Sun Tzu
314. The Giver, Lois Lowry
315. The Telling, Ursula Le Guin
316. Xenogenesis (or Liliths Brood), Octavia Butler
317. A Civil Campaign, Lois McMaster Bujold
318. The Curse of Chalion, Lois McMaster Bujold
319. The Aeneid, Publius Vergilius Maro (Vergil)
320. Hanta Yo, Ruth Beebe Hill
321. The Princess Bride, S. Morganstern (or William Goldman)
322. Beowulf, Anonymous
323. The Sparrow, Maria Doria Russell
324. Deerskin, Robin McKinley
325. Dragonsong, Anne McCaffrey
326. Passage, Connie Willis
327. Otherland, Tad Williams
328. Tigana, Guy Gavriel Kay
329. Number the Stars, Lois Lowry
330. Beloved, Toni Morrison
331. Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christs Childhood Pal, Christopher Moore
332. The Mysterious Disappearance of Leon, I mean Noel, Ellen Raskin
333. Summer Sisters, Judy Blume
334. The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Victor Hugo
335. The Island on Bird Street, Uri Orlev
336. Midnight in the Dollhouse, Marjorie Filley Stover
337. The Miracle Worker, William Gibson
338. The Genesis Code, John Case
339. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Robert Louis Stevensen
340. Paradise Lost, John Milton
341. Phantom, Susan Kay
342. The Mummy or Ramses the Damned, Anne Rice
343. Anno Dracula, Kim Newman
344: The Dresden Files: Grave Peril, Jim Butcher
345: Tokyo Suckerpunch, Issac Adamson
346: The Winter of Magics Return, Pamela Service
347: The Oddkins, Dean R. Koontz
348. My Name is Asher Lev, Chaim Potok
349. The Last Goodbye, Raymond Chandler
350. At Swim, Two Boys, Jaime ONeill
351. Othello, by William Shakespeare
352. The Collected Poems of Dylan Thomas
353. The Collected Poems of William Butler Yeats
354. Sati, Christopher Pike
355. The Inferno, Dante
356. The Apology, Plato
357. The Small Rain, Madeline LEngle
358. The Man Who Tasted Shapes, Richard E Cytowick
359. 5 Novels, Daniel Pinkwater
360. The Sevenwaters Trilogy, Juliet Marillier
361. Girl with a Pearl Earring, Tracy Chevalier
362. To the Lighthouse, Virginia Woolf
363. Our Town, Thorton Wilder
364. Green Grass Running Water, Thomas King
365. The Interpreter, Suzanne Glass
366. The Moors Last Sigh, Salman Rushdie
367. The Mother Tongue, Bill Bryson
368. The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Stephen Chbosky
369. A Passage to India, E.M. Forster
370. The Phantom of the Opera, Gaston Leroux
371. Pages for You, Sylvia Brownrigg
372. The Changeover, Margaret Mahy
373. Howls Moving Castle, Diana Wynne Jones
374. Angels and Demons, Dan Brown
375. Johnny Got His Gun, Dalton Trumbo
376. Shosha, Isaac Bashevis Singer
377. Travels With Charley, John Steinbeck
378. The Diving-bell and the Butterfly by Jean-Dominique Bauby
379. The Lunatic at Large by J. Storer Clouston
380. Time for Bed by David Baddiel
381. Barrayar by Lois McMaster Bujold
382. Quite Ugly One Morning by Christopher Brookmyre
383. The Bloody Sun by Marion Zimmer Bradley
384. Sewer, Gas, and Eletric by Matt Ruff
385. Jhereg by Steven Brust
386. So You Want To Be A Wizard by Diane Duane
387. Perdido Street Station, China Mieville
388. The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, Anne Bronte
389. Road-side Dog, Czeslaw Milosz
390. The English Patient, Michael Ondaatje
391. Neuromancer, William Gibson
392. The Epistemology of the Closet, Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick
393. A Canticle for Liebowitz, Walter M. Miller, Jr
394. The Mask of Apollo, Mary Renault
395. The Gunslinger, Stephen King
396. Romeo and Juliet, William Shakespeare
397. Childhoods End, Arthur C. Clarke
398. A Season of Mists, Neil Gaiman
399. Ivanhoe, Walter Scott
400. The God Boy, Ian Cross
401. The Beekeepers Apprentice, Laurie R. King
402. Finn Family Moomintroll, Tove Jansson
403. Misery, Stephen King
404. Tipping the Velvet, Sarah Waters
405. Hood, Emma Donoghue
406. The Land of Spices, Kate OBrien
407. The Diary of Anne Frank
408. Regeneration, Pat Barker
409. Tender is the Night, F. Scott Fitzgerald
410. Dreaming in Cuban, Cristina Garcia
411. A Farewell to Arms, Ernest Hemingway
412. The View from Saturday, E.L. Konigsburg
413. Dealing with Dragons, Patricia Wrede
414. Eats, Shoots & Leaves, Lynne Truss
415. A Severed Wasp - Madeleine LEngle
416. Here Be Dragons - Sharon Kay Penman
417. The Mabinogion (Ancient Welsh Tales) - translated by Lady Charlotte E. Guest
418. The DaVinci Code - Dan Brown
419. Desire of the Everlasting Hills - Thomas Cahill
420. The Cloister Walk - Kathleen Norris
421. The Things We Carried, Tim OBrien
422. I Know This Much Is True, Wally Lamb
423. Choke, Chuck Palahniuk
424. Enders Shadow, Orson Scott Card
425. The Memory of Earth, Orson Scott Card
426. The Iron Tower, Dennis L. McKiernen
427. Atlas Shrugged, Ayn Rand
428. A Ring of Endless Light, Madeline L'Engle
429. Lords of Discipline, Pat Conroy
430. Hyperion, Dan Simmons
431. If Nobody Speaks of Remarkable Things, Jon McGregor
432. The Bridge, Iain Banks
433. Ishmael: An Adventure of the Mind and Spirit, Daniel Quinn
434. Angle of Repose, Wallace Stegner
435. The Gold Coast, Nelson DeMille
436. Neverwhere, Neil Gaiman
437. Angels and Visitations: A Miscellany, Neil Gaiman
438. Mortal Prey, John Sanford
439. Sarum: The Novel of England, Edward Rutherford
440. Murther & Walking Spirits, Robertson Davies
441. Like Water for Chocolate, Laura Esquivel
442. Princes of Ireland, Edward Rutherford
443. The Vanished Man, Jeffery Deaver
444. Vancouver, Eric Nicol
445. Dragon Prince, Melanie Rawn
446. Are You My Mother?, P D Eastman
447. Enchanter's End Game, David Eddings
448. Night, Elie Wiesel
449. Gilgamesh, Anonymous
450. The Exorcist, William Peter Blatty

What mythical creature are you?

I stole this from
Lorna's blog. I'm a mermaid. Anyone surprised? I'm certainly not, considering I've always felt I should have been born as some sort of aquatic animal. And the picture is absolutely gorgeous! Would that make a great cross stitch design or what?

You scored as Mermaid. Mermaid: Mermaids are also known as Sirens. These creatures were beautiful women who tricked sailors into becoming completely entranced by their haunting voices and found death soon after. Not all stories of Mermaids are about gentle loving sea people. They are mystical, magical, and extremely dangerous. They have a way about them that brings anyone they are around to seem enchanted. They are very mysterious creatures and to meet one... Would mean certain Death. Let the song of the Sea fill your soul, for you are a Mermaid.

Mermaid		100%
Angel		59%
Faerie		59%
Dragon		42%
WereWolf		17%
Demon		8%

What Mythological Creature are you? (Cool Pics!)
created with QuizFarm.com

Cleaned up my blog

I was up about an hour earlier than usual this morning. Instead of using the time to clean while it was cool, I decided I'd rather get that blog cleaning done. I've gotten rid of the links that no longer work, alphabetized my links to other blogs and added a bunch more links. I really should have a separate section for message boards and stitching resoureces, but one thing at a time :)

There are a few blogs I really liked that have disappeared and it's a bummer. One is Laura Leigh's blog. Laura, if you are reading this I hope you are doing well. I miss your friendly presence on the boards.

The other is the "I Lost Another Me" link. It was from a woman in NJ who had lost a major amount of weight and she's getting married soon. I really enjoyed her blog and one day it was just gone. Maybe she posted that she was moving it and I missed it. I hope things are OK with her. If anyone knows if that site was moved, could you let me know?

I need to go through my favorites and make sure all the blogs I've listed there are also on my sidebar. I think they are, but I don't want to leave out anyone. If you read my blog and for some reason I don't read yours or have it on my sidebar, please give me the link and I'll add it. Thanks!

25 Stitching Questions

25 Most Asked Stitching Questions (may have done this a long time ago, but figured I'd do it again since it's making the rounds)

1. How old were you when you started cross stitching?
10-11ish

2. Who taught you to cross stitch?
A lady who came to our 4H meeting

3. What inspired you to begin cross stitching?
I fell in love with it at the 4H meeting. I liked creating something from nothing.

4. What has been your most difficult cross stitch piece?
Finished: Mirabilia's The Kis
WIP: TW's English Garden Welcome

5. Do you have friends that stitch?
I have one or two near me, but most of my stitching friends are online.

6. What is your favourite stitched piece?
It's tough, but I'll go with Mirabilia's Christmas Elegance.

7. What is your favorite fabric? 28ct. linen or evenweave. I like 32ct., also.

8. What is your favorite fiber?
I use regular DMC the most but I fell in love with the silk Caron Waterlillies while stitching some Dragon Dreams dragons. I must have more :)

9. What is your favorite needle?
Sizes 24 and 26, depending on the fabric. I like a needle I can really hold on to LOL!

10. Do you prefer black & white or colored charts?
It's easier for me to read b&w charts. Often the color charts have symbols that are the same but in different colors, and then I have to go looking for the symbol AND the color. Also, sometimes it's hard for me to distinguish between similar colors on those types of charts.

11. How many Works In Progress do you have at this time?
18

12. How many UFO's do you have at this time?
2

13. How many cross stitch charts/kits/mags do you own?
a few hundred

14. How much fabric do you have in stock at this time?
50 pieces of various size kitted with projects plus 10-20 more that aren't kitted with anything.


15. Where is your favorite place to stitch?
my sofa

16. What is your favorite time of day to stitch?
Late night

17. How many pieces have you stitched in your lifetime?
I have no clue, well over 100

18. Do you give your stitched pieces away?
I give many away as gifts to people I know appreciate the work.

19. How many different fibers do you have in stock at this time?
GAST, WDW, Seaside Treasures, Caron Waterlillies, Caron Wildflowers, Kreinik, Rainbow Gallery Treasure Braid, Rainbow Gallery Wisper, Rainbow Gallery Nordic Gold, DMC, Perle Cotton, Needlepaints, DMC Rayon

20. How many pairs of scissors do you own?
3. None are fancy but I have a fob for each.

21. Do you use stitching enhancers (lights, scroll frames...etc)?
Q-snaps, OTT-Lite

22. How many pieces that have been stitched but not yet framed or finished off in some other way do you have at this time?
I have four (soon to be six) large pieces not framed and quite a few small stragglers.

23. Do you have a craft/stitching room?
No.

24. Why do you stitch?
It lets me start out with a blank canvas and make something beautiful from it. I've always wanted to be an artist but don't have the talent for it, so this works well for me. I'm also not good at just sitting around at night doing nothing but watching TV. I have to be doing something, and this helps relax me.

25. What is your most memorable time related to cross stitching?
When I was laid off I was able to get a lot of stitching done. It also helped me deal with the stress of looking for a job and being told I was overqualified or underqualified for everything. That gets to you after a while.

Could you do me a favor?

If you are reading this, can you leave a comment and tell me if my sidebar is where it's supposed to be or if it's way down past my journal entries? At home it looks fine but at work it's goofy. I think it's because I changed my settings on my work monitor, but would appreciate any feedback. Thanks!

Gotta clean up my blog

I need to address my sidebar. I know many of the meme lists I have linked there are either gone or have changed location. I also need to add some more boards and other links I visit. There are a few blogs I visit that I haven't added, and some there that are gone. Sometime this week I'll get around to it.

I'm still hoping to figure out how to make my blog have a sidebar on both sides so that my information there isn't so long. A few of the blogs I visit have really cool progress bars they use for their WIPs. I tried incorporating these a while back but couldn't get it to work correctly.

Saw Star Wars III Saturday! Possible spoilers, read at own risk

I have to say I was pleasantly surprised! I thought it was great and really tied everything together. I've been wondering why C3PO didn't remember anything, and at the end of III they had his memory wiped. Ahh, that explains it!

It also makes me see Darth Vader in a whole new way. Before he was just this evil thing who was finally redeemed at the end by his son. Great, but we didn't know anything about him and who he was before. It was revealing to see how he turned to the dark side and the struggle he went through before it happened. I know his mom had something to do with it, as did Palpatine buddying up to him, but Wyndoo didn't help. Of course, one of the biggest issues was him wanting to save Padme, which of course wouldn't have been an issue if he hadn't turned. Boggles the mind. I also wanted to kick Palpatine's ass when he told Vader that he killed Padme.

For me, one of the saddest parts was seeing the clones turn on the Jedi when they received word from Palpatine. Here they've been fighting side by side then the Jedi just get completely gunned down. The looks on the faces of a few of the Jedi when they realize what is happening is just heartbreaking. Of course, it was also sad to see the little boy ask Anakin for help when the temple was invaded, knowing that Anakin was not going to help but to kill them. Also, the scene where we see how Vader came to have to wear that outfit and mask was sad.

Tim and I were supposed to wait to see it with my friends and their son. However, he's at his dad's 3 weekends a month and I'm usually the babysitter for the little one so Tim and I figure the chances of us all actually seeing it together before it's out of the theater are pretty small. So, we decided to see it on our own but I'll still see it with them. I've learned my lesson about waiting to see a movie with people who mean well but who are just very hard to plan around, and we weren't going to miss this one.

Women in combat

OK, I'm going to go against what many other women think -- women should not automatically be in combat if they are in the military. Only if women can pass the same physical tests as the men should they be in combat. Now, that doesn't mean that they should make the test so hard that the men can barely make it, either.

I'm for equal rights -- equal. I don't believe that if women were in charge of everything that all would be right with the world. Heck, all you have to do is see the bitchery at some message boards and in the office to know that LOL! Oh, men are the same, but they get at each other in different ways. Anyway, I'm for "equal" rights. A woman in combat needs to be able to do the same things that a man would do. If a man needs to be able to carry out another man who is wounded, so does a woman. I don't think they should be able to get away with push-ups on their knees, etc.

Tim and I have talked about this at length and we are in agreement. He also says there was a woman in his outfit who could do more pull-ups and standard push-ups than any of the guys and that she was in better shape than anyone else there.

Ick

I ended up working 2 hours this morning and then came home. I don't know if it's the weather or what but I ended up feeling awful all of a sudden, even though I felt fine when I got to work. I came home and slept for over 4 hours, and only woke up then because the phone rang. I feel a little better now and have been on the computer for about 20 minutes, but will probably take another nap. It was really weird; usually if I'm going to feel bad I wake up that way, but this just snuck up on me.

Possible workplace rivalry?

There are two women who work for one of the agents at work and I get the feeling there is some rivalry there. I believe they are both part-time, one is a young intern, the other is in her 40s, I think. I get along well with both Both are very pretty and very friendly. However, I get the feeling that the older one maybe wants more of what the younger one is doing. I'm not really sure as I don't always work directly with them so don't really know. I get the impression from the older one that the younger one is very flighty and doesn't know what she's doing and only has the job because she's cute. However, that's not the impression I get from the younger one, who has never said anything bad about the older one to me. Yes, I think the younger one (from now on called A) is learning a lot. You don't come into your first office job automatically knowing the best way to organize yourself, follow- up with people, etc. You learn by doing and by hoping those more experienced than you show you some things and you eventually learn what works for you and what doesn't. I get the feeling that the older one (now called B) isn't really showing A how to do these things, just telling her that she must do them and getting upset when she doesn't do everything right. It's like telling a kid to go clean his room and make it spotless when you've never shown him how.

So, I guess I'll find out because I'm going to be working quite a bit with A in the coming months. She is a very sweet girl and I hope everything works out well. I also think that some of the problem is that B wants to do some of what A is doing, and since A is only there three times a week B sometimes edges in on A's work. Now, that may be coming from the boss who wants information and A isn't there, so he asks B. From the meeting I was in yesterday though, he wants A to be the assistant to run with me on this project, so I shouldn't be dealing with B on this at all. I just get uncomfortable when B says bad things to me about A. I don't agree or disagree, just kinda listen. I'm not going to get involved in these things as I like both of them. They just have very different personalities.

In the end, part of me thinks the reason for the whole thing is that B doesn't like being on the same level as a much younger woman. I've had to deal with this before and it can be very hurtful. A woman who was a good friend of mine and old enough to be my mom started getting nasty with me when we both went to work at the same place. We has met at one job but were more or less equals. At the new place I was above her and had an office while she had a cubicle. After that, she just was roundabout nasty, if that makes sense. It wasn't usually to my face, but every time she asked me something she'd go ask my boss the same question to check up on me. If she asked me a question and I said, "I don't know. I'll find out," she didn't like that and acted like I was purposefully keeping information from her. Why the hell would I do that? I wanted her to have info so that she could do her job. I just don't like making up stuff and don't have an ego problem with saying that I don't know and I'll find out. In the end, she ended up quitting in a huff, more because of my boss than me, and that was the end of our friendship. It was hurtful to realize that as soon as I had some success in my life she couldn't handle being my friend because I was younger and had a higher position.

Anyway, we'll see what happens. I have the feeling the truth is somewhere in the middle on this one.

Gimme a break!

There's currently a conversation on a board I visit about potty-mouth kids. Granted, I don't care for it either. My parents didn't talk that way and neither did we, and I rarely do now.

However, it irritates the heck out of me when everything is brought back to religion. There's a huge assumption out there that only people with religion (aka the only denomination of Christianity they believe in) are the decent ones and that these kids don't have any in their lives. Good grief! Some of the best cussers I knew growing up went to church a few days a week. I only went on Sundays so I guess I wasn't as good as them, huh? Whatever.

There are a lot of people out there who are aethiest, agnostic, pagan, etc. who are very decent people. It has nothing to do with religion but who they are and how they were raised -- to be good and decent people. Christianity doesn't have the monopoly on creating good people, and frankly quite a few I know are pretty darn intolerant and rude. That can be said of all religions, for that matter. In the end, it really has nothing to do with the faith one follows but who they are at their core.

Update on Waiting for Ships

I only have to finish her hair, that little bit on her tail and then I can start the beading. I guess that means I have to finally get off my lazy butt and get to the store to buy those two floss colors I need. Well, it's not like I don't go into work every day, I just wish there was a place on the way in or out where I could stop instead of battling rush hour traffic to go way out of my way on the way home. I know -- quitcher bitchin'! I should feel lucky I have a place that's not *too* far away, but at the end of the day I just hate going anywhere but home, and once I'm there I'm likely not to go back out. I'll get it soon.

I don't have a picture yet but have started one of the Mirabilia cherubs for the AQP. I haven't stitched anything for them in quite a while and need to get back into the habit. I had started a L&L 2000 angel but it was on Aida and I can no longer stand working on that fabric. So, I'm sending it to a nice lady in Canada, along with some other Aida pieces and floss so that she can finish it up. The cherub is the replacement, as the L&L angel was supposed to be for the AQP.

So, here's my Waiting for Ships: