Random

Several weeks ago, my iPod was stolen. Annoying, but not a huge deal, as I am not a huge iPod user.

In an effort to save some cash, I replaced my old "regular" iPod w/ an iPod Shuffle. I copied over my top playlists and then supplemented with some select favorites.

I have now been using the Shuffle for a week.

I hate it.

I have no control over what I want to listen to. It shouts at me whatever it decides I want to hear. I realize that this is the point of the Shuffle. I still hate it.

Draw your own metaphorical meaning from this. I simply observe.

Going to attempt to be gentle with myself

I was supposed to have a brand new year, a brand new me, with the start of a Celtic new year, Samhain, November 1. Didn't happen. I worked until 6:45 tonight and barely made the 7:40 train to Beverly. And then had to drive 30 mins...

I, of course, have no one to blame but myself. No one is holding a gun to my head making me work 13 hours. No one is telling me that "sorry, I couldn't get to it" isn't a legitimate excuse when you're clearly working more than 10 hours a day. Still...

But tonight I called YogaChick, who gave me a bit of perspective:

"You ARE being really hard on yourself. Just take a step back and stop looking at what you haven't done and look at what you can do. So, your new year didn't happen Nov 1. Maybe it happens Nov 3. And people know how great you are. What you do this week, or next, won't really matter in the long run.

I know she's right. And so I shall try to begin this year's new year from here on in. A video I found on YouTube can only help.



I have a plot and some character ideas this year as it is, so the rest should be gravy. Plus, here's anticipating I actually succeed in doing something for me .

Enormouse Sense of Accomplishment

We're LIVE!

The test that I have been slavishly toiling away at promoting and publicizing and touting and recommending -- because it IS the coolest thing since sliced bread (well, as far as language psychometrics go...) -- is now fully functional. Our first test taker will sit the exam on Friday in New York City.

It has been a long, tough slog. It has been challenging, it has been life-sucking, but it has also been amazing, inspiring and a fair amount of fun.

And when we had our team call this morning and the Ops Lead over in London said, "well, folks, we're live!" I found myself clapping and grinning from ear to ear.

So, to all of my readers who have put up with the tales of CBL and the moaning and wailing and gnashing of teeth, I say thanks. Seriously. Thank You. Because this moment of satisfaction is really -- REALLY -- worthwhile.

Another List

Here's a list of things I've learned this week from GoodBuddy:

If you cut yourself shaving, a band-aid is the best first plan of attack

If your cellphone gets wet, popping it into the microwave for "a second or two" will not help

If you reference Molliere and Office Space together and/or more than once in a single conversation, stop talking.

And the hits just keep on comin.

Imagine that

GoodBuddy and I went to see Paranormal Activity over the weekend. Not great. Not bad but I could have predicted the ending about 20 mins in and I think they missed the opportunity for a lot of character and plot development that would have made it much more compelling. But what do I know?

But here's a real horror story for you.

Before we left, GB decided (well, I decided for him) that he would look less grubby if he shaved. And because he's GoodBuddy, he cut himself shaving. And instead of putting a band-aid on, he proceeded to bleed -- all over himself, his clothes, my clothes, my furniture, my floor...

He didn't have any other clothes to change into, so he left the bloody sweatshirt on for the trip. We get to the theater and he goes to throw some stuff into the trunk. (You can't leave anything to chance in Danvers.)

"Ooooh, that woulda been hard to explain if we'd gotten pulled over."

"What's that?"

Trunk of the car held exactly the following:
1 pick axe
1 shovel

You can't make this shit up.