The Good:
Tuesday spin instructor referred to a Post Health Section article (This Week in Health, page F3 - no link available) which discussed the merits of "sprints" in a spin class. Instructor thus had us do several sprints, to our delight.
The Smelly:
Ok, it's usually a good idea to launder one's gym clothes frequently and this is especially so when attending spin class - after all, the rest of us are a captive, uh, audience in a small room, to the opposite condition. Case in point, one of the folks in my Tuesday class doesn't wash his togs nearly often enough and once we start sweating, well, it's very obvious. Not good considering all of us need to, by definition, inhale deeply during class. Ew.
Tuesday, June 21, 2005
Gitmo commentary
Deb over at Insomnomaniac rages over Gitmo, terrorists and wrong-headed politicians. God love her! All good stuff – read the whole thing here.
Tuesday, June 14, 2005
OK, so it's Tuesday already
Well, the wedding was beautiful, the bride and groom were beautiful, the locale was sunny and beautiful. The black snake who wandered thru the seating area during the ceremony was not exactly beautiful - but should make an interesting conversation piece for the kids and grandkids. I mean, how many couples can brag that they had a snake attend their wedding? My brother and his bride brewed all the beer for the occasion with personalized bottle lables - so very cool and personal!
After this week, things should start to settle down - I go for my school orientation tomorrow, take my Accounting final on Thursday. I have 2 or 3 scholarship essays due by the end of the month, which I'll complete this weekend. We leave for Key West at the end of the month for 2 weeks of real relaxation! Yippee! Counting down the days...
After this week, things should start to settle down - I go for my school orientation tomorrow, take my Accounting final on Thursday. I have 2 or 3 scholarship essays due by the end of the month, which I'll complete this weekend. We leave for Key West at the end of the month for 2 weeks of real relaxation! Yippee! Counting down the days...
Friday, June 10, 2005
Friday morning chaos
BDA level of 4.5 on the Metro today. Think big slow bottle-necking bugs with iPods.
Almost the moment I set foot in the office, a last minute urgent request that need not have been last minute, nor urgent and in another instance, a total breakdown in established procedures by those who approved the procedures in the first place. Neither are isolated incidents.
I scurry off in an hour to meet my dad for the trip down to the wedding locale. We will chat some more on Monday...
Almost the moment I set foot in the office, a last minute urgent request that need not have been last minute, nor urgent and in another instance, a total breakdown in established procedures by those who approved the procedures in the first place. Neither are isolated incidents.
I scurry off in an hour to meet my dad for the trip down to the wedding locale. We will chat some more on Monday...
Thursday, June 09, 2005
I can feel my blood pressure soar...
...after reading this piece on Slant Point Blogging. What an incredible mess we've created vis-a-vis immigration. Nowadays, illegals are demanding rights in OUR COUNTRY. Hmm. What's wrong with this picture? Why aren't they demanding rights and reforms in their own countries? Heck no, why bother, when it's so much easier to get goodies from the sappy, spineless Americans. You can be sure that those demands will continue to escalate, as will the number of illegals.
Speaking of which, check out this article in the Washington Post about the ever increasing number of hispanics in this country. Invasion, anyone?
Can you say frying pan into fire? It's only going to get worse.
Speaking of which, check out this article in the Washington Post about the ever increasing number of hispanics in this country. Invasion, anyone?
Can you say frying pan into fire? It's only going to get worse.
Wednesday, June 08, 2005
Wednesday afternoon ennui
I've accomplished absolutely zilch today. I'm falling asleep and although I have stuff to be working on, I'm too bored/agitated (yes! asleep, bored and agitated) to concentrate on it. I have five more hours to work. Tick-tock.
School project progress report: I've decreased my 403(b) withholding at work so I could increase my take-home pay a little. Saving change (you think I'm kidding). Sold stock. Closed out a money-market account. Basically this is just to accumulate some sustenance funds. Admittedly, I did not plan very well on that account. I should have been putting away money a year ago. But that's the past.
I'm going to be very poor for the next two or so years. Advance warning to family and friends: you'll be getting cards and cute homemade gifts for the duration.
My brother is getting married this weekend and I have yet to formulate my attire plan. Tonight, I need to give myself a serious pedicure so I don't offend anyone at the wedding with my nasty feet. Tomorrow night is the penultimate accounting class, next week's the final. I've planned well for that - all material read & assignments done from the syllabus. So tonight I'll get some advance studying in while my toe nails dry.
Did I mention that my lovely in-laws sent us the first season of "24"? Well, they did, and is it wrong to watch an episode first thing in the morning, while drinking coffee (and while we should be getting ready for work)? Ok, so we're becoming hooked. When it first came on tv and we still had cable, I checked out the first few episodes, but they didn't take. Can I just say how much better it is to see a series on DVD? No commercials, rewind at will, continuity of story. You get the picture.
Ok, gotta go do some work so that others have good self-esteem.
UPDATE, 5:12pm: The day IS actually marching on. I now have about one month's rent & expenses (w/no frills) in the bank, so I'm feeling a little less shaky about finances. I had a good workout, so less agitation. DH Jeff is making steak tonight and that makes me happy. Mmmmm, red meat!
Thanks, Bro, for the reassurance - on attire and morning episodic enjoyment! No, no morning whiskey - yet. ;)
Well, back to work to keep the underclass at bay. Doesn't that mean we shouldn't have any crime since their needs are taken care of? Oh, wait a minute, the social contract only goes one way, huh? I guess the value is that I'm not physically attacked (knock on wood) by a mob on my walk to the Metro, for being, what? um, uppity and privileged. Yeh, that's it.
School project progress report: I've decreased my 403(b) withholding at work so I could increase my take-home pay a little. Saving change (you think I'm kidding). Sold stock. Closed out a money-market account. Basically this is just to accumulate some sustenance funds. Admittedly, I did not plan very well on that account. I should have been putting away money a year ago. But that's the past.
I'm going to be very poor for the next two or so years. Advance warning to family and friends: you'll be getting cards and cute homemade gifts for the duration.
My brother is getting married this weekend and I have yet to formulate my attire plan. Tonight, I need to give myself a serious pedicure so I don't offend anyone at the wedding with my nasty feet. Tomorrow night is the penultimate accounting class, next week's the final. I've planned well for that - all material read & assignments done from the syllabus. So tonight I'll get some advance studying in while my toe nails dry.
Did I mention that my lovely in-laws sent us the first season of "24"? Well, they did, and is it wrong to watch an episode first thing in the morning, while drinking coffee (and while we should be getting ready for work)? Ok, so we're becoming hooked. When it first came on tv and we still had cable, I checked out the first few episodes, but they didn't take. Can I just say how much better it is to see a series on DVD? No commercials, rewind at will, continuity of story. You get the picture.
Ok, gotta go do some work so that others have good self-esteem.
UPDATE, 5:12pm: The day IS actually marching on. I now have about one month's rent & expenses (w/no frills) in the bank, so I'm feeling a little less shaky about finances. I had a good workout, so less agitation. DH Jeff is making steak tonight and that makes me happy. Mmmmm, red meat!
Thanks, Bro, for the reassurance - on attire and morning episodic enjoyment! No, no morning whiskey - yet. ;)
Well, back to work to keep the underclass at bay. Doesn't that mean we shouldn't have any crime since their needs are taken care of? Oh, wait a minute, the social contract only goes one way, huh? I guess the value is that I'm not physically attacked (knock on wood) by a mob on my walk to the Metro, for being, what? um, uppity and privileged. Yeh, that's it.
Thoughts on a Wednesday Morning
America is the land of opportunity. I believe this totally, and I believe that if you’re willing to work, honestly, legally, that you should be able to reap the fruits of your labor – without vilification, without punishment, without extortion. That charity should be voluntary, not forced by the governing bodies.
It’s obvious from the snarky comments I’m getting that some of you don’t agree. I will forgive you for the insults and your misguided ideology. Here’s what it comes down to: I don’t think that solely by virtue of having a heartbeat and living in this country (and having offspring), you are entitled to or have a higher-being-given right to “free” healthcare, housing, sustenance, education. I don’t think productive and legal entities or people should be penalized to maintain or prop up the others. This is where we differ – you obviously think the opposite. Good for you. I believe in equality of opportunity (as in, no laws stopping you), not necessarily equality of outcome. This is a key difference between those of us on the right and those of you on the left. In that sense, never the twain shall meet.
If “redistribution of wealth” or favoritism or whatever you want to call it worked so well, why do we still have poor in this country? Why are we still paying welfare? Food stamps? Medicaid? Other social (engineering) programs? I tell you why –because the nanny state is self-perpetuating. It takes away personal motivation and reinforces dependence. The kids from these individuals are learning from their parents’ example the same thing and will teach their kids the same thing. And so on. And the demands don’t lessen, they increase.
Same with industries: If we’re talking about companies getting preferential treatment solely because of their demographic or because they’re not doing so well, what’s to motivate them to grow, change, adapt, innovate? When does the assistance end? It won’t, and the demands will increase. The policy becomes a right and then it’s practically carved in stone.
It comes down to a question of motivation. A small illustration: a while back I was out having drinks with some coworkers. Our waitress was pretty indifferent, inattentive and not that pleasant. Mind you, we were ordering drinks and munchies the entire time – so we were “active patrons.” Yet, when the bill came around, one of our group insisted on giving her a good tip because we had been there awhile, taking up space at the establishment. Huh? So the waitress learns that she doesn’t have to be a good waitress to get a good tip. That her tip is something that’s owed to her regardless of her actions. This in a microcosm is what happens when resources are rendered without requiring anything in return.
It’s obvious from the snarky comments I’m getting that some of you don’t agree. I will forgive you for the insults and your misguided ideology. Here’s what it comes down to: I don’t think that solely by virtue of having a heartbeat and living in this country (and having offspring), you are entitled to or have a higher-being-given right to “free” healthcare, housing, sustenance, education. I don’t think productive and legal entities or people should be penalized to maintain or prop up the others. This is where we differ – you obviously think the opposite. Good for you. I believe in equality of opportunity (as in, no laws stopping you), not necessarily equality of outcome. This is a key difference between those of us on the right and those of you on the left. In that sense, never the twain shall meet.
If “redistribution of wealth” or favoritism or whatever you want to call it worked so well, why do we still have poor in this country? Why are we still paying welfare? Food stamps? Medicaid? Other social (engineering) programs? I tell you why –because the nanny state is self-perpetuating. It takes away personal motivation and reinforces dependence. The kids from these individuals are learning from their parents’ example the same thing and will teach their kids the same thing. And so on. And the demands don’t lessen, they increase.
Same with industries: If we’re talking about companies getting preferential treatment solely because of their demographic or because they’re not doing so well, what’s to motivate them to grow, change, adapt, innovate? When does the assistance end? It won’t, and the demands will increase. The policy becomes a right and then it’s practically carved in stone.
It comes down to a question of motivation. A small illustration: a while back I was out having drinks with some coworkers. Our waitress was pretty indifferent, inattentive and not that pleasant. Mind you, we were ordering drinks and munchies the entire time – so we were “active patrons.” Yet, when the bill came around, one of our group insisted on giving her a good tip because we had been there awhile, taking up space at the establishment. Huh? So the waitress learns that she doesn’t have to be a good waitress to get a good tip. That her tip is something that’s owed to her regardless of her actions. This in a microcosm is what happens when resources are rendered without requiring anything in return.
Tuesday, June 07, 2005
Shaving and Shrugged
In celebration of the fact that the temperature will surpass 90 degrees today and that I managed not to carve up my legs in that time-honored feminine ritual of shaving, I go pantyhose-less today. Personally, I think hosiery gives a more professional look, but my office doesn’t really mind the other way.
I’m currently reading Atlas Shrugged, by Ayn Rand, for an essay contest. Those of you who have read or at least seen the tome will ask, “why?” Well, the top prize in this contest is $5,000, so I’m digging into the 1,100-page work. Actually, I’m enjoying it. I immediately felt sorry for the maligned and demonized industrialist, as well as sympathy for the de facto head of the Taggart Transcontinental, who has to constantly and carefully navigate the shark-ridden waters of ineptitude and cross-purpose machinations of others, including (especially) her own brother.
A theme running thru the book is the concurrent dependence on and contempt for those benefactors on the part of their “dependents.” Rand really describes well the toxic environment. These folks constantly bite the hand that feeds them, yet refuse to do anything for themselves and in the same breath, demand more “food.” Which leads me to another observation: the same applies to aspects of our own society. Some folks advocate for more and more public (read: government programs – new and expanded existing ones) support for those “poor” and “disadvantaged” in our country. More support would be fine if it was voluntary and private, but these folks want to impose (and have imposed) this on the taxpayers at large. I’m especially sensitive (read: chafing) to this as I consider my options for school and the accompanying financial burdens. If I get a second job now, I’ll be putting even more money into the public coffers. Is it worth the hassle and energy to earn a few more tidbits and see even more go into the grasping hand? It gives me pause.
In Atlas Shrugged, the unsympathetic (at least to me) characters go on and on about why others should get a “fair share” and it’s wrong for the successful to hoard their wealth and opportunities (even though they’ve worked and sacrificed for them). Gag-worthy, indeed. The sentiment sounds phony, just as the same socialist sentiments do in our society. Some people actually believe in (forced) redistribution of wealth as a higher good. Others, politicians in particular, use it as a way to keep the underclass at bay and to guarantee votes from the dependents of the system. The latter, while veiled in slogans, is at least practical, the former just perpetuates the status quo (offers recipients no impetus for self-sustenance) while punishing those who actually work. Yes – when you take away our money, it is punitive.
Anyway, sorry for the rambling post.
I’m currently reading Atlas Shrugged, by Ayn Rand, for an essay contest. Those of you who have read or at least seen the tome will ask, “why?” Well, the top prize in this contest is $5,000, so I’m digging into the 1,100-page work. Actually, I’m enjoying it. I immediately felt sorry for the maligned and demonized industrialist, as well as sympathy for the de facto head of the Taggart Transcontinental, who has to constantly and carefully navigate the shark-ridden waters of ineptitude and cross-purpose machinations of others, including (especially) her own brother.
A theme running thru the book is the concurrent dependence on and contempt for those benefactors on the part of their “dependents.” Rand really describes well the toxic environment. These folks constantly bite the hand that feeds them, yet refuse to do anything for themselves and in the same breath, demand more “food.” Which leads me to another observation: the same applies to aspects of our own society. Some folks advocate for more and more public (read: government programs – new and expanded existing ones) support for those “poor” and “disadvantaged” in our country. More support would be fine if it was voluntary and private, but these folks want to impose (and have imposed) this on the taxpayers at large. I’m especially sensitive (read: chafing) to this as I consider my options for school and the accompanying financial burdens. If I get a second job now, I’ll be putting even more money into the public coffers. Is it worth the hassle and energy to earn a few more tidbits and see even more go into the grasping hand? It gives me pause.
In Atlas Shrugged, the unsympathetic (at least to me) characters go on and on about why others should get a “fair share” and it’s wrong for the successful to hoard their wealth and opportunities (even though they’ve worked and sacrificed for them). Gag-worthy, indeed. The sentiment sounds phony, just as the same socialist sentiments do in our society. Some people actually believe in (forced) redistribution of wealth as a higher good. Others, politicians in particular, use it as a way to keep the underclass at bay and to guarantee votes from the dependents of the system. The latter, while veiled in slogans, is at least practical, the former just perpetuates the status quo (offers recipients no impetus for self-sustenance) while punishing those who actually work. Yes – when you take away our money, it is punitive.
Anyway, sorry for the rambling post.
Friday, June 03, 2005
Friday Morning Rain
Well, it is raining out and I'm ready for a nap.
Speaking of sleep, evidently I can ace tests in my sleep as well as pay bills! Who knew! Accounting exam turned out great. Makes the "consciousness" thing rather overrated, huh?
I had a surprising non-BDA experience last night on the Metro, coming home from class. A group of junior high school students and their chaperones got on the train. When their stop came around, one of the chaperones informed them of their imminent egress and said something like "be quick - don't hold up the line!" The amazing thing is, the whole group just scurried out the doors, fast as you please. Kudos to the chaperones for their alert and assertive shepherding and to the 'tweens for following suit!
More later...
Speaking of sleep, evidently I can ace tests in my sleep as well as pay bills! Who knew! Accounting exam turned out great. Makes the "consciousness" thing rather overrated, huh?
I had a surprising non-BDA experience last night on the Metro, coming home from class. A group of junior high school students and their chaperones got on the train. When their stop came around, one of the chaperones informed them of their imminent egress and said something like "be quick - don't hold up the line!" The amazing thing is, the whole group just scurried out the doors, fast as you please. Kudos to the chaperones for their alert and assertive shepherding and to the 'tweens for following suit!
More later...
Thursday, June 02, 2005
(Not So) Short Notes on a Thurs
This evening I will find out what I got on my last Accounting exam, which by the way I took in a sleep-deprived haze, so what I actually did on that thing is anyone's guess.
Evidently, in the same sleep-deprived muddle, I paid the gas bill. I have no recollection of doing so. Yet, I did, in fact, print out a confirmation of said e-payment. One must wonder what else I did and don't remember. I'm sure it was very responsible, though.
I'm giving up being responsible. A cost benefit analysis shows that no good ever comes of this - you just get to work more, get taxed more, worry more, and get to support all the dregs and their offspring. Depressed? You should be - you'll pay for your own anti-depressants AND theirs. Plus, if sex offenders can't get it up, you'll pay for their Viagra.
Speaking of prescription medications, I did, in fact get my $22 back from the pharmacy. Now, all I had to do was pick up the credit card receipt showing the credit to my account and be off. I had to explain to the clerk a bunch of times what I wanted. First, she went off to check the prescription bins. No, it's not a prescription, it's a credit slip. Then, when she found it, she mumbles an inarticulate question to another clerk who also doesn't really speak English. The other clerk shrugs. The first clerk hands me the slip. I finally gain posession of the slip and scurry off, before more inarticulate and confused mumbling occurs at my expense. It takes a few days until I see the credit on my account.
No, this isn't about managed care so much as it's about hiring the bottom of the barrel.
The techies at work decide yesterday to archive all my emails before 3/1/05 because I'm a persistent 500+ MB file offender. So now, I have to look in two completely different sets of email files to find what was easily and reasonably found in one. It's not that I use email often in my job - just 95% of the time. They just need to get more servers. In fact, I need my own server to accomodate my very necessary email.
Ok, gotta go do some work.
Evidently, in the same sleep-deprived muddle, I paid the gas bill. I have no recollection of doing so. Yet, I did, in fact, print out a confirmation of said e-payment. One must wonder what else I did and don't remember. I'm sure it was very responsible, though.
I'm giving up being responsible. A cost benefit analysis shows that no good ever comes of this - you just get to work more, get taxed more, worry more, and get to support all the dregs and their offspring. Depressed? You should be - you'll pay for your own anti-depressants AND theirs. Plus, if sex offenders can't get it up, you'll pay for their Viagra.
Speaking of prescription medications, I did, in fact get my $22 back from the pharmacy. Now, all I had to do was pick up the credit card receipt showing the credit to my account and be off. I had to explain to the clerk a bunch of times what I wanted. First, she went off to check the prescription bins. No, it's not a prescription, it's a credit slip. Then, when she found it, she mumbles an inarticulate question to another clerk who also doesn't really speak English. The other clerk shrugs. The first clerk hands me the slip. I finally gain posession of the slip and scurry off, before more inarticulate and confused mumbling occurs at my expense. It takes a few days until I see the credit on my account.
No, this isn't about managed care so much as it's about hiring the bottom of the barrel.
The techies at work decide yesterday to archive all my emails before 3/1/05 because I'm a persistent 500+ MB file offender. So now, I have to look in two completely different sets of email files to find what was easily and reasonably found in one. It's not that I use email often in my job - just 95% of the time. They just need to get more servers. In fact, I need my own server to accomodate my very necessary email.
Ok, gotta go do some work.
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