The week in Hell (OK, the three days, really) is over. I guess it wasn't that bad. Or at least I keep telling myself that.
This was the week where we switched to a new computer system in the newsroom. New hardware, new software, same old people. Yikes. We trained about an hour a day for about five days, after we went to press. That part went well. Then Wednesday, we went "live" with the new system for that day's paper. We were an hour and a half late going to press, which the software company's IT guys said was actually pretty good. Most papers are two or three hours late. And they were happy because we're an afternoon paper, so they didn't have to stay up until 3 a.m. for us.
There were other problems. Somehow one of the front-page stories lost its first half, so we had to reprint it the next day, and it took awhile to figure out how to recover the original story. Our managing editor, who set up the few templates and libraries we have to work with, forgot about setting them up for the stocks page, which is also the page for our obits and jumps from page 1. So we had to part of the page on InDesign, and part of it on Quark, and pre-press double-burned the plate. That's what we're still doing. The sports guys had a lot of trouble with their scoreboard page, too, with all the agate type.
Add to that the fact the reporters are dealing with training and new software, too, so our local story count is down, and just filling the paper has been a challenge. I think we're awful lucky nothing big has happened locally.
I had to go in today and do the Sunday lifestyle pages that I normally get done on Friday afternoon. What would normally take me a couple hourse took five!
Really, though, it does seem like we're doing well. Our sister papers in the company are also switching systems. We've heard that one of them -- sort of our rival, since we cover similar territory in circulation and news -- is having to take it much slower than we have. They have five people on the news copy desk and got five weeks worth of training. They are doing only one of two pages a day on the new system. Compare that to our paper, where, we have three people on the news desk putting out about 10 pages a day, and I think we're kicking some ass!
Next week, the other paginator will be back after taking a couple weeks when his wife had a baby, but he hasn't had any training on the new system. So it will still be rough for awhile. I've put in about 18 hours overtime this week. I'm going to need a break soon.
Saturday, January 20, 2007
Saturday, January 13, 2007
Goodbye, Vera
Word came by e-mail this morning that one of the members of my breast cancer support group died last night. She had suffered a stroke just before Christmas, which they initially thought had been brought on by all the chemo she was going through. But later, they found the cancer was in her brain. She had been under Hospice care this week, surrounded by her family.
She retired from an area school just this spring, where she had worked in the lunch room for many years. I remember her saying early last year they had told her that she would be on chemo the rest of her life. I think that was a big part of why she retired when she did. I sat at the same table with her at several of our meeting and got to know her a bit better than some of the others. She was a nice lady, and loved having her grandkids around (I think there was a first great-grandchild in there, too). She will be missed.
Otherwise today, it is snowy, but it's just a light snow for us. A bit of ice beforehand, but nothing big like the last one, at least not here. It sounds like southeastern Kansas and Oklahoma is getting it this time around. Keep warm if that's where you're at!
I'll be at work today, but hopefully will be home a bit early. We're going to try to get done an hour early tonight so the drivers have more time on the roads overnight.
This next week at work will be very interesting. We got some training on InCopy last week and started on InDesign yesterday and will finish that up on Monday. Then probably Tuesday afternoon, after that day's paper has gone to press, we'll switch out the computers and be up and running on new hardware and software for Wednesday's paper.
This all probably wouldn't be that big a deal to me, but our lead page designer and his wife had thier baby early last week, so he is actually gone for all this. That puts me in the lead seat! Usuallly, that makes me pretty nervous, because I just don't do that job often enough to be real confident in it. But where he's gone for so long, it's given me time to be more comfortable in doing page 1 and essentially being in charge. Our managing editor has been busy all week building our page templates from scratch on the new system, so he's pretty much been out of it as far as the daily work goes. It also helps he's not a jerk in how he treats people and knows something about computers, too!
She retired from an area school just this spring, where she had worked in the lunch room for many years. I remember her saying early last year they had told her that she would be on chemo the rest of her life. I think that was a big part of why she retired when she did. I sat at the same table with her at several of our meeting and got to know her a bit better than some of the others. She was a nice lady, and loved having her grandkids around (I think there was a first great-grandchild in there, too). She will be missed.
Otherwise today, it is snowy, but it's just a light snow for us. A bit of ice beforehand, but nothing big like the last one, at least not here. It sounds like southeastern Kansas and Oklahoma is getting it this time around. Keep warm if that's where you're at!
I'll be at work today, but hopefully will be home a bit early. We're going to try to get done an hour early tonight so the drivers have more time on the roads overnight.
This next week at work will be very interesting. We got some training on InCopy last week and started on InDesign yesterday and will finish that up on Monday. Then probably Tuesday afternoon, after that day's paper has gone to press, we'll switch out the computers and be up and running on new hardware and software for Wednesday's paper.
This all probably wouldn't be that big a deal to me, but our lead page designer and his wife had thier baby early last week, so he is actually gone for all this. That puts me in the lead seat! Usuallly, that makes me pretty nervous, because I just don't do that job often enough to be real confident in it. But where he's gone for so long, it's given me time to be more comfortable in doing page 1 and essentially being in charge. Our managing editor has been busy all week building our page templates from scratch on the new system, so he's pretty much been out of it as far as the daily work goes. It also helps he's not a jerk in how he treats people and knows something about computers, too!
Sunday, January 07, 2007
Game hangover
I woke up Saturday morning regretting how late I'd been up and what I'd been doing. I had a headache, had no energy and didn't want to get near what had caused it all. No, I hadn't been out drinking. I was just up real late playing Diner Dash. I got if for Christmas from my brother. I'd been playing the online version for awhile, but there's only so far you can get in the career mode, and it doesn't have all the stuff you can get in the endless shift mode. But it's easy to get carried away sometimes. I won't say how late I was up last Friday playing, but it was much later than I should have been up.
Not much else is going on. I'm trying to get back into a workout mode. I haven't really gained any weight, but I haven't lost any either. I've been doing well on taking lunches to work, but could probably cut down on the snacks. Cookies and hot chocolate every night probably don't help.
No more problems here with the weather and power outages, but there's still a lot of people across the region doing without. We got lucky here, I think. We might not next time.
Took my car in for an oil change, and found out I need new tires. Three of them, one of them badly. It's always something, ain't it?
That's all for now.
Not much else is going on. I'm trying to get back into a workout mode. I haven't really gained any weight, but I haven't lost any either. I've been doing well on taking lunches to work, but could probably cut down on the snacks. Cookies and hot chocolate every night probably don't help.
No more problems here with the weather and power outages, but there's still a lot of people across the region doing without. We got lucky here, I think. We might not next time.
Took my car in for an oil change, and found out I need new tires. Three of them, one of them badly. It's always something, ain't it?
That's all for now.
Monday, January 01, 2007
Livin like a refugee
I never thought I'd be a refugee. It's always other people in those situations, right? People who live where there's been a hurricane or earthquake or something. Well, yesterday, I was one of those people.
The massive snowstorm in the Plains missed us, but we got plenty of ice instead. It knocked out the power for a few hours Saturday, and then went off again at about 2 a.m. Sunday. I had hoped it would be back on by daylight or shortly after, but no such luck. I had to work at the paper yesterday, to get our New Year's Day edition out, and I felt glad to be where there was heat and light, but guilty about being there while Mom and Dad were stuck back here with no power.
I tried to keep Mom updated on what was going on whenever we heard something at work about when the power might be back, the shelter in town, etc., and each time I talked to her she sounded more and more tired. When we talked around 6 p.m., the power company spokesman was pretty confident the power would be on within a few hours in our town. But when I talked to Mom after the press was running at 7 p.m., she just sounded like she couldn't take much more. I asked if she and Dad would just like to come in to town anyway, and that what we did. I know when I was driving to work, just having the heater in the car was such a relief both physically and mentally. And I hadn't put up with the cold all day.
They got into town shortly after 8 p.m., and we went and got some hot food at Sonic, the first either of them had had in more than 24 hours, then headed to the shelter at the university. They had it set up in a few of the gyms and racquetball courts where the coliseum and health-type classes and recreational activities are. They even allowed pets! The local humane society loaned them some pet carriers, and they had us set up in a racquetball court near an exit, where we could easily take him out when needed. We were the only ones in that room, but there were a few other people from our town as well as a few travelers at the shelter. A unit of the National Guard stopped in sometime during the night as well. They've been out delivering fuel to areas without power so people can run their generators.
Oddly enough,I think I met more people from this town at the shelter than I have living here for four years (guess that says a lot about me, huh?). The county emergency services coordinator lives here, as does the president of the local Red Cross chapter, and an assistant to our congressman who works in his office out here, plus one of the campus policemen. And then there were the three older ladies the emergency services coordinator had convinced to come in out of the cold. All were pretty nice folks. And they all liked Nipper, too. He snuck out of the court a few times and had to go see everyone.
The cots weren't too bad, and I'm surprised how well I slept, once Nipper settled down. Since there weren't any other animals in there with us, we left him out of the carrier, and he wandered around a bit, not quite sure in that strange place how to tell us he needed to go out or that he was thirsty. But once we got all that figured out, he settled down on a blanket next to my cot, and we all fell asleep pretty fast. I was surprised when I woke up to use the bathroom and found it was almost 6 a.m.
We all started waking up about then, and Mom and Dad got some coffee at the main camp-out room, where they heard the power had come on at home around 10 p.m. and did stay on all night. That was the main concern, that it wouldn't stay on because of all the ice on the lines and the wind blowing them around. But when we got home, it was warm and everything was OK. We had lost a big branch off the old cottonwood Saturday, and one of the willow trees by the creek is down, but that seems to be the only damage here. Lots of other branches down around town, too.
I was still tired after we got home, despite sleeping pretty good, so I crawled into bed for a nap, and Mom stayed up to watch the Tournament of Roses parade, her tradition. Nipper is pretty bushed, too, and slept quite a bit.
The tree are still covered with ice, and just awhile ago, the sun came out and it was quite pretty. I took some pictures -- with film, so you'll have to wait to see them. I'm not really sure a picture can capture what we saw with the eye, however. Amazing how nature can be so brutal one day, and the next so beautiful.
Hopefully, that will be the big event of 2007. I'm off now for a piece of my birthday cake.
The massive snowstorm in the Plains missed us, but we got plenty of ice instead. It knocked out the power for a few hours Saturday, and then went off again at about 2 a.m. Sunday. I had hoped it would be back on by daylight or shortly after, but no such luck. I had to work at the paper yesterday, to get our New Year's Day edition out, and I felt glad to be where there was heat and light, but guilty about being there while Mom and Dad were stuck back here with no power.
I tried to keep Mom updated on what was going on whenever we heard something at work about when the power might be back, the shelter in town, etc., and each time I talked to her she sounded more and more tired. When we talked around 6 p.m., the power company spokesman was pretty confident the power would be on within a few hours in our town. But when I talked to Mom after the press was running at 7 p.m., she just sounded like she couldn't take much more. I asked if she and Dad would just like to come in to town anyway, and that what we did. I know when I was driving to work, just having the heater in the car was such a relief both physically and mentally. And I hadn't put up with the cold all day.
They got into town shortly after 8 p.m., and we went and got some hot food at Sonic, the first either of them had had in more than 24 hours, then headed to the shelter at the university. They had it set up in a few of the gyms and racquetball courts where the coliseum and health-type classes and recreational activities are. They even allowed pets! The local humane society loaned them some pet carriers, and they had us set up in a racquetball court near an exit, where we could easily take him out when needed. We were the only ones in that room, but there were a few other people from our town as well as a few travelers at the shelter. A unit of the National Guard stopped in sometime during the night as well. They've been out delivering fuel to areas without power so people can run their generators.
Oddly enough,I think I met more people from this town at the shelter than I have living here for four years (guess that says a lot about me, huh?). The county emergency services coordinator lives here, as does the president of the local Red Cross chapter, and an assistant to our congressman who works in his office out here, plus one of the campus policemen. And then there were the three older ladies the emergency services coordinator had convinced to come in out of the cold. All were pretty nice folks. And they all liked Nipper, too. He snuck out of the court a few times and had to go see everyone.
The cots weren't too bad, and I'm surprised how well I slept, once Nipper settled down. Since there weren't any other animals in there with us, we left him out of the carrier, and he wandered around a bit, not quite sure in that strange place how to tell us he needed to go out or that he was thirsty. But once we got all that figured out, he settled down on a blanket next to my cot, and we all fell asleep pretty fast. I was surprised when I woke up to use the bathroom and found it was almost 6 a.m.
We all started waking up about then, and Mom and Dad got some coffee at the main camp-out room, where they heard the power had come on at home around 10 p.m. and did stay on all night. That was the main concern, that it wouldn't stay on because of all the ice on the lines and the wind blowing them around. But when we got home, it was warm and everything was OK. We had lost a big branch off the old cottonwood Saturday, and one of the willow trees by the creek is down, but that seems to be the only damage here. Lots of other branches down around town, too.
I was still tired after we got home, despite sleeping pretty good, so I crawled into bed for a nap, and Mom stayed up to watch the Tournament of Roses parade, her tradition. Nipper is pretty bushed, too, and slept quite a bit.
The tree are still covered with ice, and just awhile ago, the sun came out and it was quite pretty. I took some pictures -- with film, so you'll have to wait to see them. I'm not really sure a picture can capture what we saw with the eye, however. Amazing how nature can be so brutal one day, and the next so beautiful.
Hopefully, that will be the big event of 2007. I'm off now for a piece of my birthday cake.
Sunday, December 31, 2006
Not what anyone had planned ...
I'm at work right now, preparing our New Year's
Day edition, and feeling both good and guilty
about it. We lost power at home again around 2
a.m. this morning, and except for a few brief
moments this afternoon, it's still off. Here at
work, though, we have power (for now) and I'm warm
while Mom, Dad and Nipper are bearing the cold. If
things don't improve, they may well have to come
into town in the shelter that's been set up.
More than 4,000 people are without power in our
area, and temperatures are going to get darn cold
tonight. If the ice can melt off the power lines
before it gets below freezing again today, maybe
there's a chance the power can be restored, and
stay on. But they're not giving a lot of hope for
that.
**Update since I attempted to post this earlier
tonight. It looks like we're heading for the
emergency shelter for at least the night.**
Happy new year.
Saturday, December 30, 2006
Well, that sucked
Not long after I posted earlier today, the power went out, and just came back on about 10 minutes ago.
At least we know the lanterns Mom got for Christmas work.
At least we know the lanterns Mom got for Christmas work.
Happy birthday
Yeah, it's my birthday. Don't make a big deal of it.
It's icy and gray out today, so there's not much going on. Here's a couple pix I took using Mom's digital (since she got me a memory card I can use for Christmas). They're not great, but it gives you an idea what it's like. These are both of my back yard.
Dad's here now, and we're going to have some dinner and open gifts. About all I've done today is lay on the couch watching TV and playing Diner Dash (which I got for Christmas from my brother). Tomorrow I have to work, putting out our New Year's Day edition, but we should be done by 7 p.m. Hopefully there won't be much additional ice or snow, but it hasn't really let up all day. So it should be fun getting there and back.
Happy new year, if I don't post before then.
It's icy and gray out today, so there's not much going on. Here's a couple pix I took using Mom's digital (since she got me a memory card I can use for Christmas). They're not great, but it gives you an idea what it's like. These are both of my back yard.
Dad's here now, and we're going to have some dinner and open gifts. About all I've done today is lay on the couch watching TV and playing Diner Dash (which I got for Christmas from my brother). Tomorrow I have to work, putting out our New Year's Day edition, but we should be done by 7 p.m. Hopefully there won't be much additional ice or snow, but it hasn't really let up all day. So it should be fun getting there and back.
Happy new year, if I don't post before then.
Sunday, December 24, 2006
Merry Christmas, happy holiday ...
Whatever it is you celebrate this time of year, I hope it's a good one for everyone.
It's been quiet around here today. I woke up with a headache around 5 o'clock this morning and it's taken me most of the day to get rid of it. So I've just been laying around, dozing and watching the movie marathon on Sci-Fi Channel. No walk for Nipper today, poor dog, but he stayed with me in bed most of the day. "Dr. Nipper," we call him. He always seems to know when you don't feel well and need a warm puppy next to you.
Tomorrow will probably be quiet as well. Just Mom, Dad and me at my house to open presents and have dinner. Although I'll probably be doing laundry, since that's what I'd planned on doing today. Got all my presents in but one, the one I ordered for Mom. Who knows where it is, since all the tracking info tells me is "carrier has been notified to pick up package." Thanks, Amazon.
Watching "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" right now. It still holds up, no matter how many times I've seen it.
It's been quiet around here today. I woke up with a headache around 5 o'clock this morning and it's taken me most of the day to get rid of it. So I've just been laying around, dozing and watching the movie marathon on Sci-Fi Channel. No walk for Nipper today, poor dog, but he stayed with me in bed most of the day. "Dr. Nipper," we call him. He always seems to know when you don't feel well and need a warm puppy next to you.
Tomorrow will probably be quiet as well. Just Mom, Dad and me at my house to open presents and have dinner. Although I'll probably be doing laundry, since that's what I'd planned on doing today. Got all my presents in but one, the one I ordered for Mom. Who knows where it is, since all the tracking info tells me is "carrier has been notified to pick up package." Thanks, Amazon.
Watching "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" right now. It still holds up, no matter how many times I've seen it.
Thursday, December 21, 2006
Mission: Organization
So, thanks to Mom rearranging her bedroom and a night of TV reruns, I got into a bit of a cleaning fit in my bedroom tonight.
Well, I all I did was clean out a storage tower I have in my bedroom, which I hadn't really touched for about two years, judging from some of the stuff I found. I started by getting caught up on filing some photos in my photo storage boxes. Then I started on the tower, where I'd had the photo storage boxes, as well as my camera bag and equipment. And then I just started working my way down. I took out a bag of trash from it, and I got most of that stuff organized.
A week or so ago, I cleaned off the top of my desk (which I do about three or four times a year -- I'm not a neat freak by any means), and still had the trash from that, which I also took out tonight. I don't have to worry about cleaning OUT my desk, since the drawers fell apart years ago. It's really time to get rid of the old desk -- it was a Christmas or birthday present when I was 13 or 14 -- since it's really not that functional. I had some idea a few years ago of trying to do something with it -- make the space for drawers into storage shelves, but that was one of those things I've never gotten around to. I really don't need a desk, since I've got the laptop, and I really don't want one in my bedroom anymore anyway. But if I get rid of it now, I'll just end up throwing my stuff on the floor and probably never pick it up.
Maybe with some cold nights and more reruns, I'll get more organized and cleaned up. But tonight's a start, I guess.
Well, I all I did was clean out a storage tower I have in my bedroom, which I hadn't really touched for about two years, judging from some of the stuff I found. I started by getting caught up on filing some photos in my photo storage boxes. Then I started on the tower, where I'd had the photo storage boxes, as well as my camera bag and equipment. And then I just started working my way down. I took out a bag of trash from it, and I got most of that stuff organized.
A week or so ago, I cleaned off the top of my desk (which I do about three or four times a year -- I'm not a neat freak by any means), and still had the trash from that, which I also took out tonight. I don't have to worry about cleaning OUT my desk, since the drawers fell apart years ago. It's really time to get rid of the old desk -- it was a Christmas or birthday present when I was 13 or 14 -- since it's really not that functional. I had some idea a few years ago of trying to do something with it -- make the space for drawers into storage shelves, but that was one of those things I've never gotten around to. I really don't need a desk, since I've got the laptop, and I really don't want one in my bedroom anymore anyway. But if I get rid of it now, I'll just end up throwing my stuff on the floor and probably never pick it up.
Maybe with some cold nights and more reruns, I'll get more organized and cleaned up. But tonight's a start, I guess.
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Yay!
My surgeon's office called me at work this morning ... the bone scan looked fine. And I won't need an MRI followup!
But then when I got home there was a note reminding me that my one-year checkup on my kidney stone with the urologist is coming up in February.
Getting older sucks.
But then when I got home there was a note reminding me that my one-year checkup on my kidney stone with the urologist is coming up in February.
Getting older sucks.
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Tests done ... for now
Had the bone scan today, and that seemed to go well. Should be a day or two before I hear anything on it. My surgeon said to expect they'll recommend an MRI as followup, so I probably have one more round at the hospital coming.
You can tell you've been to the hospital a lot when the staff feels comfortable enough keep up their joking and teasing of one another even with you around, I guess. The guys in radiology here are kinda fun. It was Bryan's birthday, so there was some joking about that, and Jerry's kind of a cut up. He's from Texas and has that drawl and calls me things like "hon." But not in a bad way or anything. He's got a house on the creek on the other side of town, so we always compare how much water is at each other's place.
From my doctor's visit Tuesday, the X-ray turned out fine, except they did see a bit of arthritis showing up. I'm guessing it's in my upper back, because I do feel some pain there once in awhile around the shoulder blades, and when the weather turns cold real fast, it feels like it's seeped into my bones there.
All my blood work looked OK, too, although the doc noted one slight abnormality that she said probably indicates my bone marrow is still recovering somewhat from the hit it took during chemo. Amazing, since it's been over a year since my last one that made my white blood cell counts plummet!
You can tell you've been to the hospital a lot when the staff feels comfortable enough keep up their joking and teasing of one another even with you around, I guess. The guys in radiology here are kinda fun. It was Bryan's birthday, so there was some joking about that, and Jerry's kind of a cut up. He's from Texas and has that drawl and calls me things like "hon." But not in a bad way or anything. He's got a house on the creek on the other side of town, so we always compare how much water is at each other's place.
From my doctor's visit Tuesday, the X-ray turned out fine, except they did see a bit of arthritis showing up. I'm guessing it's in my upper back, because I do feel some pain there once in awhile around the shoulder blades, and when the weather turns cold real fast, it feels like it's seeped into my bones there.
All my blood work looked OK, too, although the doc noted one slight abnormality that she said probably indicates my bone marrow is still recovering somewhat from the hit it took during chemo. Amazing, since it's been over a year since my last one that made my white blood cell counts plummet!
Sunday, December 10, 2006
Same old story
Overworked and overtired. That's how I feel after a week of being even more shorthanded at work than we normally are. My co-worker's wife is doing OK now though, thankfully (no baby yet, though), and he should be back to the office tomorrow. Since I worked for him Saturday, I should be able to take Monday off. And hopefully get this Saturday off, which I was supposed to work.
I don't necessarily think things will get better once we get through this month, though. Next month, we have a major system upgrade coming. We'll be getting a bunch of new hardware (not page desigers, though; we do get a big memory upgrade), moving up to OSX, InDesign/InCopy, Illustrator, etc. (We're moving up from OS 9 and Quark 3.2, by the way). The bosses are talking like this will be the solution to all our problems. But I see a bunch of headaches while we learn the software, deal with software conflicts, bugs, etc. All while already being shorthanded.
Anyway, on to other things. My back is feeling much, much better. There's still just a slight twinge if I move wrong, but that's about it. It's probably time I get back into some exercise. Walking the dog seems to be OK. We went for long walks Saturday and today, since it was so nice and I'm doing OK. Nipper is too, although I noticed yesterday as we got home he seemed to be limping just a bit.
Mom got a digital camera, and she's been playing with it a bit. Maybe she'll let me have a pic or two to post here. She got a couple nice ones of the Christmas lights on the house the other day.
I haven't even started my Christmas shopping, but I have some good ideas. And for the first time in the four years I've been in this house, we went with an artificial (one Mom's had for awhile) instead of a real tree. I would love to have a real one again this year, but the budget's just a bit tight this year.
Haven't started my Christmas cards, yet, either. Maybe that's a simple task for tonight.
That's about it for now.
I don't necessarily think things will get better once we get through this month, though. Next month, we have a major system upgrade coming. We'll be getting a bunch of new hardware (not page desigers, though; we do get a big memory upgrade), moving up to OSX, InDesign/InCopy, Illustrator, etc. (We're moving up from OS 9 and Quark 3.2, by the way). The bosses are talking like this will be the solution to all our problems. But I see a bunch of headaches while we learn the software, deal with software conflicts, bugs, etc. All while already being shorthanded.
Anyway, on to other things. My back is feeling much, much better. There's still just a slight twinge if I move wrong, but that's about it. It's probably time I get back into some exercise. Walking the dog seems to be OK. We went for long walks Saturday and today, since it was so nice and I'm doing OK. Nipper is too, although I noticed yesterday as we got home he seemed to be limping just a bit.
Mom got a digital camera, and she's been playing with it a bit. Maybe she'll let me have a pic or two to post here. She got a couple nice ones of the Christmas lights on the house the other day.
I haven't even started my Christmas shopping, but I have some good ideas. And for the first time in the four years I've been in this house, we went with an artificial (one Mom's had for awhile) instead of a real tree. I would love to have a real one again this year, but the budget's just a bit tight this year.
Haven't started my Christmas cards, yet, either. Maybe that's a simple task for tonight.
That's about it for now.
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
More poking and pictures
Well, it's another round of doctor's appointments for me. Yesterday, I saw my surgeon for a regular checkup, and she ordered a bone scan because of the back pain I've been having. Sunday, it was really bad. It was pretty stiff when I got up, so I tried some stretching and a bit of exercise, since movement seems to help it, but I guess I overdid it or something because I spent the rest of the day in bed or on the couch with the heating pad. It got better through the day Monday, and feels pretty good now, but I'm going to take it easy a couple more days at least so I don't reinjure it.
Then today I had my port flushed and a chest x-ray, both routine since I have a followup visit with my oncologist next Tuesday. My bone scan was scheduled for Thursday, so she would have seen the results by then, but I had to reschedule it today because my co-worker's wife started having contractions late this morning, and she's not due until next month. So we're not sure whether he'll be able to come in the rest of the week, and our new managing editor is going back to Iowa on Thursday to bring back a bunch of stuff, I guess so when his wife and kid (+1 on the way) move here there won't be so much stuff. That would have left just one person to put together the paper until awful close to deadline. So I got the scan rescheduled for next Wednesday. We'll still be short handed next week because my co-worker was scheduled to take the week off anyway, but it won't leave just one person on the desk.
It's time like these that prove we really need another copy editor/paginator (full time) on the desk. We've been told since May that the paper was going to hire someone, and it was offered to an intern we had this summer, but since then, about every time I've asked or been told something about that position, the story has changed. A couple months ago, we suddenly couldn't afford the position unless we got money from the parent company for the "youth publication" we have planned. Well, we got the money, but then it was about a month before anything new came about on the copy editor position. And now they're looking for someone who can do copy editing "a couple days a week" and report the rest of the time. Not sure I'm too happy with that arrangement.
And it's going to be hectic the rest of the year, probably, what with everyone who works (or can work) the desk on vacation one week or another -- except for me. I still have a couple days vacation left, but I'll probably just end up losing them. That usually happens every year, although much less so this year. I've never used all my time because I just never could afford to go anywhere or do anything, and just hanging around the house didn't sound like much of a vacation.
Anyway, enough griping. Things are much better this year than last, so I should be thankful. I mean, just for starters, my head stays a lot warmer with a full head of hair!
Then today I had my port flushed and a chest x-ray, both routine since I have a followup visit with my oncologist next Tuesday. My bone scan was scheduled for Thursday, so she would have seen the results by then, but I had to reschedule it today because my co-worker's wife started having contractions late this morning, and she's not due until next month. So we're not sure whether he'll be able to come in the rest of the week, and our new managing editor is going back to Iowa on Thursday to bring back a bunch of stuff, I guess so when his wife and kid (+1 on the way) move here there won't be so much stuff. That would have left just one person to put together the paper until awful close to deadline. So I got the scan rescheduled for next Wednesday. We'll still be short handed next week because my co-worker was scheduled to take the week off anyway, but it won't leave just one person on the desk.
It's time like these that prove we really need another copy editor/paginator (full time) on the desk. We've been told since May that the paper was going to hire someone, and it was offered to an intern we had this summer, but since then, about every time I've asked or been told something about that position, the story has changed. A couple months ago, we suddenly couldn't afford the position unless we got money from the parent company for the "youth publication" we have planned. Well, we got the money, but then it was about a month before anything new came about on the copy editor position. And now they're looking for someone who can do copy editing "a couple days a week" and report the rest of the time. Not sure I'm too happy with that arrangement.
And it's going to be hectic the rest of the year, probably, what with everyone who works (or can work) the desk on vacation one week or another -- except for me. I still have a couple days vacation left, but I'll probably just end up losing them. That usually happens every year, although much less so this year. I've never used all my time because I just never could afford to go anywhere or do anything, and just hanging around the house didn't sound like much of a vacation.
Anyway, enough griping. Things are much better this year than last, so I should be thankful. I mean, just for starters, my head stays a lot warmer with a full head of hair!
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Quiet week (or so)
Not much has been going on lately. I guess that's a good thing overall.
I've decided I want to try and lose some weight, about 20 pounds. I was never one to gain a lot of weight when I was younger -- in fact, when I was a kid I was downright skinny -- but ever since I hit my mid-20s, it's been the norm to put on a few pounds every year. It didn't bother me at first, but now I'm getting a bit tired of just putting on weight and being OK with that. So I joined a group of online friends in trying to get fit, and have a page set up at Traineo to help track my progress. Getting in exercise is the hardest for me, but I've been doing pretty good at getting up early enough in the morning to get some kind of strength training in. Cardio is another problem, since I don't really have a place for that, other than the exercise bike in the garage, and it seems like it's either too hot or too cold for me to really want to get out and do that.
Plus, I've been dealing with back pain. I don't know how I did it, but a few weeks ago I screwed up my back and have had some pain ever since. It even got to the point where after I'd been sitting at my computer at work for awhile, I could barely get up out of my chair and it took me a bit of walking to move halfway normal. It's a lot better now, though. There's still a little stiffness, but at least I don't fee like I'm 90-something. It sucks how it can take just one little thing -- a twist the wrong way, a wrong step -- to screw up your body, and days or weeks for it to get back to normal. Guess I'm just getting old.
It's turning cold and blustery, and there's a chance for snow over the next couple days. No accumulations being predicted yet, but that doesn't mean it won't be nasty weather. Nipper is dong well, but I worry a bit about taking him for walks when it starts getting cold. He's got arthritis, and for the last few years, he has some problems getting around in the winter. It mostly affects his back or his hips when it gets cold, and there's been times we've been out walking, and we're several blocks from home when he just can't go very far without resting for a while. It hasn't hit him yet this year, but I'll be watching a bit more closely and maybe get him some medicine from the vet before it gets too bad.
Next Tuesday, I have an X-ray scheduled, and the week after that, I meet with my oncologist. At times, I'm confident it'll all be good, and other times I worry. It'll probably be that way for awhile whenever I get close to a checkup. It's never really far from my mind that the cancer could come back, especially when I see people in my support group who are dealing with it again. But we're all survivors, and that's the thing I try to focus on.
Later,
JunO
I've decided I want to try and lose some weight, about 20 pounds. I was never one to gain a lot of weight when I was younger -- in fact, when I was a kid I was downright skinny -- but ever since I hit my mid-20s, it's been the norm to put on a few pounds every year. It didn't bother me at first, but now I'm getting a bit tired of just putting on weight and being OK with that. So I joined a group of online friends in trying to get fit, and have a page set up at Traineo to help track my progress. Getting in exercise is the hardest for me, but I've been doing pretty good at getting up early enough in the morning to get some kind of strength training in. Cardio is another problem, since I don't really have a place for that, other than the exercise bike in the garage, and it seems like it's either too hot or too cold for me to really want to get out and do that.
Plus, I've been dealing with back pain. I don't know how I did it, but a few weeks ago I screwed up my back and have had some pain ever since. It even got to the point where after I'd been sitting at my computer at work for awhile, I could barely get up out of my chair and it took me a bit of walking to move halfway normal. It's a lot better now, though. There's still a little stiffness, but at least I don't fee like I'm 90-something. It sucks how it can take just one little thing -- a twist the wrong way, a wrong step -- to screw up your body, and days or weeks for it to get back to normal. Guess I'm just getting old.
It's turning cold and blustery, and there's a chance for snow over the next couple days. No accumulations being predicted yet, but that doesn't mean it won't be nasty weather. Nipper is dong well, but I worry a bit about taking him for walks when it starts getting cold. He's got arthritis, and for the last few years, he has some problems getting around in the winter. It mostly affects his back or his hips when it gets cold, and there's been times we've been out walking, and we're several blocks from home when he just can't go very far without resting for a while. It hasn't hit him yet this year, but I'll be watching a bit more closely and maybe get him some medicine from the vet before it gets too bad.
Next Tuesday, I have an X-ray scheduled, and the week after that, I meet with my oncologist. At times, I'm confident it'll all be good, and other times I worry. It'll probably be that way for awhile whenever I get close to a checkup. It's never really far from my mind that the cancer could come back, especially when I see people in my support group who are dealing with it again. But we're all survivors, and that's the thing I try to focus on.
Later,
JunO
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Hello again
Wow, I didn't realize how long it had been since I last posted. Not much has really been going on.
My brother got here last night to stay most of the week with us for Thanksgiving. It's good to have him around. Mom and Dad enjoy having him around, too. Especially Mom, since it gives her someone new to cook for (admit it, Mom, you love it). And come Thursday, I'll just stay out of her way in the kitchen.
At least the weather will be better. Last year, we had a big blizzard after Thanksgiving and were without power for most of that night. This year, it's supposed to be about 70 degrees Thursday and in the 50s after. Good day to walk off the turkey meal.
A friend and former co-worker who now lives in Indiana stopped by the office yesterday (she's in town to visit her family), so it was good to see her. We might try to get together later in the week for lunch of something.
That's about it. Hope everyone has a happy and safe Thanksgiving (or just have a nice and safe day if you're not in the U.S.).
My brother got here last night to stay most of the week with us for Thanksgiving. It's good to have him around. Mom and Dad enjoy having him around, too. Especially Mom, since it gives her someone new to cook for (admit it, Mom, you love it). And come Thursday, I'll just stay out of her way in the kitchen.
At least the weather will be better. Last year, we had a big blizzard after Thanksgiving and were without power for most of that night. This year, it's supposed to be about 70 degrees Thursday and in the 50s after. Good day to walk off the turkey meal.
A friend and former co-worker who now lives in Indiana stopped by the office yesterday (she's in town to visit her family), so it was good to see her. We might try to get together later in the week for lunch of something.
That's about it. Hope everyone has a happy and safe Thanksgiving (or just have a nice and safe day if you're not in the U.S.).
Monday, November 06, 2006
One little, two little, three little ...
There were 10, count them 10, squirrels in my backyard just awhile ago. That's not a record, but I haven't been putting seed out for very long, so it's the most I've seen at once in quite awhile.
There were two on the utility pole at the southeast corner and one on the fence next to the pole; one in the tray feeder, three on the ground around it and one on the wood pile nearby; and four in the small tree just on the other side of the fence. Oops, wait, that's 11 total. They were all being fairly peaceful about eating when one of the ones on the utility pole started chattering, and suddenly ZOOM! There were nine squirrels heading for higher ground! Must have been one of the feral cats wandering into the area.
They still haven't quite made it back to the food yet, and it's been probably 20 minutes since they stopped chattering at the intruder. Funny how they can be so cautious about some things, yet this morning when I went to fill up the tray feeder, the little guy who was there didn't run away until I lifted the scoop full of seed up to the feeder! For a second, I thought I might be able to get him to eat a few seeds right from the scoop.
That's probably my excitement for the day. I'm off since I worked Saturday, and I'm doing laundry and other such exciting things. It's nice out, so a walk with Nipper is on the agenda, too. I'm sure you all wish you had my life.
There were two on the utility pole at the southeast corner and one on the fence next to the pole; one in the tray feeder, three on the ground around it and one on the wood pile nearby; and four in the small tree just on the other side of the fence. Oops, wait, that's 11 total. They were all being fairly peaceful about eating when one of the ones on the utility pole started chattering, and suddenly ZOOM! There were nine squirrels heading for higher ground! Must have been one of the feral cats wandering into the area.
They still haven't quite made it back to the food yet, and it's been probably 20 minutes since they stopped chattering at the intruder. Funny how they can be so cautious about some things, yet this morning when I went to fill up the tray feeder, the little guy who was there didn't run away until I lifted the scoop full of seed up to the feeder! For a second, I thought I might be able to get him to eat a few seeds right from the scoop.
That's probably my excitement for the day. I'm off since I worked Saturday, and I'm doing laundry and other such exciting things. It's nice out, so a walk with Nipper is on the agenda, too. I'm sure you all wish you had my life.
Friday, October 20, 2006
Hot water again
Well, that was fast. When Dad's hot water heater went kaput, it took a few days to get a new one in. The plumbers came out today and had it in by this afternoon. Maybe it's just a matter of what they had in inventory. Anyway, we've got hot water again. I haven't even asked what it cost. I want to pay for it myself -- I mean, it's my house, I'm an adult -- but right now it's just hard. I'm still paying off the hospital and my vacation upped my credit card balance a bit, so I hadn't been planning on spending any extra money except for Christmas shopping. So thanks, Mom and Dad, for helping out. I'll repay you somehow, someday.
At least there should be something good this weekend. A friend who moved away a couple years ago will be in town and we're getting together this weekend. It'll be good to see her again and get caught up. Other than that, I hope for a quiet weekend!
At least there should be something good this weekend. A friend who moved away a couple years ago will be in town and we're getting together this weekend. It'll be good to see her again and get caught up. Other than that, I hope for a quiet weekend!
Good freakin' morning to you too
I had a great vacation, so now the rain must fall, right? It doesn't need to be so damn literal, though.
We woke up this morning to discover the water heater leaking all over (and through) the utility room floor.
I'm off to my dad's for a shower now.
We woke up this morning to discover the water heater leaking all over (and through) the utility room floor.
I'm off to my dad's for a shower now.
Thursday, October 19, 2006
A flying turtle!
One of my pics from mass ascension. This flickr stuff is cool!
See the entry below for links to more pics.
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