Princess

The Full Serenity Prayer

2009-05-18T21:59:50Z

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
the courage to change the things I can,
and the wisdom to know the difference.

Grant me patience with the things that take time,
tolerance of the struggles of others that may be different from my own,
appreciation for all I have,
and the willingness to get up and try again, one day at a time.

"Don't let life discourage you. Everyone who got where he is had to begin where he was."

2009-05-18T21:34:33Z

"Don't let life discourage you. Everyone who got where he is had to begin where he was."

so sleepy

2009-05-11T14:32:37Z

So, if you wake up utterly exhausted, but you have to work today - what do you do to keep awake and productive?

I have already ingested coffee and soda and water.
30 jumping jacks helped for about 5 minutes and now I'm tired again

I will try putting cold packs on my eyes as a refresher but man, this is going to be a long day.

"Every situation -- nay, every moment -- is of infinite worth; for it is the representative of the w

2009-04-22T16:32:25Z

"Every situation -- nay, every moment -- is of infinite worth; for it is the representative of the whole eternity." -- Johann von Goethe

"Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity" - Dr

2009-04-16T14:15:13Z

"Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity" - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Conversations that amuse me

2009-04-14T18:36:32Z

IMing while on a call that is just spiraling more and more out of control:

me: I think I need to up my wine of the month club
my boss: switch to hard liquor
me: true, better ROI

maigrey @ 2009-04-14T10:14:00

2009-04-14T15:14:59Z

Okay, granted that last year it snowed for the cubs home opener, but really? I am not enjoying these sub 40 degree and blustery days. Shouldn't the wind chill factor go out of style in early march?

I'm just sayin'.

The things I do for my music

2009-04-08T13:04:48Z

Image by Travelin' Librarian via Flickr

Back in August I bought a MyBook, and it took me until January to install it (sometimes I'm a true procrastinator). Turns out the Home Premium version of Vista that was installed on my new laptop doesn't have any capability to do offline files, which is a pretty key feature if I want to move all my music and videos over to an external drive and still be able to listen/watch when not connected. You know, like on a plane? Crazy talk, I know.

The rest of the story's here at just a mixed bag of thoughts

Twitter stalkin'

2009-04-07T02:29:15Z

Okay, I admit it: I'm a twitterstalker. I compulsively follow celebrities (within reason - sorry Britney), and like getting views into their life.

Cooler than expected:
Ashton Kutcher - really, he's just adorable in the twitterverse
John Mayer - I'm incredibly charmed (and have a wee crush) on him. This is rather disturbing as the media paints him out to be, well, kind of a wanker

Pretty much what I expected:
Lily Allen - I already thought of her as pretty cool; she's on a US tour now and doing scavenger hunts for tickets in each city. Too bad I won't be near the Chicago theater she's playing when she hides the tickets.
Dr. Drew - of loveline fame! I am a big fan and he's just as neat on twitter as he is on the radio
Demi Moore - aka Mrs Kutcher; very sweet and a voracious reader.
Brea Grant - of heroes fame!
Wil Wheaton - You have been crushered!

Disappointing:
Greg Grunberg - of Heroes and Alias fame, who was my favorite supporting dude, and he started out pretty cool, with lots of heroes behind the scenes photos, but has pretty much become all YOWSA!! all the time!! Again, rather disturbing and sad for me.

The flu put me in the dollhouse

2009-04-03T12:36:11Z

Image via Wikipedia

Since I've been recovering from the flu that got spread around the office, my bed and I have started a long-term relationship. This means I'm clearing through a lot of the backlog of unwatched TV shows. Despite mixed reviews, I decided to take the plunge on Dollhouse, which had about 7 episodes spooled up. I agree with many reviewers, the whole Tabula Rasa portion is annoying and every time I hear "did I fall asleep?" I roll my eyes, because that is not as amusing as Joss thinks it is. Really. Also the neighbor? Totally obvious and I had that one pegged the first episode in.

But on the other hand, it is actually very engaging and I went through the whole seven episodes in a couple days and am left wondering what goes on next. I also love that they're bringing in some of my favorite B list actors as guest stars (Anson Mount and the traitor chick from NCIS as examples), and even though the Nerd-Geek is such a paper cutout and I want to kick him over his own railing, I'm looking forward to the next episode.

My grateful list

2009-03-27T12:35:10Z

I know that Oprah was big on these grateful lists, but lately I've been feeling that I have been in a negative frame of mind, and one of the ways to get out of that is to write down a few things each day to be grateful for. Here's my list.

I have a fantastic dog who matches my personality perfectly
I have a job that lets me work from home most days out of the week
fuzzy faux sheepskin slippers
I have legs that let me walk and work out and enjoy the weather
I am able to buy a new (ish) car without worry
My dad is doing my taxes for me, and I don't have to worry about 2 states and 2 jobs of income

* * *

My lenten practice has been sliding lately. I have been reading (mostly) before watching TV or using the internet, but the NCAA games have made that really hard. And yes, I know that's the point, but I've been giving myself lots of breaks on this. Makes me wonder what my priorities list is.

No more prying eyes for me

2009-03-24T13:03:14Z

After a long off-site meeting, in which I felt the need to be very careful on what I pulled up on my screen during the day, I noticed that when I looked over at one of my staff's computer, I couldn't see his screen. I asked him what he'd purchased and he directed me to the 3M Privacy Filter. Genius! Not that I don't work when I'm in the office (or in an offsite meeting), but it's nice to be able to check a website or purchase something on Amazon with a little less worry. I had to actually do some research on the web to determine if my screen was wide screen or not, and I was on my way. Turns out this little thing also helps with glare and the headaches I sometimes get from that as well. Nifty!

LJ brain trust request

2009-01-06T18:31:30Z

Does anyone know of a good LJ backup tool? I think I might need to just make sure, due to this article on LJ layoffs...

Week One update

2009-01-06T05:18:20Z

I'm pretty proud of myself for my first week - I wasn't 100% on Nutrisystem, but I will consider myself 100% abstinent from over-eating, emotional-eating, or boredom eating, which is REALLY my problem.

Things I am proud of myself for this week:

I went to a New Year's Day gathering and did not have any sweets or those sugar cookies with tons of icing you get at the grocery store that are so good and are like crack in a plastic container
I made my plans known to BG, when he invited me over for a wonderful meal and he then altered the side dishes for me so I ate healthy
I avoided the candy aisle in Walgreens when I was hungry and run down and susceptible to sweets
I planned ahead every time I left the house - I had "on plan" snacks to eat with me (most times)

What really helped was the words someone told me: "When you're having trouble, just imagine that God [or whatever higher power you want to use -ed] is a supportive boyfriend, holding your hand." This worked surprisingly well, I tell you what.

What I'm worried about for this coming week:

This whole planning my food stuff? Annoying. Boring. Tedious. I know it needs to be done, but uggggh, I have to pack a mini picnic every time I go out for more than a few hours?

The answer is, why yes - sure, eating whatever I want is EASY in the short run, but it's not going to make me happy in the LONG run. Plus, I will hopefully not have to do this forever - at some point I will not need to LOSE weight, and can be less strict on the whole plan.

My schedule is about to change. My background check got cleared and so I could start work any day now. This is a good thing in itself [jobs in this economy are good], but I'm not going to have the freedom and flexibility of schedule to go work out at 9 am or 2 pm or whenever I decide to do it.

Obviously, the answer is to put myself first. I can always go first thing in the morning [although it's pretty crowded] or block off some time when I'm working at home to go [but have to take a shower afterward], or do it after work and rearrange other evening plans so it gets done. I need to remember that while I need to do my job, my job doesn't need to be my life, and my health and happiness really does need to come before everything else. That's SO hard to remember though.

Something else that should help is I've created a "days abstinent" chain at www.dontbreakthechain.com and make a point to look at it once a day. The longer the chain gets, the less motivated I am to break it; brains are funny like that.

On another note, I specifically got my butt up at the crack of 8 am today and was working out at 9 am to catch Oprah. Anyone else as disappointed as I was with the show? It was a total rehash of the magazine - her interview was pretty much her O article, verbatim.

Oh no, not a meme...

2009-01-05T00:38:22Z

Damn you ktgeek...

Of course, he didn't know that I've already done 100 things about me, but that was back in 2001, so I will try and pick 7 ones that my invisible internet friends will likely not know.

1. I am on the one hand a master procrastinator, and a perfectionist.

These two actually go hand in hand - many perfectionists are procrastinators, (according to The Now Habit: A Strategic Program for Overcoming Procrastination and Enjoying Guilt-Free Play by Neil Fiore - which is a great read, btw), because the crazy deadline pressure allows a perfectionist to say "Screw it, it doesn't need to be perfect, if they need it in 20 minutes..." I'm trying to work on both of these, but I probably could use a re-read of the book.

2. I hate using the mouse on the computer and will memorize a host of keyboard shortcuts to avoid it.

I can't find where I first learned this but using your mouse decreases your productivity about 30% - think about it, you have to pick your hand off the keyboard, put your hand on the mouse, readjust to what you want to do, click click and then make sure your fingers are on the home row and go back to what you're doing. If you know the keyboard shortcut(s), you eliminate a lot of that "resetting" time. This is also why I a) really love thinkpads (they have the nubby mouse between the 'g' and 'h' keys that don't require you to pick your hands up; and b) HATE MS OFFICE 2007 because you MESSED UP MOST OF MY SHORTCUTS and I don't know where to FIND everything else!! I'm sure everyone else has their reasons for not liking office 2007, but that's mine.

3. I am a very, very affectionate person when inebriated.

Not in the one night stand kind of way, but in the hugs and kisses on the cheeks and 'oh you're so prettttty' and rubbing chests in "feels like VICTORY" ways. Just ask April or Kent or Garth...

4. I find myself being a geek-vangelist

Except for the iPhone, it seems that when I get a cool new geek toy, all of a sudden it really starts to take off. Sure, the palm pilots were ok, but I didn't know many people who had one until I decided to get one. And then ALL of my friends got one. Same with twitter, and it looks like the Kindle... and I know there are a few others out there. I tend to take my time on what I buy, and be very excited/passionate about it, so that probably helps.

5. I do not like beer, as a rule (and as a corollary, I also do not like crunchy bread).

Yep, there you have it. I don't like beer, really. You could really say I don't like hops, because I do like a good lambic, and surprisingly Leinie's berryweiss is tolerable, but other than that, I can't stand the aftertaste. It's wine and hard liquor for me. And no, I don't really know any form of crunchy bread that I like: toast, croutons, chips, triscuits, etc are all non-starters for me.

6. I have an above average obsession with cosmetics.

Let me just tell you, sephora loves me. I mean, really loves me. And I love them; it's a good relationship. :)

7. I cannot fall asleep without reading for 10 minutes or so

This habit probably dates back to my pre-teen days. I've always been a voracious reader, and after I hit age 12, I started not being able to fall asleep right away, so I'd read a little before bed. And I still do, even after a crazy late night out - and yes, even in Vegas when I'm approaching 5am from the wrong side, I've got to read a little bit before falling asleep.

And since it wouldn't be a MEEEEM without tagging other people, here we go:

April, because she got named in the post and needs to post more anyway...
Kent, because he was named in the post and should be able to come up with something interesting...
Garth, because he was named in the post, and needs to post more, and who doesn't want to hear facts about aussies?
BG, to keep him blogging more!
Shelly, because she's never met a meme she didn't like (or do)...
Roland, who also is a meme-r and will have something interesting, and will inflict the meme on a different circle!
Terrell, because he needs something more to blog about and Keith didn't tag him.

The rules:

Link your original tagger(s) and list these rules in your post.
Share seven facts about yourself in the post.
Tag seven people at the end of your post by leaving their names and the links to their blogs.
Let them know they’ve been tagged.

And as the saying goes, I subscribe to ALL YOUR BLOGS so I'll know if you do this or not!

for liminal_space:

2008-12-31T18:28:28Z

one useful thing on twitter: http://twitter.com/wheeepony

235.8

2008-12-31T18:05:25Z

235.8

That's a number I thought I'd never see again on the scale, and it's depressing. I'd gotten down to 175 at one point in my life, and felt great. Then, my priorities shifted and I didn't put myself first - my LONG-TERM self first, that is.

I moved 2.5 times in 2.5 years, started two (now three) jobs, and it was easier and more convenient to do take out or eat out with friends than cook for one. Most recipes make enough for four, which is great if you're living with someone and you each can take the leftovers to work for lunches. When you're single, one recipe means lunch for a week - frustrating.

There's also the fact that I'm an emotional eater - when I'm stressed, I eat; when I'm sad, I eat; when I'm angry, I eat. Ice cream and cookies are very sympathetic listeners. They make you feel good in the short term. Long term, not so much, and the problems don't actually go away - they keep coming back and I keep soothing them with what's made me happy in the past - starches, sugar, you know the drill.

Let us not forget that the extra pounds also means less attention. I know the people interested in me are interested for who I am, not for how pretty or thin I am [this goes for friends too]. It's also a good scapegoat for why people don't want to hang around me - it's the fat, not me. It couldn't POSSIBLY be me, right?

It's also pretty obvious that exercise and I are vague acquaintances at best (although I'm working on changing that), and the idea of an "active lifestyle" is someone else's life. I enjoy sitting in front of my computer with my little invisible internet friends (hi there!). I don't have a webcam so you can't see the state I'm in, or if I'm busy eating a pound of pasta or a chocolate orange. You are words on a screen, or a person on a phone (not to diminish your friendship at all!) - I do not have to go out and face the music in person.

The other day I realized that this, in a word, sucks. I do not like being the last one in line in a hike, I don't like not being invited to join sports teams, and I don't like being too embarrassed to join them if I AM asked!

It helps somewhat that I am not the only one in this position - I just picked up Oprah's magazine, and she expresses the same sentiments. She has not put herself on the priority list, and she suffered, so the magazine is all about getting back on track, and it has a lot of good ideas.

But I hate calling this a "new years resolution" because that basically is a license to break it. Let's call it more of a life long goal: to put myself, and my health on the priority list.

To wit, the plan is:

Meet weekly with my life coach to keep short term goals updated and keep accountable for this long term plan [which include exercising]

Watch the Oprah shows next week [convenient that I won't be starting my new job until at least the 12th]

Make a commitment to go to OA meetings at least once a week [I still have trouble calling myself a "compulsive overeater", or that I have a disease, but the principles are sound and if anything, it's teaching me to listen without interrupting someone...]

Follow the nutrisystem plan [very convenient for single people who don't really like to/have the time to cook]

Journal weekly about progress/problems/concerns and quit trying to hide the fact that OMG I am NOT PERFECT [go figure]

Here's to a more fit rest of my life!

maigrey @ 2008-12-04T14:18:00

2008-12-04T20:15:36Z

Say what you will about it, but Britney's new album [Circus (Deluxe Version)] definitely makes you want to get up and shake your bootie - heart healthy :)

Cities I've visited

2008-10-27T18:38:33Z

visited 34 states (68%)
Create your own visited map of The United States

I can't remember if we've visited Nebraska or Oklahoma on our trips with the pop up camper, and I'm pretty sure I haven't visited the gulf states, and I know I've not been to the Pacific Northwest, so this is a pretty good guess... My Dad would know if we visited RI on the great college trip of '89 or not, but I can't remember! And yes, I think for some reason I have never visited WV, despite being ALL AROUND IT.

calling all liminal_spaces

2008-10-25T15:46:55Z

please post the awesome chicken recipe, stat!

Shamelessly swiped from jaxia

2008-10-06T04:36:19Z

because we all need a reminder now and then - and I definitely needed it right now.

The Desiderata

Go placidly amid the noise and the haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.

As far as possible, without surrender,
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even to the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons;
they are vexatious to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain or bitter,
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs,
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals,
and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love,
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment,
it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be.
And whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life,
keep peace in your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

Totally stolen from meercat

2008-10-01T16:35:06Z

Breszny day!

Pisces Horoscope for week of October 2, 2008

Pisces (February 19-March 20)
Blessings will come if you cultivate as much stillness as possible. I'm not just talking about reducing the noise levels, although that's a good first step. Other things you might want to do: Cut way down on your use of the phone; text-message sparingly; surf the Internet 70 percent less than usual; avoid watching TV news altogether; and don't hang around people whose minds zip around like chimps on meth. As for your own monkey mind: See if you can enjoy some periods each day when the monkey gets to lie down in a soft place and watch the wide sky roll by.

You know, for all his wackiness, Brezny seems to hit things straight on with these more than not. He was bang on 7 weeks ago, the day before I had the conversation with my now-ex-boss telling me that we were terminating my employment, and I've been thinking a LOT more about needing to be silent and meditate, and go back to holding a sabbath where I unplug from al the click click click txt txt txt tv dub dub dub int0rnet.

But now, I needs to shower.

CBS = The Crimes Being Solved network

2008-09-30T18:57:59Z

One of the funnier reviews I've seen in a while - and I like The Mentalist, too.

"You’ve got Simon Baker as the Troubled Hero With a Tragic Past, who is Brilliant in a Distinctive and Unusual Way. He has a flirty, clashing rapport with Robin Tunney, the No-Nonsense Law Enforcement Gal Who Secretly Wants to Bone Him Senseless, You Can Totally Tell."

..."Watch a handsome man peer intently at things Wednesdays at 9 p.m. on CBS."

"Newman singlehandedly used up all the manly!"

2008-09-27T21:50:15Z

Paul Neumann was never called an asshole <- a must read

BEST FALL/HOLIDAY CIDER EVAAAAAH aka liminal_space - I found it!

2008-09-26T06:24:56Z

I seem to ask this question every 3 years, it seems, and your darling hubby looked and found it for me the last time. Amazing what google can do...

liminal_space's traditional holiday simmering cider: 4 cups apple cider; 4 cups cranberry cocktail; 1/4 cup brown sugar; 3 whole allspice, 3 whole cinnamon sticks, 3 whole cloves. dump all the stuffs in a crock -- heat on high for an hour then dump down to low. float orange slices and a few extra whole cloves on top for extra goodness.

YOM.