Tuesday, September 23, 2008

stupidity

I hate when I'm stupid. Happens time and time again. Think I'd learn. Anyway, my habitual procrastination comes 'round to bite me in the arse - again.

First I was stupid by purchasing the wrong modem at Wal*Mart on July 28. I knew almost the second I opened it, shoulda bought the wireless router, not the cable modem (replacing cause I had no internet). And I'm a supposed to be a computer geek, that's what I get paid to do anyway. Made the first stupid decision based on the lights on the front of the modem, the wireless seemed ok (lights wise), but the cable modem wasn't. Duh, because it wasn't getting anything from the wireless!

Anyway, kept meaning to return it, but worked late some nights, then went on a two week vacation, so finally heading in that direction anyway, (a Costco run) we stop by Wal*Mart to return it, well within the typical 90 days (57 days). Guess what, (you regular Wal*Marters may already know this), electronics have a 45 day return policy. WTF? Looking on eBay, heck I paid way to much for it, be lucky if I get half what I paid. Hells Bells. Still need a new wireless router too. Damn...

Sunday, September 21, 2008

POHS

Presumed Ocular Histoplasmosis Syndrom. I'm one of the lucky few that have this condition. Rather than bore you with details, I'll let professional eye care sites bore you:

http://www.emedicine.com/OPH/topic406.htm
http://www.nei.nih.gov/health/histoplasmosis/

Anyway, lost center vision in my right eye 13 years ago, almost lost in my left eye this summer. Thankfully there's a new treatement and my left eye is back to 20/25 vision. The catch is, the treatment isn't approved by the FDA, and the condition is so rare, the chances of the FDA even looking at it for POHS is remote, so insurance won't cover it. It's not hundreds of thousands of dollars, and in my case we're lucky to be able to afford the treatments. But I bet some can't, especially some who can't work because of the condition. No job, no insurance, and even if they had insurance, no coverage. BCBSIL covers the doctor visits for me, just not the drug itself. Again, I'm lucky, and blessed (thank you Lord). Been thinking, wonder if I can start a charity to cover the costs for folks who can't afford it? Don't know were to start, there's services that you can pay to help you, but kinda defeats the purpose, want any $ to go to people who need it, not some service. Anyway, just thinking about it, don't even know if there's a need, maybe there's only 2 people out there who can't afford the procedure anyway.

Thursday, September 18, 2008

coolngroovy

Gotta give credit to an old boss for coolngroovy. Well she's not old, but rather a former boss. Wendy Gildemeister (Hi Wendy, if you ever Google your name) used to say it all the time. I picked it up, heck gotta be around 18 years ago, and still say it to this day. Drives DH buggy, but still can't stop saying it. I'm also inordinately fond of okey-dokey-smokey. Even I think that's lame, but still say it, it just pops out. I have a reputation for saying it like it is (The World according to me...). Another former boss said just those words one time in a meeting, I still remember it: "you can always count on Janet to say it like it is". I'd make a lousy politician, or a good one depending on your point of view.

Writing of politicians.... I was on the fence until Sarah came along. I usually lean Republican anyway, but I did (to my everlasting chagrin) vote for Billy-boy both terms. I'm an anti-death Republican, I think murder is murder, whether by gunshot, by lethal injection or vacuuming of a uterus. Was considering Obama, but what decided it for me, so far anyway, is the vice-presidential candidates. I know Obama had to pick someone experienced to counteract the no-experience comments, but Biden is a career politician, watching him on the Sunday morning news shows, his mouth moves and sound comes out, but he doesn't actually say anything. Or nothing definitive anyway. Sarah may not be much better, but she seems like she knows what it's like to stretch things to the next paycheck. She seems like a real person, you know?

Hilliary was born with a silver spoon, and just added to them along the way. Whenever she said "we" I cringed, we're so far apart in sensibilities, the only thing we have in common is we're women. Not enough to base my vote on, sorry. Obama may have had some hardship when he was young, but Harvard Law, etc., etc. kinda makes me think we don't have much in common. McCain and Biden both fall in to the career politician category, and I don't understand how either of them can preach change. I know that it's the nature of the beast, democracy requires elected officials, elected officials begets politicians, politicians begets deal makers. But I can see Sarah shaking things up. Just the fact of her being a women, she couldn't coast like Cheney, the press wouldn't let her. Whether the shakeup would be good or bad, I don't know, but definitely different! OK, that's my two cents, nobody's reading this but me anyway.

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

What I'm knitting / knit

BTW my ravelry ID is janetcc.

I'm sinfully proud of my first completed adult sweater -- the Lace Trimmed tank from the cover of the Summer 08 Creative Knitting. I've knit lots of baby stuff (gifts), a purse, couple hats, and started adult sweaters. But I always screwed up something and put it aside and never finished. Not this time, Ta-Da! Knit in Rowan Summer Tweed - color is Rush, kinda a sagey green. It's a size M, even though I wear a size 18 store bought. I knit BIG:


It started out as an old tee pattern from the 80's:


But when I got a bit farther than the pic below I discovered it was WAY too big, almost 53" inches. As mentioned above, I knit BIG. So now I'm taking a boxy cardi pattern and improvising, using the lace trim pattern in Rush on the bottom, and Oatmeal for the top. When finished I'll have a Twin Set!










But first I have to finish 3 verisons of Monica for three neices in Florida, ages 5, 3, and 1. Knitting in round with i-cord tie straps and shortening the ruffles width and length, no ruffles under the arms. Using TLC Cotton Plus so their mom's can machine wash 'em.

Then I have to finish this Lion Brand Shawl for a friend who needs it for her Harvest Ball.

THEN I'll finally get to finish a sweater I started when I first learned to knit, like 8 years ago. It's from a Mary Maxim kit "Autumn Leaves Cardigan", acrylic yarn, but I love the yarn, recommend it highly. Very soft, splits like acrylic, but if you're careful it's great, lots better than Red Heart or Caron in my opinion. Teal's my favorite color, fall's my favorite season, should end up a favorite sweater, no? I quit it when I messed up the intarsia leaves, I carried the MC too tightly. But I recently frogged it and ready to start it again.

I have enough yarn for about 25 projects (an addiction, put yarn on sale and I'll buy it). Gonna make this -- A Sirdar Safari pattern, but using Bernat Soft Boucle in Rosewood.

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

day 2...

We're (DH and I) creatures of habit. We grocery shop on Thursdays. All year, except on Thanksgiving and Christmas if it falls on a Thursday. We don't cook during the week, I cook on the weekends, usually leftovers last through Tuesday, we can-soup or snack on Wednesday, buy something quick at the grocery store on Thursday and more often than not fast-food it (in our defense, usually Subway) on Fridays. Monday we wash towels, Tuesday extras like sheets, Wednesday colors, Thursday whites. I take the same train in to Chicago everyday, and usually the same time train home every night. In 30 years (almost, next February) I've missed the train ONCE! If I'm late it's because the train was late. We both take every minute of vacation they give us. Also, in 24 years of marriage we have NEVER left the house with the bed unmade. I used to hate being a creature of habit, it's DH that's more regimented, I'm a whatever kind of person, but either I've grown to see the advantages, or just don't mind it anymore.

I work as a computer support person for a department in a financial services firm. I support around 120 people. OK job, pays the bills. Hate the commute, about 1½ hours each way door to door. Oh well, train time = knitting time! Better job than most - most of the time anyway. Pays decent, benefits decent, hours usually great. Sometimes I wish I was more important, and other times I'm very glad I'm not. I used to be ambitious, but not anymore. Maybe if I had a job I LOVED, and didn't just tolerate. Don't get me wrong, I'm thankful for the job, blessed that I have one, but would rather be home. I'd love the time to cook and clean and craft and read, instead of doing it all on the weekends. I get home early enough to do some stuff, but not early enough to enjoy it. Fun stuff seems like another JOB during the weekdays!

I love to knit. Relatively new to it, and slow, but love it. I have way too much yarn for the speed at which I knit, but can't seem to help myself. I love to read, fiction mostly but enjoying some non-fiction - more as I get older. I like to cook and bake, but hate the dishes. I like to sew, but not very good at it yet. I don't watch a lot of TV, (commercials drive me buggy after awhile) but I like Sci-Fi channel shows, I like Lost, The Big Bang. We don't subscribe to movie channels so don't watch any of the popular HBO or Showtime shows. I like Monk and Closer but forget to watch them most of the time. Like the home improvement shows. We used to go to movies fairly often, but were disappointed so many times - "not worth the money" usually our reviews - so we rarely go now. Last time I went to the movie theatre was for The Return of the King.

We're a childless couple. Didn't plan it that way, just didn't happen and neither of us felt strongly enough to do something about it. Regret it now, but oh well. Pet less too, although not my choice. I'd love a couple dogs and a cat. Willing to take a Zyrtec everyday even. Again, DH rules, he wants to wait until he retires and home all day. DH sounds like a tyrant, but he isn't really. Just hard to compromise stuff (can't get half a dog) he usually wins. I want a little bit of fluff dog, he wants a lab. I think there's a possibility we'll both get what we want, just have to wait the 8 years until DH retires!

In a perfect world, I'd cook for the whole week on the weekend, keep my house cleaner than I do, and get rid of all the STUFF I've accumulated over the last 24 years. That's my fall project. I'm going to eBay or Salvation Army TONS OF STUFF. Tired of moving it to dust around it, tired of reorganizing it all the time, heck tired of looking at it. How'd I get all this stuff? DH says we're at a point where we don't own stuff, it owns us.

We're soon to be mortgage free, so what are we going to do? What every red-blooded American does when they have the extra $ -- remodel! Really need it, house is 22 years old. Kitchen needs new floor, counters, sink. Family room needs new carpeting. Living and Dining we're leaning towards replacing carpet with hardwood. Need to repair and replace landscaping too. We plan on painting entire house this winter, wish us luck -- if ever there was a cause of divorce procedings -- painting for days on end is it!

Monday, September 15, 2008

what the heck

everybody else is doing it, not that I'm a jump off the cliff kind of person, but I can bore folks with details of my life with the best of 'em. Little late in the evening to be doing this, so this is it so far, to see how it works.