All right, folks. I have a huge agenda, so let's get right to it.

1. I've been scanning nonstop for three days now and it hasn't gotten any easier. The scanner is too good for the computer. It keeps sending huge chunks of material to the PC, but the PC keeps running out of memory resources and they stop talking to each other. Since a scan isn't a scan until it's saved, I end up doing the same page(s) over and over and over and over and over again, hoping against desperate hope that this time will be the time the scanner and the PC agree on what they're supposed to be doing. While I'm doing this, Mike keeps coming over to me and giving me some other work to do. His stuff is important and needs to get done & completed because he's going to be presenting at yet another conference. Erin's stuff for another person in the company (the scan job) is important because she needs it to be completed (scanned & spell-checked) so she can present her findings on Monday to the client. There are at least 5 contracts, 40+ pages each, to scan in. I'm working on the 3rd one now. Think I'll get it done? I don't.

2. Chris. Did I mention the car accident? The chest pain he was having? The lengthy trip to the emergency room that ended up taking an extra hour because the lab tech couldn't get the film out of the machine? The whole experience only to be told that there was nothing wrong, the dropping temperature (it's been getting to the 40's at night! Brrrr!) is makig it hurt worse and here's a perscription IF he really wants to get it filled. Yup. I spent my Wednesday night NOT in my comfy jammies watching TV and going to bed early because I have to be on the road at 6:30 am to take him to work so I can get to MY work before 8:30 am (actually, if I leave at 6:30, I get to work at 7:30. If I leave at 6:40, I get to work at 8:10. It don't make sense to me!) but in the emergency room with a horde of noisy strangers all kvetching about their lumbar problems and what happens when you get bit by a scorpion in Florida. (What happens? Nothing. Apparently, Florida scorpions aren't poisonous.)

3. Last but NOT least: Apologies all around. I've been woefully neglectful of my netfriends and I am sorry. When things get hectic, I guess it's easier to let go of the things that aren't staring you in the face, like your internet society. I didn't even turn on my PC on Wednesday (no time!), nor have I been able to surf much at work (scan! scan! scan!), so it was with dull surprise that I discovered that one of my best friends (I'll call her 'Moms') had a mental/emotional crisis on Wednesday that I was completely unaware of. I mean, when I got home I found a message from her on my answering machine, but it was 10:30 and I was doing everything I could to crawl into bed. I intended to email her the next morning, but instead I busied myself scanning and the opportunity never presented itself. I feel like I let you down, that I wasn't there for you when I should have been, like I said I would be.

Then there's another best friend (I'll call her 'Shy') who's made a huge personal sacrifice by taking in a mentally ailing relative. She needs support like a wolf needs a good ear scratch and a decent flea dip, but am I helping her? No. I don't know what to say or suggest to make things easier for her. I only know (rather, I suspect) that my recent lack of emailing leads her to believe she's on her own.

My Soul Mate (not to be confused with my Sweet Husband Chris) is entering a difficult time right now. Not only is her seasonal-affected disorder going to slap her in the ass sometime soon, but she's been down with a horrendous flu/cold, has three girls and a husband who's constantly throwing out his back in hopes he can pick up a better one at Wal-Mart. Plus she's got the holidays coming up and her girls are in Girl Scouts and they're apparently having some sort of parade for which costumes must be made. Creative costumes. One of them has to go as something recycled. I suggested she just walk down the street nude. After all, isn't a child simply a recycled sperm & egg? Soul Mate thinks that's a little too 'high concept' for the Girl Scouts, however. I shrug. It's possible.

So there I am. Guily as hell for letting my friends down. Friends who have been nothing but supportive and kind when I needed them to be. Every so often I am struck with the certain knowledge that I am the single most self-absorbed, selfish, egotistical person in this entire world. How y'all put up with me, I don't know. Even my Sweet Husband pointed it out to me as I was driving him to work yesterday. He said: I know you must hate doing this; after you drop me off, you probably curse about it.

And here I've been thinking I was doing something truly altruistic. My goal was NEVER to make him feel guilty for my actions, but to make him feel protected, comforted, valued. But I suppose my true nature has revealed itself.

I must start scanning now.

PS. I got my period and I do not have any pain reliever with me.
posted by SPowers at 8:18 AM | Remember It!

You know... you give and give and give. And what does it get you? Absolutely NOTHING!

My boss wants everything yesterday but he doesn't really need it for 2 weeks. I mean - what's the point in rushing if it is NOT needed for TWO WHOLE WEEKS? He's got Christmas cards to go out - but they can't be mailed until AFTER Thanksgiving, but he wants them all stamped & signed & sealed NOW. WHY??? I don't know. I just don't know.

The other thing I don't know is why my previous blog didn't post. I'm not sure I like that. It shows up on the input screen, but not when I view the page... or does it? Am I somehow stuck viewing an old web page? That happened to me once, you know. I thought a whole week had gone by and no one had posted anything new on the O/S. Then I saw the message board with all these posts about a new story... Turned out I was stuck viewing an old page and my browser wasn't automatically updating itself. How do things like that happen? What am I doing wrong?
posted by SPowers at 9:44 AM | Remember It!

Where do I begin?

Election?

Job?

Husband?

This weekend?

Let's start with husband.

Today my sweet husband Chris got into a car accident. Yes, it was his fault. No, he's not seriously hurt. No, he didn't hurt anyone else. In fact, the other car was barely damaged at all and may not even be claimed on the insurance. We're expecting to be emailed pix of the damaged car which I will promptly be displaying for all concerned (and those voyeurs who can't resist a gaping stare at our misfortune).

Election? Just got this... (forgive me if y'all have already seen it somewhere):

Florida's Top Ten New State Slogans
10. "Florida: We're ... um ... We'll Get Back to You on Our Slogan as Soon as Possible"
9. "Florida: It's Not the Size of the State That Matters, It's How You Use It"
8. "Florida: No Comprende Numeros"
7. "Florida: WE'RE NUMBER ONE! ... Wait, Recount"
6. "Florida: This is What You Get for Taking Elian Away From Us"
5. "Florida: We're Sorry for All the Stupid Old People."
4. "Florida: What comes after 17,311?"
3. "Florida: We Don't Just Cheat in Football"
2. "Florida: We put the 'GATOR' in 'Election-Tampering Investigator!'"
1. "Florida: Don't Poll Us, We'll Poll You"

(I like #3.) (And yes, I am a Floridian and proud of it!)

I don't want to talk about the election anymore right now. Except to say this: It must be a terrible feeling to want to vote for a particular candidate and then, through one thing or another, be thwarted in that effort, but it must be worse to then be the butt of the nation's and the world's jokes and derision because you became confused. So what if second graders can line up Disney pictures with holes? It isn't the same thing at all. Ballots are, by their nature, completely text-based and short on space.

Hell - I accidentally punched the wrong hole when I voted. I panicked. I immediately beckoned the proctor and asked her what to do. I didn't know until she told me that I could get another card. I thought I was sunk! I feel horribly for those people in Palm Beach who are just as certain as I am that the wrong hole was punched, and even more so because they didn't get a chance to fix their mistake. I don't think a re-vote would solve anything, but I do feel compassion for those people who double-punched. It shouldn't be that easy to invalidate your vote.

This weekend... the dress turned out better than I expected (as did my new haircut), but otherwise, it was the most scheduled wedding reception I'd ever experienced. Boom - boom - boom, things happened. Intro wedding party; first dance; eat; 1st party game (each table sing a song with the word 'love' in it - our table chose the theme from Love Boat); bridal party dance; everyone dance; conga line (twice around the room and stop); ubiquitous 70s dance mix... get the picture? There was just no room for spontanaeity.

And I was SO tired - after driving home on Sunday, I slept 4 hours like a dead woman. I did my chores, we ordered pizza and watched Sunday TV (King of the Hill through X-FIles, baby!) before crashing once more into my flannel-sheeted bed.

Let's see... what else. The job? Eh. It's going. That's all I can say about that.
posted by SPowers at 4:42 PM | Remember It!