Would you believe that while backing out of the driveway from D's house after a most lovely visit that I actually knocked over her mailbox?

Sounds crazy, right?

Nope...I did that. ARGH!!!!

I thought I was backing up straight. Evidently I was not.

Essentially overdosing while I was supposed to be helping. Breaking the handprints of her children while crafting. Then knocking over the mailbox. Sometimes...those holes to crawl into are just never around.

~~~~
NOTE: Navigation units work better when you actually follow the directions. In case you were wondering, the re-routing feature on the Magellan Roadmate 6000T works just fine. And...with two wrong turns between my house and D's, the travel time increases from 90 minutes to 120.

I think that I tried to committ death by pain killer today.

This morning, I took a much needed dose of Midol at the same time as I took my arthritis medicine Celebrex. In short order, I started feeling rather badly. I grew worse and worse and began to wonder if I should ask D to drag me to the hospital.

I was dizzy and sick to my stomach and my head was pounding and so cold I could barely stand it. With little choice, I huddled beneath three blankets on the couch and tried to keep my moaning to once or twice every twenty or so minutes. After all, I didn't want D to think she had yet another child to deal with on her hands.

After a few hours, Kashi needed to go outside, so I let him drag me around by the leash. When we returned, I realized I felt a wee bit better. I figured the fresh air did me some good and wondered if there was something in her house that was bothering me. Of course, I have grown up with Christmas trees even if I have not had one myself in recent years. And D is the cleanest person I know. So...what could it be?

In the late afternoon, she enlisted me to help her with crafts, despite my still frequent moans and trembling limbs. I squinted against my throbbing head, clamped my lips shut against my still protesting stomach, and tried not to move too quickly as to guard against the waves of dizziness.

By late evening, when we started painting (yes, I have now painted in three states), I realized that the need for emergency care was passing. I was going to live.

In retrospect, perhaps taking two strong pain killers at once was not quite the best plan...no matter how good it sounded to me at the time.

I am in Maryland today. And boy do I love that navigation unit!

I plugged in my friend's address and away I went. The trip I thought would take two and a half hours took only 90 minutes. There was only one confusing turn: the voice directions seemed a bit different from the map screen. I arrived safely and in an expeditious manner!

My friend D has a new baby and operates a day care business out of her home. So there are plenty of children here for me to photograph and to keep Kashi busy. Right now, he has retreated to the back corner by the garage out of exhaustion. I had D's amazing brown sugar, garlic glazed chicken for dinner. And I have already had plenty of holding-the-baby-time. Her husband is out of town for a few day, so my menagerie and I arrived to help hold down the fort. The fact that I am being stuffed with food, have offers of all left overs, and other groceries to boot has nothing to with why I am here (wink, wink)!

D's daughter is a cherub of a child, rosebud lips, round cheeks, and brilliant blue eyes (perhaps she will give Paul Newman a run for his money). I haven't yet seen my friend B's new baby boy, but at least I will have plenty of baby time this week!

I did receive an email from the American Diabetes Association to request a phone interview this week and samples of my writing. I promptly emailed back when I read the message this evening. [She has a wireless environment, which I always highly appreciate.] I truly do not like phone interviews because I feel so incredibly awkward and strange trying to get to know someone over the phone. However, it appears that the interview will be with the VP of internal communications. The position is: Community and Volunteer Communications Manager. I answered six essay questions the first week of August as a part of this interview process. I was actually surprised to just now be receiving a response from them.

On the computer front, I have just the software, batteries, and two cables to go. I received part of the power cord, the floppy drive, and a new case yesterday. The case is larger since the computer is larger and, consequently, heavier. However, I need to keep reminding myself to be thankful that I had the maintenance plan that makes an exchange possible when my other laptop decided that it was an oven.

I am most proud of myself for finally figuring out how to reformat the hard drive and then re-install Windows. For security purposes, I wanted to wipe my information before I returned the computer, even though it will not be sent out again since Dell considered it a physical risk. However, for the sake of honesty, I will admit that it took me approximately one and a half hours to get to the point to where I could start the reformatting process. To do so, I had to get the computer to boot from the CD-rom drive. To do that, I had to push the F12 button at just the right time as the computer restarted. After successfully getting the timing down, I had to wait for Windows to scan the system, and then put in the administrator password. Well, I had changed the password so that my password wouldn't be going back to Dell. I put in the new password, and it did not work. I kept trying, so after the third invalid attempt, it kicked me back out to a normal start. I had to wait for it to finish starting up, restart the computer, push F12 at just the right time, and then try again on the password. It was three rounds, with interminably long waits for the system parameters scan, before I figured out it wanted the old password. Finally, I could reformat the drive.

So, you see, can't you? You see why I am proud of being able to wipe my personal information?

Six more resumes went out the "door" this evening. One was an interesting position in that it was 25% office management and 75% communications for an organization that funds solar energy projects in third world countries. I could get behind that rather easily. However, all were in the heart of the city, which means wicked commutes.

~~~~
The Cowboys won yesterday! Woo Hoo! They have also clinched a playoff berth! Double Yahoo!

Of course, the Giants and Eagles won last week when the Cowboys lost, so they are only one game ahead now of the Eagles, who beat the Giants this afternoon. Next week, the Cowboys have to get on down to it and beat the Eagles. Then they can enjoy an easy final game win against Detroit.

~~~~
Tiger Woods won today. Beautiful shots and creative saves. His winnings, over a million dollars, went to his learning center in LA. The proceeds for the event went to his foundation. What a path he walks...brilliance the world has never seen on the golf course and a burden for his fellow man that marks his journey day to day. He plans and purposes to leverage his fame and his income to help provide a better tomorrow by reaching out to those who can best effect true change: the youth of today.

I spent the afternoon and evening with my writing student's family, marshalling the troops to clean while her mother was at work...and playing games.

Those brilliant kids learned a new game and promptly started beating me at it. Set has four variables players have to consider as they try to find sets in the common cards on the table. It is actually quite a cognitive challenge.

Where else, though, can I go where I can pit my brain against truly brilliant ones playing games that I enjoy?

We played Quiddler and Quorridor as well. We played and encouraged each other and applauded the winner.

Oh...and we also ate the best steak her father has ever cooked in my presence!

It was a good day.

I learned that the FBI position has been canceled. Six and a half hours of writing essays...all for naught.

Kashi's vet called and she wants to do some more tests on Kashi. He is eating some now, so perhaps whatever was bothering him is passing. He is, however, still quite clingy, which for him is completely out of the norm.

I am still trying to get the computer together, the software that is. I did figure out how to save my email messages, so I was able to transfer those. The browser bookmarks have been exported. The files have been transferred as well. I am just missing the software that I was given when I left my job. I asked the IT manager to please send me the media, but he has not done so.

I did have a successful navigation event today. Well...mostly successful.

I was at my father's house and wanted to drop something off at my writing student's house on the way home. Our three houses make something of a triangle on the map and I wanted to find a way to her house that did not include just driving to my house, then hers, then back to mine.

The navigation unit took me on this convoluted path through many unknown roads...but it worked. It did have me do a U-turn that was just silly since I could have turned in the right direction in the first place. I also seemed to make the wrong turn twice even though I was following directions. However, since I had a map on the screen that I could look at, I figured out what I needed to do to get back on the route. So, it really was a success.

Before going inside my writing student's house, I stopped to pray for a while. I just cannot express how thankful I am for a means to get this system. I hated getting lost, the panic, the shame, the frustration. I know that navigation units have glitches and funny directions and are not perfect. But having one is an absolute solace to me.

Miracles of Miracles, I actually made my way to a customer service executive at the Dell headquarters who was appalled at the trouble I am having just trying to finish the system exchange.

I received another "tech support" email today claiming that there was no exchange on my account, that I had a refurbished system, and that it was not a customer service problem.

I promptly burst into tears.

I called the number they give if you know someone's extension and just started pressing "O" until I got through to someone. Gasping over my tears, I choked out that while I knew she was not the person I needed (she was in small business sales), I was desperate for help. She listened for a while, put me on hold, and then came back with her boss's personal email. She said to send all the messages to him and he would pass them on to someone who would do something.

Just over two hours later, the executive called, apologized all over the place, and asked if it would be convenient for me to work with her to resolve everything. Three phone calls later, I believe the floppy drive is being sent, two new batteries are on their way, tech support is burning a disk with the reinstallation information, and as a small token of her regret over my discomfiture, she is adding a new laptop case since the exchange system will not fit in my old case.

Oh, there is light at the end of the tunnel.

I did try to share the wealth a bit. My best friend B has been trying to get a rebate for over a year and a half. I asked the executive if she could help her, and she promised to reimburse the payment method (i.e., credit card used) on her order if she would supply the order number and the customer number. Hopefully, B will finally see her money!

Brinks came back and repaired the repaired system, so all is well there.

The UPS driver actually told me that he did not find the package until 9:00 the previous night because it was stuck behind the seat (and drenched with water). How curious...he keyed into the system that he was at my house at 7:35 PM.

Still no sign of tape or marinade.

After waiting all day for a package, calling UPS several times before I was told that I just had to wait until after 8:30 PM, I hit refresh on the tracking screen to see that the driver had said that there was no one home to accept the package. It did not require a signature. I was home. He never came. There was no notice on my door. I called UPS and was told that they go by what is "in the system." Much tears were shed in my utter frustration. That the driver lied in the system precludes me from at least recovering the shipping charges. The package was software that I need to try and finish restoring my profile on the "exchange" laptop.

I have multiple case numbers, even more supervisor numbers, and no one from Dell who will help me with the missing components of this "even exchange" of my laptop. I have only two days left before I have to return my original system, and all my emails only result in automatic responses. More tears of frustration.

I waited all day for Brinks to come and repair the alarm system. Two hours of service later, the technician left around 6:00. Less than 10:00 minutes after he left, the system alarm started sounding a trouble alarm...I can turn it off, but it comes back on shortly. I couldn't get ahold of the technician who left. The "emergency" technician never returned my call. My plans for a night out were blown. Many, many more tears of frustration.

To top it all off, I have somehow managed to lose the Mexican dry rub marinade that I bought for the chicken. I have a tiny gallery style kitchen and it is not to be found anywhere. The tape has not shown up either.

This has been a multiple Dr. Pepper day.

I swear I would lose my head if it were not attached. I know that sounds crazy, or at least a bit extreme, but really...I would.

I bought some scotch tape yesterday to use while wrapping Dad's gifts for him. Today, I got most of the way through when I no longer could find the tape. I looked on the floor, in the boxes, beneath the table, in the kitchen, in the study, in the bathroom, and even outside where the recycling bin is (I had brought it in from the curb earlier. I am NOT going back to Target for tape. I WILL find it!

~~~~
NOTE: Wal-Mart has this great, lighted deer for $20 that would look oh, so perfect in my yard!

Dad and I are on our fourth movie. Thus far, we have watched Under Suspicion, You've Got Mail, and Quicksand. We are now beginning Primal Fear.

Dad came over so that I could take him shopping for my two nephews. I must say, I rather enjoyed spending his money. We go beginner books, Thomas the Train movie and music DVD's, Spiderman pajamas, matching sports outfits, matching rugby shirts, socks, Matchbox cars, and a Leapad book. They boys usually do not get many toys, so this was a good mix of enjoyable educational stuff, clothing, and a wee bit of entertainment.

Unfortunately, my father got lost on the way over (something that happens more and more frequently). He called and told me where he was, but I didn't recognize the descriptors he was giving me. I called my writing student's mother, and low and behold she came to the rescue for both of us and pointed me in the perfect direction.

I showed my father my new navigation system, which he thought was great...that is...until it froze on me. I had to wait until we got home to learn how to reset the device. The tech support guy was from India and there was a severe language barrier. He heard the birds in the background and kept telling me the system would work outside. I kept telling him it froze while I was on the highway. Dad raised his eyebrows further and further as I raised my voice louder and louder. Hopefully, tomorrow's demonstration will be more facile for him. I am trying not worry about the unit freezing, because I have heard that many of them do that. We shall keep our fingers crossed...I am so thankful each time I lay eyes upon the thing that I might never know the fear and confusion of being lost and unable to figure out what to do next again.

After shopping, we came home and I started loading software on the replacement system Dell sent. It is an Inspiron 1505, when I had a 600m. It has a widescreen, is larger and heavier, and does not have the features of my other system. So...do I get in a dispute with Dell or admit defeat now? My laptop case will not even fit with this one. ARGH!

Hours and hours later, I have only part of the software installed and have done countless updates for what has been installed. DOUBLE ARGH!

However, I can say that this laptop is not overheating like mine. Oughtn't that count for something?

I did cook my Chicken Enchiladas for my father, along with homemade refried beans and corn. I used some of the Archer Farms Mexican dry rub marinade in the beans and the corn. In the latter, I put some of the herbs into a pan and roasted them (I saw Emeril do that once) before adding salt and butter. Only then did I add the corn, mixing it all and heating it thoroughly. Dad was so stuffed (he finished the corn first) that he actually turned down the cookies I had made for him: butterscotch oatmeal.

So, here we are, two lumps on a couch (he is in the green chair) fully engaged in our current movie-thon. I wonder how many movies we can get in tomorrow before my step-mother calls to demand he return home...

~~~~
NOTE: Also, for the sake of honesty, I will admit that I had told my writing student's mother that I would come over and slave labor for her today. Yet...I COMPLETELY forgot that I had made plans for her until the moment she rather gently reminded me after letting me know where she thought my father might be. I felt horrible. Dad called and asked for help, and I responded with a quick assent, believing that I had nothing more to do than to continue my frustrating job search. Oh, how wrong I was. I will have to find a way to make it up to her...

Such sorrow, eh? The Cowboys (along with the Colts and Patriots) learned the hard lesson that victory does not come easy. Still, dealing well with adversity is proof of a good team. The thing to do is see how the Cowboys bounce back against Atlanta this week.

Alas, I will not be able to see the game since some cruel person decided to move late season Thursday and Saturday games to the NFL network. It would cost me an additional $13 a month to get it from my cable company (if I did the math right). Although, to be fair I must admit that in doing so I would also get the Golf Channel, something I have been yearning to view.

Well, my life, as I knew it, has changed.

Tonight, I experienced a fluffernutter sandwich for the very first time. Wow! Who knew that they put marshmallows in a jar? I wonder what genius gave spark to such a wonderful idea!

I was mostly full from eating more chicken enchiladas this afternoon, so I thought I would just have a sandwich. When I went to Target, I saw a jar of fluff and bought it because my friend W had once waxed poetically about the savory delights of fluffernutter sandwiches. At the time, I didn't understand what she was talking about because I did not know what fluff was. When she mentioned it again this week, I asked her about fluff and she told me what it was. I still didn't really understand what she meant. Now I do.

Of course, I am even more stuffed than this afternoon. Yet...can I really complain? Health nuts the world over are shuddering at the thought of a peanut butter sandwich with softened marshmallow cream, but...hey...sometimes the fat and calories and carbohydrates are really, really, really worth it!

I made chicken enchiladas using the recipe my writing student's sister followed earlier this week. In doing so, I was pleasantly surprised to discover that I could replicate her success. I did make a couple of changes, though.

I found some Mexican dry rub marinade spices at Target, made by Archer Farms. It comes in a type for chicken and a type for beef. So, I rub some of the spices on the chicken and then drizzled olive oil over it before sauteing it in a pan. The spices were an added cook to the overall taste, if you ask me.

I also put a handful of cheese inside before wrapping them like burritos (they fit in the pan better that way).

All in all...a rather tasty meal, if you ask me:

~~~~

Chicken Enchiladas


Ingredients:
3 chicken breasts
Salt and pepper
1 small can chopped green chilies
1 10 oz can evaporated milk
1 10 oz can enchilada sauce
10 or so flour tortillas
Cheese (preferably Monterey jack)

Directions:
First salt and pepper the chicken and then cook it in a frying pan with a bit of olive oil. Then put it in the quisenart or blender and grind it up (or you can pull it with a fork). Then mix in the chilies. Mix together the Evap. Milk and Enchilada sauce. Roll up about 3-4 spoonfuls of chicken into each tortilla and pour over enchilada sauce mixture. And top with cheese. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes.

I got an email from a VP at the Red Cross today. He had just received my resume and wanted to know if I still wanted to be considered for the position. The funny thing is that I had sent in my resume for the position in August!

I wonder if I will be called in for an interview...

I am quite tired of being unemployed. I know...I know I should savor the time to write and be with Kashi. I know I should not worry. I believe God is sovereign and sovereign even in this time. I know this to be true. I just wish my feelings would more closely align with my knowledge!

I spent the day helping out my writing student's mother. I helped marshall the troops to clean up her house, well 4 of the 5 kids. The youngest son was the star trooper of the day, not only pitching in, but not complaining about any of the work.

The kitchen cabinets, drawer, and refrigerator were cleaned out, as was the linen closet and chest by the front door. Personally, I would mind borrowing all the helpers to plow through my own closets and drawers.

I enjoyed helping out, but I am totally and completely shagged. Cleanliness is hard work!

~~~~
If you didn't notice, pigs were flying last Friday night!

I actually received the gift certificates from Capital One. I opened the package and then promptly placed the order for the navigation system. Today, after programming in my friend's addresses into the unit, I used it to drive over my writing student's house to see how it works. I cannot begin to tell you how good I felt following the directions.

I am hoping that the frightening times of being lost on the road are a thing of the past for me now.

The interview went fairly well, and I felt a wee bit better about the company than I had anticipated. The two women with whom I met were kind and welcoming. The latter was quite honest in some of the pitfalls of the job. I would not be doing any design work for them as they outsource all of that. Text only in provided templates.

I supposed I could find some measure of satisfaction being basically a hired pen for the Environmental Protection Agency (their biggest client), but this job really would be a step off a communications career path.

I would be very surprised if this were a door the Lord opens for me. Surprised and flummoxed. Could you imagine working with science researchers day in and day out???????

But, alas, actually getting a job would be rather good just now. [SIGH]

~~~~
Today, I returned some pants that were a year old (but never worn since I discovered a stripe down the side of them when I got home...I sort of kept forgetting to visit the store), cashed in all my coupons that I had been hoarding (Chico's sends you $10 on your b-day, the magazine had a $50 coupon, and my regular shopgal sends me $10 periodically to lure me back into the store), and ended up with three jackets (two blazers one Mandarins style) that can be worn with several of my existing slacks and skirts) for the grand old total of a nickel.

Since I am now better set in professional attire...that job should be just around the corner, eh?

~~~~
Kashi surprised me by eating twice more late this evening. He kept barking at me, so I fed him two more meals, three tablespoons each. Of course, he then spent about an hour and a half whimpering.

I wonder if he ate too much...even if all three meals were less than he usually eats in a day.

I have been prepping for my interview tomorrow. After reading through every page of the website (should I get this position there would be a HUGE learning curve), I made the following notes to share my "thoughts" about the company:


“Children’s Health Protection”
Does this work also entail targeting the “next generation” itself? Children are increasingly becoming accustomed to “necessities” that are a key factor in environmental stress and conservation obstacles (disposable technology, plastic ‘everything,’ etc.). Many schools have successful recycling programs, and often youth have picked up on this campaign and enlarged the practice or brought light to the need in their larger community. However, given the lack of science and math progress in American schools, providing pedagogical tools, training, and methodologies directly to educators, targeting the public, private, and home school market, could help alleviate these issues in the future since water, energy, and environment issues are heavy on math and science. Think of the impact of just one school district that adopted the change a light campaign from the classroom to the boardroom to the home.

In short, we would grow a generation of “tree huggers” who learn to ask the tough questions from the moment they begin their studies. What is the real cost of bottled water? What happens to those computers and cell phones we toss aside for the new models? Who is responsible for responsible waste measures?

“Plain Language documents”
Are these for small business owners only or do you provide materials for employees, those on the front lines implementing conservation measures? Do these documents take into account “ESL” factors given the diversity in American small business?

Methodological Rapprochement
I am curious as to the qualitative research measures undertaken by Cadmus. I would have expected quantitative methodologies, especially statistical analysis, but what sources of “rich” data are gathered and utilized?

Cadmus Website
Have you considered having real world examples (sample surveys, reports, etc.) on your website? Have you considered having an informative section with links to ESH research, agencies, and news?


Hmm...will they be impressed by my abilility to think critically on short notice?

Is this not a great day?

Oh, my 'Boys stepped up to the plate and put away the Giants in a nail-biter of a game. I was worried. It was a slugfest where neither team could really pull ahead. At the end there, however, Romo fired a ground devouring bullet to put them in field goal position. Gramatica then stepped up to the plate and booted the ball straight through the uprights to deliver a win for the Cowboys.

Woohoo! Yippee!

I am quite thrilled that they won. I reveled in gazing upon the standings to see the Cowboys right atop their division with a two game lead over our nearest competitor--the competitor whose hopes we had just squashed. And I savored the Cowboy highlights during the day's recap.

Having been a faithful Cowboy fan through our recent challenges, I am glad that we now have a few bright spots to celebrate...and celebrate with hope for the future.

Loyalty and patience do have their reward!

I received a call asking me if I was interested in an interview.

An interview? Yes. But why this company?

The job is a writer/editor position for a consulting company with clients in the energy, water, and conservation industries.

You might think I've lost my marbles, but I am extremely intimidated at the thought of being a "writer" for a living. I mean, I write nearly every day. I write here on this blog and a few others. I write email. I write poetry. I write stories. I write novels.

In my past job, I wrote letters, reports, press releases, article, strategic plans, policies, ads, invitations, website text, marketing collateral, etc. As a professor, I wrote articles, book chapters, lesson plans, lectures, etc.

In short, I have been crafting the written word with care since the seventh grade (the first time I ever submitted a piece of writing for publication).

But this would be different. I would be "The Writer." Someone presented to client after client to meeting their messaging needs. I have never been a journalist. I have never wanted to be...mostly because I have little confidence that I could succeed at doing so.

I am grateful for the opportunity at a job...I am just nervous about a possible positive outcome!

I have lights!

It is strange, but the first three holiday seasons that I was a homeowner, I somehow did not managed to put up lights. I really like lights and find them rather cheering on an otherwise dreary winter day.

So, I decided that I get out the old charge card and treat myself to a small set of lights. I strung white lights along the fence, on the bushes in the front yard, and around the trunk of my crape myrtle tree. I put colored lights in the top of the tree, but if you look carefully, the top fourth of the tree is barren. Even standing on a step-ladder, I could not quite reach high enough. Being somewhat of a perfectionist, I would have preferred to have the lights go up to the top of the tree. I also wanted them up on the roofline, but I am quite nervous about standing on the extension ladder. However, despite these minor imperfections, I am quite pleased that I have lights!

They look mighty good with the small Christmas tree in the yard, eh?

Kashi is not sure what he thinks of them. When I opened the door, he was rather reluctant to go outside so that we could take our walk. When we arrived back at the house, I had to practically drag him up to the front door. Perhaps he will get used to them...