Back in the saddle
I think I’ve fixed it. I spent the day installing a new keyboard and palm rest (who knew the trackpad was a whole big assembly thing?), and so far, so good. Now I just have to recover everything I lost when I did the system restore, and I’ll be back in business. In a way, it’s kind of good - starting fresh is always interesting.
I went to the state fair yesterday with Wia and Emma (and, of course, their parents). We had lots of fun - the girls were kind of underwhelmed by the animals, although the piglets, bunnies, and donkeys were a big hit. Also, I saw Casey and her daughter - but did I say anything? No. I’m a big dork. It was one of those instance where you’re not quite sure if you saw the person you think you did, and once you realize it actually was that person, it’s too late. Hey, the fair was crowded! The highlight of the trip, however, was the JUMBO strawberry shortcake. So, so good. I had to share it, but that was fine. Sadly, I only had time to take a couple of pictures… I find I’m really self-conscious about taking pictures of things other than family in public places, but it has more to do with the fact that I don’t know what the crap I’m doing than being worried about offending anyone. Which is too bad, considering I could use the practice.
There was this terribly cute exhibit called Little Hands on the Farm, and I think Wia is just the right age - she really seemed to enjoy it. The kids got an apron to wear and a little bushel basket to collect all their items.
They got cute little hats with the Pioneer logo.
And of course, she got to plant some “seeds”. There was a guy just on the other side of RC turning the sand in the sandbox, but being at the state fair, I doubt he found many “surprises”.
No zoo for me
I took a vacation day today. I needed a bit of a mental health day… in case you hadn’t noticed from earlier posts, I’m so over my job right now it ain’t funny. I’m feeling a bit stuck between a rock and a hard place, as it were; I don’t actually have a college degree, and while my current position is kind of an industry standard, it’s different in the “outside world”, so it makes me nervous to think of looking somewhere else. I’m afraid that I don’t have enough experience with industry-standard tools and techniques. I’ve also been given the opportunity lately to broaden my horizons a bit and dabble in project management, which makes me think maybe I should stick around and see where that goes. Of course, I’m not confident that my current manager would recommend me for any other job at this point - he’s kind of a pinhead. In our very first one-to-one meeting almost 2 years ago, he made sure to tell me two things: 1) he very rarely finds fault with anything he does, and 2) he tends to focus on the negative in regards to job performance, because he’s sure you’re already aware of the positive. What a winner. Anyway, it’s all those negatives, like not arriving before 9am (clearly he has no idea how many other people arrive at 9am) or only working 40 hours a week (they don’t pay me for more than that, but I’d work more if it was needed), or not showing enough leadership (he needs to brush up on his Myers-Briggs, I think; the I stands for Introverted, which doesn’t exactly translate to LEADER). Anyway, I just needed a long weekend to recoup a little.
I made plans with my sister-in-law to go with her, Wia, and Emma to the zoo today. Naturally when my alarm went off this morning at 7, the rolling thunder began. And I’m not talking about the sound of lastnight’s gastronomy experiment from El Rodeo Mexican Restaurant… I’m talking about actual thunder. The kind that accompanies a downpour of rain. I checked the radar, and it looked like there was a big front coming through, and “scattered thunderstorms” were forecast for the entire day. I went ahead and showered and headed over to meet the girls; I figured at the very least, I could stick around and play until after lunch. It had stopped raining right around the time I got there, but no one was ready to go, and we figured it would start up again at any minute… right. Nope. No more rain today. We could totally have gone to the zoo, but the weatherman LIED. Why do we trust them at all? Why? I was bummed. I was really looking forward to the koalas.
Filed under emma, indignities, wia | Comment (0)My girls
I have the cutest nieces. I don’t know what I ever did before they came along… I love ‘em to bits and pieces. Wia (which is what she calls herself) is 2-1/2 years old, and is such a little person. She’s one of the smartest kids I know, I think because all of us have always talked to her like a little adult rather than a baby. She’s definitely starting to test everyone, and I warned my brother lastnight that he really needs to watch out for the threes. She’s the apple of my eye, and totally knows it.
Emma is 17 months old, and she’s really starting to blossom. She’s always been a little more standoffish than Wia was, but now she’s getting to the point where she wants to be in the mix. She’ll still sit and entertain herself, but she’s also the one who brings a book and sits herself down in your lap to read. She wants to do everything Wia does, but she’ll also blaze her own trails. Her vocabulary has really expanded in the last couple of weeks, but a lot of what she says is still gibberish. I know she thinks she’s giving us the what for, but we just aren’t getting it!
I went to visit the girls yesterday afternoon while my brother and sister-in-law went out. I always have a ton of fun with the girls, and the last couple of times I’ve been over we haven’t even touched a toy. We just entertain each other. Lastnight, in fact, we entertained each other by playing with Aunt Amanda’s expensive camera and mobile phone. Probably not the smartest idea, but I got some cute footage…
Wia & Emma, May 11, 2008 from Amanda on Vimeo.
Seriously. I can barely stand the cute.
Filed under emma, family, movies, wia | Comments (2)
