Coming Soon. A new post. Edited to add: Instructions that do work on how to post here.

Too much happening and no time. I'll get to it soon. in the meantime if someone wants to start a topic, go ahead and i'll add it to the subject line at the top later.

See second comment below for instructions.

Charr, and anyone else having trouble, I just tested these instructions and they do really work. The secret is being sure that you sign in to your google account BEFORE posting. then you must UNCHECK the box that says STAY SIGNED IN. I just did a test by trying to see if i could sign in and click ON that box, but it doesn't let me post. So if you follow those instructions it does work. I think only pc users have this issue. I don't know why blogger doesn't fix this. It used to not be a problem until the last few months.

Ten Items or Less....

My friend Julie (who posts here infrequently, though she should post here more... ) gave me this idea for a blog post. It's from a movie starring Morgan Freeman and one of those kids who have been in movies recently (Superbad?) ...anyway. here is what it's about.

List 10 things.

• List 10 things that you want to keep.
• List 10 things that you want to lose.

(Don't list the obvious, like your family, we all know that's a given. )

Here are mine.... And i have to say i am going into this knowing i already don't know what i might say beyond #1 and #2..

What i Want to Keep:

1. My belief about standing up for what i believe in, even when i know someone, maybe many people, might think i am wrong.

2. My ability to run. i know this is related to health, but it's something i've done for more than half my life (31+ years) and when that day comes that i can no longer run, i know that will be a hard day.

3. I want to keep all things that are in my trunk. My trunk is filled with letters, thank you cards, emails from my nieces Kylee, Ashley, and Brian and Josh, writings from when i was in high school, letters from my dad when he was on military leave in Japan away from us, homework from my civics class where i gave my opinions about politics at the age of 17.

4. I really want to keep my books. Even the ones in storage.

5. And my iTunes library. All 5400+ tunes.

6. I have a pasta bowl i really really love. I hate to think that it might break one day. And i hate to think that someone other than myself would break it cause i don't want to hold it against them. (That's why i always choose to wash it)  It's stupid i know, but i love that bowl.

7. I am not a jewelry person at all whatsovever. But my first husband bought me a set of Mikimoto pearls that are the best piece of jewelry i own. I don't wear them. But i like that they are somewhat of a heirloom. And i want them because i want to leave them to my niece Ashley . She doesn't even have to wear them. (Or maybe she could as a bracelet).) I just want to leave her an heirloom. One oldest daughter to another.

8. My husband said i should say i would love to keep my journals. But the truth is i am not sure, I wrote those in a past life that i don't really care to revisit and i would rather not lose the stuff i wrote here on my blog more than what i wrote in my journals from decades ago.

So i think i only have 8 thinks i want to keep.

Here are 7 things i want to lose: (I tried to do 10, but i can't)

1. I want to lose  this feeling of not knowing what my future will bring.

2. I wouldn't mind losing this iMac computer right now because it's becoming apparent to me that it's not all that after all until i learn it.

3. I want to lost that attitude that i don't like learning things.

4. I wouldn't mind losing one of our three vehicles. Not mine, of course. But i wish my husband would get rid of one of his two cars and make a decision soon about buying a  new one. This has gone on for over a year and a half now.

5. I would like to lose my Facebook account. I wouldn't miss it at all. i think.

6. I would hate to lose my eyesight. Shoot me now because it means i can't read.

7. i would hate to lose the money i have been saving for so long by whatever reason. The stock market, unemployment, posting bail for murder. i love having money in savings.

I don't think i can do a number 8,


Ten is obviously too many for me. Maybe it is for you too. Try to do 5 things if you can't do 10.

I think i could be a flight attendant if i didn't hate to fly! PLUS my new favorite commercial!

The reason i say this is because i have been hanging out in a hotel room suite (with a full kitchen) on this assignment this week and it's kind of cool. (EXCEPT i really miss my fabulous high thread count sheets!...and my down pillow too.)

I am working a little bit longer hours. Today i got back here after 7:00 and turned on the TV to Friends marathon on Nickelodeon and just poured a glass of wine. And before i go to bed i'll email Brian and maybe read. No chores whatsoever.... I think i could like doing this every once in awhile, but not too much or i would miss my husband. But temporary hotel living  goes along with my lazybones self. Last night i got Red Lobster takeout cause it was a walk down the street. I expected it to be a lame meal on par with Olive Garden, but it was actually a pretty nice shrimp and lobster half size order of pasta. I might go back there tomorrow.


I keep trying to keep reusing my towels by folding them all nicely but the maid won't let me. She keeps taking them and replacing them. I wonder maybe if i didn't tip her every day if she would let me be more environmental! lol. (Don't tell Al! I always tell my husband i'm telling Al when he throws tin cans in the garbage instead of the recycle.)

About the commercial video: I LOVE Dean Winters from the Mayhem like Me commercials and my new TV obsession of Rescue Me where he plays the Irish cop brother Johnny Gavin to firefighter Denis Leary's deeply flawed character Tommy Gavin.

OK on with the regular randomness (no Menu of the Day today)....


1. I am watching Anderson Cooper right now. Isn't it weird that it was 10 whole years ago since 9-11? Have i mentioned on here that i think Dr. Sanjay is kind of hot?


2. Having said that i don't really want to commemorate this day. I don't like thinking of the dates when loved ones died either. And when i see those shrines on fences or the side of the road where people died in car accidents i don't get it. I would rather leave flowers where they were born. or better yet where they were conceived! ;)


3. I am reading Hotel at the Corner of Bitter and Sweet right now. Is anyone else reading this? Did you like it if you did? I just am getting into it. If i haven't already said, i read A LOT of books this summer. And i would pick Cutting for Stone as my very favorite of all.


4. I still don't know much about what my union is doing and i'm still in a state of unknown. They are still bargaining. It's surprising me how i am not obsessing about this and just waiting for whatever happens. The date may get extended to Sept. 19th i hear. i still haven't heard from the school district on the school secretary job that I applied for.  

 5. Is Amanda Knox guilty? They just showed her on CNN because she's back in court.  I don't know. I think i would like to read the book and decide. If she wasn't so pretty and this wasn't a sex murder, would this even be on CNN?


6. That's a jury i would NOT want to be on. Or maybe i would be. Is it in Italy right? I could just get my Xanax filled so i could get on the plane and then get myself sequestered in a HOTEL! And maybe later get myself interviewed by Anderson Cooper and write a book!


7. It was 96 degrees here today! The hottest day all year that i've had. I was inside writing newsletters and working on a database for the union i'm helping right now so i never really felt it. But i did decide not to run, which was my plan.


8. I am rather happy that it's fall and back to school now. I wish the autumn season just lasted longer and winter was about 8 weeks shorter. That would be just about perfect. I could never live where it's always warm and sunny.


9. I'm going to sign off cause this is boring. I'll post when i know more about my future. I'm trying not to let it weigh on my mind, but i think it is and it's kind of messing with my mojo.

In a state of flux...but it's been a good thing.

I am never very good when i feel this way. I had avery anxious weekend trying to figure out what i was going to do when my union contract expired, as it did Aug. 31. (They have been bargaining since March!) But i have it all figured out now.

I've been talking on this blog off and on about how I am somewhat disillusion about my job in unions. Mostly it has been with my own union. We have a great contract already.( If i listed all the benefits you would be amazed that someone like me, without a college degree, could have the perks and salary that i do. ) In a word, we can be pretty freaking greedy when we bargain. I always hate the drama of it.

So my union is talking strike because they could not reach agreement Aug. 31 and our contract expired and now we are working under an extension. The big issue is pension plan take-aways because our plan is underfunded. Management thankfully allowed those of us who are eligible to retire (like me) to submit a letter of intent  so that we will be grandfathered to retire under the old pension plan. Yesterday they let us extent the date of our letter too. I have until Sept. 14 to make a decision.

My union continues to bargain. Today i was told it looks like we are headed for a strike.

I cannot in good conscience vote for a strike. I am not even certain in good economic times I would vote to strike, but certainly not now.  On Saturday, on a lark, I applied online for a school job. And within  within two days and working late (and with louielouie's help) I now have all of my paperwork in order, including four letters of recommendations, a cover letter, and a resume. I have done SOOO many resumes for friends, but not one for myself in 23 years. It's not easy to write your own resume. But i think it looks good.

I am applying for a job that is not much money, less hours, even more time off during the summer than i have. I would get to work around little kids. The District  may not be interested because i am overqualified, but it's just the kind of job i want post retirement: not the major responsibility for the office, task orientated duties, face paced.

I suppose it's possible they also might not want someone from the union. I don't know how to let them know i am not a rebel rouser without throwing my employer under the bus and seeming to be disloyal.

There are 3 options and i have a plan for all of them now.

#1 If my union calls for a strike before Sept. 14  i will retire no matter what. I'll buy a Kindle (or an iPad), a sewing machine and join the YMCA again and take bowling lessons.)

#2. If the school calls me and wants to hire me, i will take this new job, regardless of what my union decides and will retire and collect my pension.

#3 If my union gets it done without a strike and the school doesn't call then I will work for one more year and retire in June instead.

I like scenario #3 the best because i may end up with getting to add vacation time to the pension if they get to keep it in this bargain. I wouldn't get it now cause i didn't expect this to happen and i took it all. Plus I like the people i work with and i don't want to have to desert them suddenly.


In the meantime my headquarters boss just called me today to go work a strike build-up of a different school district union -which is what our work is all about. Helping school employees. This assignment is about 2 hours away. I'll be put up in a hotel and gone about a week. This same boss wrote me a reference letter for the job and it was almost over the top. He's always liked me because when he wants to tap me for outside committee work i am always willing. The problem is that it may make it difficult to be in touch with the school district on the chance they do call me. I think i am going to have to get a cell phone!!!!! He did say i could leave as needed if i got an interview.

I have been excited since i made all these decisions on Monday. More so than i've been in a very long time. I realize i've been in a rut and allowing myself to stay where it's comfortable, even though i'm not loving it as much as i used to. It's never good to stay just because of money. So at least, no matter what happens I am going to get off my butt one way or another and June 1st is the longest i will be working there, no matter if i have something lined up or not.

I always feel so much better when i have a plan. I know this is long and rather boring and leaves the participatory stuff out, but then again not much is happening here anyway, and i wanted to put this down for the record so i can read this later a year from now and see where i am.