What is the best, most entertaining or most valuable, thing you did today? Bragging Thread!!

It is still very early today, so I'll have to open with something quite minor: I made an awesomely delish cafe latte this morning.

Perhaps, I'll return towards the end of the day with something to top that! Or maybe it will be a mundane, mediocre day.

I bought Tom Waits's new album, "Bad As Me". It was released today. :-)

I came up with the idea to dress my mother up for Halloween: I will cover her (in her wheelchair) with fake spider webs, give her a squirt gun, and park her with the scarecrows in the lobby of her nursing home. She thinks I'm only kidding.

The staff are quite excited about it. They want her to do that for their party in The Haunted House . At the moment she has a bad cough, but if it clears up by Halloween she'll have a good time. The poor woman has missed all of the good gatherings for the last several weeks because she's been sick so I really hope it works out.

I strung those fake cobwebs all over the front of my house. Cool. Spooky... kinda. Good for the go....

I sucked up to my boss. Don't know if thats entertaining or valuable but hopefully It will help me keep my job

hm....entertaining, well for me anyway, I went hiking around the reservoir that waters Nashville. I saw lots of colorful trees, a herd of turkeys, some deer, spiders and two lakes.

One of the most amusing typos ever from a student's exam. I can't explain it here, because it's a linguistic joke (and I don't want to embarrass my student!).

I'm at a writing retreat till Thursday, and did 4 1/2 pages today and finished the chapter.

I washed Venetian blinds, polished a wood floor, washed walls and cleaned all the furniture for my new den. I am a happy girl.

I took the garbage out AND loaded the dishwasher.

I went out to dinner with my husband and his coworkers. They're a fun lot.

My half-hour drive home took five hours last night due to heavy rain causing spot-flooding which snarlled up the traffic.

Toss up between going out for dinner with my best friend and his gf, and hanging out in the Microsoft store playing a next gen space invaders like game on the Microsoft Surface (imagine a giant, table size touchscreen).

#13 Paige Invaders is a good time, especially if you're a Foxtrot fan. :)

#4 ~~ Fake cobwebs? Hmmmm. I've got the real ones all over my house. I've been saving them for Halloween. Yeah, that's it, I've been saving them as decorations.
*stand back so you don't get struck by the lightening*

I spent this afternoon exploring the new library of Stuttgart, which is right next to my school. I'm still not sure if I like the architecture or not, one the one hand it's pretty impressive and modern and some parts look great, but it also seems a bit sterile and from the outside it looks more like a fortress, mostly because construction hasn't even begun of most of the buildings around the library. But it's definitely an improvement on the old one, which was prettier but also way too small.

Here and here are a few pictures.

Spent some time with a friend working out how we get from knowing we have a new species of tree in our province to describing it.

>15 millhold: I'm not the only one!!!! So nice to know.

Being the farsighted person I am and knowing that our teachers sometimes are not, I sent out an email this morning to advise them that I can't guarantee getting any printing done on Wednesday. I work 6 hours in the library (a ten-month job) and 2 in the copy room (a nine-month job) and nine-month employees have to take 2 furlough days. Well, they read their emails and have loaded me with copying! That'll teach me! Luckily the copy room is next door and it's been a quiet day so I've been able to slip in and program a few jobs at a time.

yes we cultivate ours all year!

Went wandering on Youtube and found a HORRID cartoon version of the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe made in 1977. Mr Tumnus was, I kid you not, dark purple with green hair! Some of the worst voice acting I've heard, though that may in part be the fact that it was 70's vintage. Still, always fun to see alternate versions of childhood favorites.

Printing the final copies of my thesis for hard-binding! Huzzah!

entertaining: bought my cats a new catnip pillow
valuable (but not easy): I was acting vice principal today and helped the officer and child welfare worker get a student to a safe place for the night. Long day.
comforting: I'm making apple pie filling to freeze for future pies, mmmmm

#22 - and quite valuable indeed.

23: Seconded. Not sure what happened, and I don't expect we'll find out, but kids in trouble always seem to tug at my heart strings.

Spent most of the day running errands. Have I ever mentioned how much I hate running errands? Anyway, they are done, and I am prepared for the six day workweek I have ahead of me.

Outside the Grocery Outlet store, a man asked me if I would buy some peanutbutter for him. I've never been asked for food before, just money, so I told him certainly and asked what kind he liked. Bought him some graham crackers to put it on too. I wanted to buy him a healthy kind, but bought the Goober kind with jelly mixed in that he asked for. :)

The best thing I did today was read #25. You rock, MrsLee.

Yes, MrsLee, you did do a good thing. We should all find one to do, everyday. The world surely can stand more good hearts.

27>

So true. Even with its flaws (which really arent that prominent at the ground level) this is one of the great things about Scouting. According to the Boy Scout manual (at least at conception and up through the fifties) part of being a fully participatory citizen is to be of service to your community and the individuals in it.

Its still early, but so far today Id say the best/most entertaining/valuable thing Ive done today is my morning walk. Valuable in terms of exercise and social interaction which I seem to get precious little of being out of school and unemployed. Spending weekday mornings at the local coffee shop doesn't exactly count.

I went to visit a friend and her two little boys today. She moved to a new neighbourhood right about the time she had her first son, and as a result all her friends there are other mums. So she finds that her new friends only know her as "Jas's Mum", not who she feels she really is. So she really appreciates visits from her old friends when we can make time to go and see her.

#25 That is really cool! Thanks for helping him out!

I read 4 chapters of Dragonsinger and read Dragonsong yesterday. The trilogy is kinda my security blanket when I'm feeling down.

I helped an older lady learn the basics of internet searching today, whilst at my job. Entirely by phone I taught her about bookmarking, how to click on buttons to open other pages, how to refresh a page. She didn't quite understand how to type a URL in though. Had to send her the relevant one by email for her to click on!

32: I keep telling such older people: play with it, mash buttons, and if you break something, turn the computer off and start again; it won't explode. Nobody believes me, though, claiming that they're "too old to learn". I refer them to such images when they make those claims.




I know, the second individual isn't so old, and neither may be so bad off, but it's what came up when I plugged the words third world countries iphone into the search engine, and it kinda gets the point across. The psychology behind it is that they haven't grown up with it being an unattainable their whole lives, you know? Then their excuse becomes, "Only smart people know how to work that stuff." ~_~

Edit: I cleaned up the terror that was that first sentence.

#32 - Get your halo on! That is a wonderful thing to be able to teach with patience and help an elderly person gain confidence. Most people are in such a hurry, when all it takes is a quiet minute to enrich someones life. :)

#34 - My dad is the impatient type. He wants to help, but he gets irritable if you don't get it fast enough. My husband's had to teach me how to ask for help, and that it's all right to be wrong. ^^;

Lots of parents seem to fall into the trap of being first frustrated and then seemingly angry when their kids don't seem to "get it" fast enough. Wow, I can't tell you how many kids I've reassured that it is OK to make mistakes when you are learning something because after all, if you make no mistakes, then you don't need to learn it. You already know it.

I think parents are frequently angry with themselves for not knowing how to explain something better so their kid does "get it".

It's true, Maggie: this lady kept apologising and I had to keep telling her it was fine and I was truly happy to help. I was, actually. We had a great conversation the whole time. The cutest part was when she was attempting to click on 'sign up now' in text rather than the 'sign up now' button. Took 5 minutes before I worked out what she was doing hehe.

And Mrs Lee: blush

I got to run the firetruck pump at a real fire this morning! It was the truck that was out of service during our training, so I hadn't run it's pump before, and it is quite different than the two we did most training on. I had 3 attack lines and a supply line to another truck to manage. I did have to ask some questions, but it went OK, I think.

Sadly, someone's house burnt, although everyone got out OK, and we managed to save some of their possessions. I don't know if the house is repairable, and I hope they had insurance!

The fire was pretty much out when I had to leave to go to work.

Finished making a few "pumpkin" lights using pint canning jars, orange tissue paper, decopage medium, and black construction paper "faces." The best one so far has a kitty face with whiskers. They're for our church Halloween party on Saturday.

took my students swimming today. We get to do lessons with them once a year. They love it!!

You guys all do such nice things, and good things, and things for which people are very grateful (looking at you, NorthernStar)! I am so happy to have you all as friends.

I took a nap today. It's probably going to ruin me for tonight, but I got so little sleep over my four-day weekend that I hope I'm only "catching up".

started NaNoWriMo!

CLEANING MY NEW APARTMENT.

I came across You-ARE-Loved.org. It is a website committed to raising awareness of tampon-related Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS) and providing factual information about menstruation. It began when Lisa Elifritz lost her 20-year-old daughter, Amy Rae Elifritz, to tampon-related TSS on June 13, 2010. The website features blogs, survival stories, and resources. I kinda think this deserves its own thread, but I'd put it to a vote.

It was actually yesterday but I bought a book on my brand new kindle that my online bookclub is going to read in December. It's so exciting because I haven't participated in it for 2-3 years - I dropped out when my depression hit overload. I say dropped out like it was a conscious decision..I just faded away. So yeah, I'm excited!

I completed a Gift Aid return for my church, so they can claim 25% extra on donations from the taxes paid by donors. I absolutely loathe this task as I am not good with numbers, and believe that Excel is out to get me, but I do get a sense of satisfaction when I hear that we're getting a large sum of money back from the taxman.

I was woken up at midnight by a text message alert. My daughter was letting me know she has just gotten engaged. :-) That'll be two daughters getting married next year.

On my way to work I helped a blind-man across the road. While holding his upper arm with my right hand I was holding my umbrella in my left hand. Of course the wind blew the umbrella inside out.

My eldest son is graduating today with is MA in Society in Space.

It's turning out to be a pretty good day so far, and it's only 11:10 hrs.

Congratulations, pgmcc. Success and happiness of your children is a huge reward !!!!

I gave Rico, the big black-and-white cat who lives over the road, a really good scratch all along his left side and behind his left ear. Given that the poor lad lost his rear left leg in a road accident last year, this is something he's unable to do for himself. I always know when I've hit the right spot, because his stump starts twitching frantically and he purrs like crazy ...!

#49 Thank you, maggie1944.

I actually taught a group of 24 Kindergarteners an art lesson in 30 minutes. I explained who Jacob Lawrence was, what was special about his methods, we looked at one of his pictures together, then the kids took paper, glue, scissors and pieces of paper and glued down a picture of their own, inspired by Lawrence, of course. I did have two fine adult assistants (the teacher and a Mom) who helped with the blizzard of pieces of paper. Whew.

The teacher declared it a success, just right for the kids' developmental level (and that is the challenge with Kindergarteners). Best yet, I declared it a success also!!!!!

Too fun. Next lesson....December 1st.

Very fun maggie! Sounds like a great lesson, too. I had to Google his images, very nice.

#16

Octane,

The more I look at the pictures of your new library the more I like it. I especially like the open stairwells. As you mentioned, the exterior will look better when surrounded by other buildings. You are very lucky. Many libraries in the US have had significant budget cuts resulting in cutbacks in hours of operation and even closings. My library has not been effected much so far.

I'm encouraging people to vote for Worst Toy of the Year.

http://www.commercialfreechildhood.org/actions/toady2011.html

>55 justjukka:--Ugh! They're all winners (or is it losers?) as far as I can tell.

56: It was a tough call, but I went with the microphone.

I'm fixing yet another friend's computer. I have become the de facto computer guru round here. Not that I know so much, just that everyone else knows far less than me. Which is pretty damn scary.

Unplug. Reboot.

(This is what I know)

Bragging: made some homemade chili, totally without a recipe, or even being very sure I knew what I was doing. Of course, it is not a difficult dish, but nonetheless, it was delish! Guests enjoyed and even took some home for their men folk (who did not attend the all girls birthday party). Lucky guys. Lucky women who did not have to cook, today.

I voted for the dolls :-)

Yup ~ that's my good deed for the day. :-/

most entertaining ~ watched Manny Paciao (sp?) win his title fight, my first boxing match, yay!

Actually, I need to brag about the whole birthday party thing this last Friday. Since I moved to be closer to my niece and her family, so that I can help with her kids, I find myself quite far from friends and activities established prior to my taking on the kid-care thing. I have been feeling isolated and more lonely than I was admitting.

So, what a great chance to step up and celebrate my friends. Invited as many women as I could imagine would be willing to drive the 45 minutes - 2 hours it takes to come to my house to a 11-11-11 birthday bash. Hoped to have 11 women in my home, due to a few last minute cancellations we were only 10, and what a good time we had. Plenty of fun, food, and laughter. I am glad I was able to make my own birthday party.

Had a delightful lunch and conversation my friend, Philip, at Pei Wei's, a Chinese diner run by P. F. Chang. It was delicious! It also is reasonably priced. You order at the front counter and they bring the freshly wok-cooked food to your table. We had lettuce wraps, crab wontons, beef lo mein and sesame chicken.

#58 majkia Your post reminded me of a quotation. I can't remember the source; I think it may have been Peter Ustinov. Anyway, it goes:

People get the title of "expert" not because they are a genius but because most people can't count over fouteen.

#64 I'm at an age where I can use this one without blushing:

EX means 'past your sell-by date', and a SPURT is just a drip under pressure.

#64 and 65 : ROFL so true in both cases!

I drove my husband to work this morning so he could get an extra hour of sleep.

Is it wrong to post something political here when it could affect our website? Today, Congress is holding a hearing on the first American Internet censorship system. I'm letting people know about it.

http://americancensorship.org/

I DID NOT buy an iPad today. My friend bought one, and I was standing right next to her, salivating... Pavlovian reflex, of course.

Oh, I just *love* my iPad. The wife needed to go by JoAnn's fabric for quilting supplies this evening - she dropped me off at Starbucks and I got caught up on LT with the pad while she did her thing...

Woke up this morning to a cold house. We were out of fuel. Got up and pumped five cans of heating oil in -33 temps to keep the house warm.

The Redhead served me brunch (French toast and bacon) for that. Then this afternoon changed a broken headlight, which, given my mechanical skills, is pretty damn amazing!!!

You just bloom in the cold, don't you? Impressive.

Groxx and I have been sorting through stuff all day. We might actually get things cleared up before our friend arrives on Thursday. :)

My daughter and I rescued an injured porcupine from our front yard today and took him to an animal sanctuary where they will care for him until he is healed. Tricky thing getting a porcupine into a crate.

Hah lucky porcy! I was just going to post that I saved a butterfly that had flown into our RV. Chased that little guy around for five minutes trying to catch him.

I am currently folding all the garbage I received from Capital One into it's postage-free "business reply" envelope. I plan on sending it back to them, sans application form. Does that fall under "tampering with this envelope or its contents"?

Nope.

Chasing students for assignments when I could just let them not submit and fail.

I was putting out the bin this morning and spotted what turned out to be the International Space Station crossing the sky. I managed to get my youngest son and my wife out of the house to see it.

>76 justjukka: HA! We've been doing that also. Also, I send the original envelope back to them and any other junk mail I've received that day.

oh how nice, #81! Good job!

#81 - It's so easy to say, "I should have done" or "I'll do that some day." Kudos to you for following through! A wonderful deed.

#81 You are a class act!

With the release of the first part of the final Twilight movie, this video (the second one specifically) from Doug Walker is amazing on multiple levels. Putting aside that I really like Walker - I think he's entertaining beyond his characters - to see someone who not only admits to liking the first three movies for their enjoyable badness, but to see someone usually calm and fair completely and visibly lose his shit to the incompetency of this film (and franchise as a whole) is something to be watched. He best summarizes what causes Twilight to get such rises out of people: it's something that thinks it's more talented than it really is.

85: I just watched that yesterday and shared it in another forum. Someone explained his behavior by saying that he's "Team Jacob".

I just learned that a male contraceptive now exists. Seems like it should be a bigger deal than this.

Got to learn to do new science-y things at work today: specific gravity, durometer, and tensile testing. Also learned that my husband named one of the colors he formulated for a customer 'BEWB'. The BE is for berry, it's a pinkish color, and the WB he added to the end just for shits and giggles.

eta: This is the boot the customer made with the BEWB color. http://www.safetygirl.com/pink-rain-boots-knee-womens.html

Boob? Hee hee.

I wished my little sister a big happy birthday today!

Brought our ailing kitty to the vet. My wife and I both thought this was going to be it. May turn out to be some new treatments we can try. Crossing our fingers. He's currently cleansing himself and looking indecently pleased, as if he has no idea what all of the fuss is about.

Stumbled across this site as I was searching for Rick Brant books. Great site!

Welcome! And be sure to let us know what you are reading.

I went to the memorial service for my great-niece. This is more a post about her parents and how they've handled her loss than it is about me. I am full of admiration for them. It was a comforting, full-of-love service.

I held my granddaughter, stroked her chubby cheeks, made funny faces, cooed and made a complete idiot of myself. It was wonderful.

*hugs* MrsLee, I was thinking of your family's loss today.

Thank you, Maggie. I just finished the second "Spellbound" book by Larry Corriea, and I'm planning on re-reading a book I haven't read since I was a kid - "Rip Foster - Ride The Gray Planet."

I got up at 3 am and had a carton of plain, no sugars added, yogurt; and I am now watching a TV show about a photographer who followed rock stars around for the last 40+years. Fascinating stuff. I hope I'll go back to sleep for a while. This is way too early to be getting up for good.

Survived our second RV camping trip with the new (to us) RV. When we got near home and were ready to back the car off the dolly so we could back the RV into the driveway, we discovered the battery in the car was dead, Jim, dead. Ugh. Luckily the neighbors whose driveway we were blocking were helpful and had a spare set of jumper cables since the first ones we tried did not work. I am now exhausted. No doubt Jim is too....

I sent in my resumé this morning! Time to panic!

I got a job interview for tomorrow! I also spoke to the apartment manager about my noisy neighbor. I don't know how long it will take before something is done about it, seeing as my ceiling is still vibrating, but I'll give it a couple days.

Wow - good luck on both the interview and the neighbour, Rozax!

oh, yes, holding my thumbs...both of them...that your luck is excellent on both cases!

Thank you! And the icing on the cake for the day:
I got my saxophone appraised. It had been rotting in a friend's basement for several years when she gave it to me a few years ago, so I'm surprised that its tuneup will only be $150. To get a new saxophone of this caliber is between $800 and $1,000!

Wow! That is awesome, Rozax! It makes me so happy to hear about finds like that and I'm happy you'll have a good sax. :) Good luck with the neighbor, by the way. As a person in a family who's had their fair share of difficult neighbors, I completely understand.

Sooo, Rozax, are you going to use your sax as a defense measure if the neighbor doesn't quiet down? ;)

Great news, Rozax! Good luck with everything.

104: I've considered it. After 8 last night, though, we didn't hear a thing from upstairs. I think he dropped some cement blocks on his floor at 4am, though.

Despite the rude awakening, I got a few more hours of sleep before my interview, and I got the job!!! I start on Thursday. :)

Great news, Rozax. A good job and good sax. What more could anyone want?

There's nothing better than good "sax!"

Congratulations on the new job! Here's hoping it is a wonderful, well paid, postion and you will enjoy every minute of work. (oh, that might be asking for a bit much, eh? But you know...it never hurts to ask)

I made a small batch of plastic from scratch today. It was almost exactly like baking in the kitchen. There was a recipe to follow and all the ingredients were mixed in a KitchenAid mixer. No oven though; the "cooking" was done on a hot roller mill.

That is so cool!

I did a large part of my Christmas shopping. Presents hidden away in Great Aunt Karen's closet where certain young people do not go. (I hope; I also hope that if they do walk into the closet, they will not look up... high shelves, you know are really high when you are less than 3 feet tall).

Took a balding guinea pig to the vet. She has mites, so brother has to go tomorrow to get treated. I paid to have her nails trimmed, and I did the ear wash on her at home (wax buildup). Cage has been cleaned, bleached, nonwashables tossed, and washables currently being washed in hot water. Responsible pet ownership can be exhausting for all parties (she is seriously freaked out).

I took my son's girlfriend to Petroglyphs for some pottery painting. The outing was my birthday present to her. She painted a very cute lizard figure, with a double track of bright pink button dots down his back. I chose a small vase and experimented with blending thin layers of pastel glaze in a multicolored gradient topped with a cascade of amethyst drips. It was a nice chance to chat, just the two of us. If the pieces come out good, that's a bonus.

I reunited a woman with the book she left on the bus :)

Yayyyyyy! You deserve a LibraryThing award, for such instances of book loyalty.

Groxx is proud of having fixed a bug at work. Yep, that's his job.

"Finding broken bugs and fixing them. Then releasing them back into the wild. <3"

As a follow-up to post #55 about the worst toys of the year, here is a link to the 5 best toys of all time:

http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2011/01/the-5-best-toys-of-all-time/all/1

I had a hard time deciding which I liked best :)

>118 NorthernStar:: Oh, I think it has to be the last one--by far the most versatile and plentiful and satisfying. Lucky is the child whose parent understands the joy of it.

But any combination of two is more than double the greatness, and a kid who has all five is richer than kings.

I must have been a very rich child, even though I didn't realize it at the time - I have had all five! My favorite will have to be the last one, too - I ate it when I was a toddler and I smeared my peach fuzz covered head in it whenever I had the oppurtunity. I ruined dresses and shoes, but that never bothered my mom, who let me run around in the backyard for as long as I liked, letting my imagination develop happily.

Thanks for pointing to that article, NorthernStar - you made a grumpy, sulky, and emo teenager happy to realize what really were her favorite toys. :)

#118 - LOVE IT! Yes, I am shouting. :) *seriously thinking about starting collections of the five to give to upcoming grand-nieces and grand-nephews.

Not on the list but deserving to be in the top ten are
• empty packaging (round salt boxes, molded plastic displays, empty plastic bottles, small boxes and tubs of all shapes),
• plain wooden building blocks that are not colored, not bumped and slotted to fit together, and not articulated for a preconceived design, and
• marbles.
The marbles and blocks plus the cardboard tubes can even keep an adult (not mentioning names) entertained for a good while.

Will we get busted for thread drift? I'm not sure yet about LT conventions and etiquette. Should we apologize to the OP?

Happily, my son had/has all five. His particular favorites were 1 and 5. My poor neighbor (who has girls) got the worst of it. First son and best friend destroyed half her bushes with #1. A year later, they dug a massive hole in her yard, creating #5. A few years after that, we looked out the window to see them launching themselves into the muddy pit they had created.

And their were countless other, slightly less destructive hours spent beating each other(#1 and #4), hoisting (#3) various heavy items into the outdoor fort (including a concrete birdbath), indoor forts (#2), etc.

#122 "Will we get busted for thread drift?"

No way! Wandering off topic is one of the oldest and most honoured of all Green Dragon traditions. You may, however, be offered a PGGB for exceptional and meritorious service to GD tradition ;-)

122 - busted by our beloved maggie? For thread drift? Bwahahahahaha! :) Welcome to the Green Dragon, Meredy, as Hugh says, it is an honored tradition to drift here.

I heard some familiar names being tossed around in the office, today. I looked up from my chart and asked, "Are we talking about Dragon Ball Z?" and received two enthusiastic high-fives.

Thread drift, continental drift, both are unstoppable. One's a lot faster though. :)

I cleaned the gutters at the front of the house this afternoon. There was a whole eco-system going on there. I feel so right wing now that I've destroying it.

125>

(whew) Thanks, MrsLee, that's very reassuring. And thanks for the welcome. I think I'm starting to get used to this place. It seems as if the key to acclimating might be finding your village within the city.

What's PGGB?
- pretty good grab bag
- practice grabbing gold bugs
- particularly gigantic great boulders
- party girls' giggle bunnies
- pickle-garnished ground beef
- plain garden green beans

PGGB = Pan-Galactic Gargle Blaster as served at the Restaurant at the End of the Universe.

Welcome from me as well!

Oh. That's what I thought.

I just worked the first Saturday in this month's rotation. I'll take a gargle blaster! Some pickle-garnished ground beef with a side of plain garden green beans sounds good, too.

I am hosting a public radio show, and since the temperature has risen over 75 degree over the past few weeks, I am doing a summer show! It is a balmy 29 degrees here!

#133 Schweet!

I found a great set of Christmas Cards that Dragoneers will toadally appreciate:

http://www.doctorwhonews.net/2011/12/dwn041211105008-adventure-calendar.html

I love those cards majkia! and it lead to a link with the trailer for the new Dr. Who Christmas special! Looks excellent! http://www.spacecast.com/doctorwho.aspx

Great cards, majkia.

"Blink" was probably the best Dr.Who episode ever, and it was probably the only one that non-Whovians could enjoy without really being into the series.

I agree pgmcc!

I bought a Sock Monkey winter stocking cap today.

I am the most awesome person in my house now.

We need pictures of your awesomeness.

yes, Dayna, we require proof!

quick ipod pic:

AWESOME!!!

w00t !!

good mood setting, too!

Totally awesome!!

I strewed peanuts yesterday for birds and squirrels, and then watched a squirrel harvesting them, one by one, burying them in the grass around the feeder. LOL. Not too sure what he/she is going to do when the snow covers the grass.

Thanks, Dayna. A great smile to start my day.

I've been quoted in this article. Though they didn't name names, keeping everyone's privacy in mind, I'm #6. Sure, anyone could have said it, there are many like it, but this one is mine. <3

I took children, three, to the Space Needle today. Photographs were purchased, one even with Santa. A first for one of the kids. It did take us a bit of time; and it was trying in parts, but all were on good behavior, even me! Fun!

I didn't do it today, it was Saturday and Sunday. Saturday, I took a friend Christmas shopping, because he doesn't have a car, and he was going to do cabs and buses: one of which is very expensive, and the other is just a pain when you're going to be out all day accumulating packages. Then Sunday, I took him to see his mom who is in a nursing home an hour away from where he lives. He hadn't been able to see her in 3 months. (The person he originally asked was going to charge him $120! I took him for free.)

$120 for an hour's drive? holy moly! That is what I think we've called "highway robbery" for centuries!

What stingy {expletive deleted} would charge $120 for an hour's drive? I just filled my tank up this evening and it only cost me $34.

I wouldn't defend charging money to do a favor for a friend, but an hour's drive is a two-hour round trip, and there's also a wait during visiting time. It sounds like the friend was valuing about three hours of his time by the hour as well as counting the expense of gas.

Meredy, thanks for reminding us there is always more than one way to look at a situation. Circumstances which are not even mentioned may also play a cruicial part.

Yes--such as that (possibly) the person seeking the service offered to pay.

In any case it was very kind of millhold to do it willingly and free of charge.

Meredy, my friend did offer to pay for the gas of the other person. That was when the other person said "Not for less than $120." The reason I found that so terrible, is that he was driving to the same town anyway, on another errand, which was why my friend thought he might be able to ask for a ride.

I don't know what else might be going on in the other person's life right now, but whatever it is, I hope it works out well for them. Otherwise, he's piling up bad "Karma."

Well, millhold, all the good Karma you are piling up has to come out as bad Karma somewhere. :-)

I have a client who requested me personally, today. :)

Success!! So sweet. Congrats to alco261 and Rozax!

Thank you, Maggie!

This one is pretty minor, but it holds a bit of responsibility. Last night, I requested Montessori Madness be added to the Epinions book category, and when I checked my e-mail this morning, the category lead had already obliged, with the message, "I'll be interested in this review." With an expectation, even a minor one, I want to make this a good review!

I went to work, for a full day I might add. With the week/month I've had, it was a small miracle.

I've recently bought myself several things I really didn't need, but wanted to have, so I decided that since I could afford to do that, I could afford to give some money to a few good causes. I had fun going around town to a few local charities dropping off cheques yesterday. I feel very fortunate to be in a financial position to do this - for quite a few years things were pretty tight this time of year, and sometimes they were tight all year.

I took my mother shopping.

>163 NorthernStar:, I've felt the same impulse when things were going well. My memory of the very lean times was so fresh and sharp that when I had extra I really wanted to share it. Doesn't it feel great to be able to do a little something for others who are still feeling the pinch?

>163 NorthernStar:, 165: I find it infuriating that, without having a job, I still have food on the table, but hard-working men and women the world over have trouble affording even that. When I got my first paycheck with this new job, I donated to Pads4Girls, and I'm hoping to make it a monthly practice. Seems fitting since it's a monthly occurrence. ^^;

I am force-feeding a guinea pig to keep him healthy. And I actually take our pigs to vets when necessary. I won't let an animal suffer, however small it is, when it's in my care. Sorry, bit put out by people who spend extraordinary amounts of money on dogs and cats, then tell me to "let the thing die and get another."

The most valuable thing I've done today? I've not killed even one of the idiots who are getting on my last nerve. I'm being reasonable, in spite of their idiocy. It's registration; it'll be over in 2 weeks. Until then, I'm NOT going to kill anybody: I hear prison libraries are not as diverse as I might like. 0.0

Today I'd have to say it was awakening to and acting on the smell of something burning. It smelled like rubber or something electrical, and the house was full of the sickening fumes. The highest concentration seemed to be in my room (my study/office), right across from my husband's at the opposite end of the house from our bedroom. He'd been at the computer in his room for an hour by then, a few feet away, and hadn't noticed anything.

I got dressed in a hurry, put on shoes, grabbed my purse, my meds, and my favorite jacket, and prepared to evacuate.

But my husband and my son decided to investigate first. One result of this was a hasty exploration of the wire tangles beneath and behind my desk, during which time I heaved everything (three boxes' worth of paper and stuff) off my desk. Now I have to sort it all. Yikes.

Finally they decided it was something in the heating system, and I insisted on their calling a pro. She came and traced the problem to the heater blower. Its motor had burnt out and sent its burning fumes into the vents.

Now I guess I know why my husband overseasons things when he cooks and doesn't notice when the cat has failed to cover up his serious business in the sandbox. He just ain't smellin' it. So much for the fancy perfume.

Still force-feeding gp. He's having tooth problems and needs a good filing, scheduled for MOnday. Sigh.

I hope your guinea pig gets better, @RitaFaye! I've just been a jungle gym for my nephews the past two days. My husband is a little too mellow for them yet, so it was a nice relief when my brother showed up. Not that I'm complaining. I love my nephews, and they've grown so much in the past two years!

RitaFaye, we went through similar trials with our bunnies, both of whom had front incisor malocclusions which required visits to the vet at three-week intervals to get their teeth filed. They eventually had to have their incisors removed, and are much happier buns (though I have to chop their kale and grate their carrots for them.)

I have begun volunteering for my local chapter(s) of Habitat for Humanity. Yesterday was pretty boring (minor finishing work) but today (demolition) was a blast!

No, we didn't use explosives, but it was a lot of fun. :)

After abandoning my social life for the past few weeks, I managed to get a A- in my Physics II and Organic Chemistry II exam! It'd be more impressive if it was an A but, hey, it's pretty good for what I usually get :D

The only bookshop in our town that sold new books closed in January.

Went to a public meeting tonight for the Malvern Book Co-operative, that is planning to open a new shop as a not for profit co-operative.

I quite fancy being part owner of a bookshop.

Oh, good luck to your and your community. I hope your venture succeeds!

I moved another load of stuff from the old place to the new place. We turn in the keys to the old place on Friday.

177: Make that Sunday. The oven was a force with which to reckon.

I called my parents and we talked for over an hour and a half.

I didn't stab the many, many parents of the many, many small screaming children in the lobby of the hotel today.

A photographer is using our meeting room this weekend and next, and between the coochi-coochi noises of the photographer and the screaming children, I might not make it through. If you hear of a tragedy in a hotel in California next weekend, do not think to harshly of me.*

*disclaimer, of course I would never stab them, management knows better than to keep sharp knives where the clerks can reach them.

#180 There are lots of other ways of getting rid of them ... };)

180: Sounds like you could use one of my business cards.

#182 - Are you a hired assassin? >;/

#181 - Believe me, by the end of my shift yesterday I was counting them! Still, they all managed to leave alive, though some did face my verbal wrath. "Excuse me madam, could you please watch your children? They are wandering into an employee only area which has some very dangerous electrical items, and they are playing with some expensive decorative pottery. You wouldn't want to have to pay to replace it, would you?"

She reacted more to the threat of payment than to the possibility that her child might electrocute himself. :(

#183 - Currently unemployed, actually, but close! I'm a massage therapist.

> 184 I'm picturing a few quiet but effective Vulcan nerve pinches...

#185 - It would be useful. I've lost count of the number of times I've said, "Please relax these muscles," and similar reiterations. My PSA for the day: if you receive or are planning to receive a professional massage, please do not "help" your therapist. As evidenced by this story, tragedy could ensue:

"Eleven years ago, I was working prone on a long limbed client. I removed the bolster as most of us do, by gently sweeping under the ankle and lifting, and moving the bolster out. It went quite smoothly, and the client flipped. Once she and the sheet were both settled, I grabbed the bolster and did what most therapists do and leaned over, reached under the clients legs to lift them so I could place the bolster under the knees, and my very, very helpful and well intentioned client decided to help me. She lifted her knees up so fast, and so hard that she kneed me directly in the larynx. She hit me so hard that I gagged for 10 straight minutes, and never, ever, ever again tried to lift a client’s legs. Ever. Never, ever, ever again.

The end."

Please note, this did not happen to me and this is not my story (and I'd like to keep it that way). Eleven years ago, I was just starting high school. Wow...eleven years...

> 186 trust me, you will be saying "Wow ...thirty five years...." before you know it.

#187 - I believe it.

A bill I wrote passed out of the state senate today.

Congrats, A-S, I know that is a big accomplishment!

I biked about 12 miles (round-trip) today.

I'm gonna brag on my husband and son a little. At the hotel last night, one of our guest had to be taken to the hospital 25 miles away. He and his spouse are quite elderly. She doesn't drive, so they let her ride with the ambulance, but all her things were still at our hotel. A nurse from the hospital brought her to the hotel tonight so she could get her things, thinking she could call AAA and get them to tow her car back to the hospital, but apparently, this was not an emergency, so they wouldn't help. Poor little lady was now stuck at the hotel. I called my husband (we live in the same town as the hospital) and he and my son came to get her and drive her and her car to the hospital. Seemed like a normal thing to me, but the lady was overwhelmed. Her darling will have gallbladder surgery tomorrow. I'm just glad we could help her some.

We went and fed kangaroos, patted a wombat, watched koalas and saw the crocodiles feeding.

#192 - I would expect no less from you and your hubby, great to hear you quite literally going the extra mile!

Got my littlest granddaughter down for a much needed nap. She was so tired she couldn't settle down, so I rubbed her little tummy and sang to her until she finally faded out.

She'll feel better, and so will the rest of us. A multi-purpose blessing.

194 - :) He has been a wonderful example to me through our married life of dying to oneself.

I put together a flatpack cupboard for a friend of mine, thought I was doing pretty well then realised the doors don't close properly lol - looks good though apart from the doors : )

Bought my (impoverished) friend a 1 year subscription to a 2GB wireless internet access "thingy". The kicker is that from now on her "facebook" access is free and unlimited.

Err. What is face book?

ETA. Just joking, she spends hours on that thing :-(

So many nice, giving people here! If no one remembered to say thanks, let me do it now: Thanks!!

192: This is why I am not completely cynical about humanity. :)

Made a couple of SMARTboard lessons that my students loved! Nothing better than the reward of them being excited during a lesson. I spent hours on those lessons perfecting them. The great thing is, one of them will turn into a daily management activity. I'm testing it out on them the last 9 weeks of school. If they continue to love it, I can fix anything that I need to and begin using it from the first of the new school year.

I spent the afternoon with my granddaughter, blowing bubbles and making sidewalk chalk art in front of the house and church. She liked my flowers, dog, and cat. Could not convince her, however, that the bunny I drew was a bunny and not another cat, lol. She drew a rocket ship, a circle, and a tree. At least I think that's what she said they were. We also went to the library to get some picture books, and watched Nick Jr. today. Tomorrow we are taking her to San Antonio, and to Sea World. Should be fun.

The last afternoon I spent with my granddaughter was spent talking about guns and dead bodies, lol. She's a police officer...

203: Reminds me of Marty on "Frasier". ^_^

The most valuable thing I did today was let my husband take the car to work. With this cold keeping me down, I really have no use for it, and he was running late. Just to be sure, he asked, "What if you need to go somewhere, today?" I told him, "I'm not going anywhere, today..." I'm feeling better than I did yesterday, and loads better than I did at 6am, so if this trend continues, I should be able to whip something together for supper without too much pain.

#118
I love that article. Such great pictures, and such wisdom. ;) Note about the toilet paper cardboard tube, though: I recently read somewhere that manufacturers are planning on rolling out (pun intended) TP without the inner carboard tube, in an effort to reduce waste. While I applaud the initiative, it makes me sad, as a fond memory I have of my dad is taking the tube out of the kitchen paper towel roll and making trumpet noises with it to scare us kids...

#182~184
Bwahaha! Sorry, but "hired assassin" & "massage therapist" just reminded me of the book I'm currently reading... :P

#192
Lovely, MrsLee :) So many people here being so selfless! It makes me smile and be glad that there's still hope yet for humanity...

And now for a bit of bragging on my part:

Next month there will be an open-air art festival here, with a heavy focus on the environment and sustainable gardening, among other things. And the organizers called on people (anybody) to render their own versions of the festival's logo, which is based on The Little Prince's baobab tree. You could use any medium, as long as your art retained at least a semblance of the logo. All works will be displayed at the festival.

This is my take on the tree, which was published on the festival's Facebook page:



I'm so proud of my little tree! :D

I refrained from vocally chewing out a woman who couldn't be bothered to put her cart in the cart rack that was a mere three or four steps away. Instead she put it right by my car, with me standing there watching her.

Love the tree, Tess. So much texture, and some whimsy too.

My daughter dropped a $100 bill outside of Costco; an employee found it and turned it in to customer service; my daughter was smart enough to find the phone number and called to see if anyone had turned in her cash. Yes! Now that gives me a smile!

209: Yay for human decency!

I nabbed a gym membership with a promotional code, so I'll be saving half the original cost. ^_^

Now to get well so I can use it...

Thanks, Mary dear! :D How are you? *hugs*

Majkia: Good for you. I know how you feel, I sometimes feel I'm about to lose it at the supermarket when people leave their carts in the middle of the !%$@#^& aisle (and such narrow aisles they are) while they're elsewhere looking for their groceries. Argh. The other day there was this elderly woman in one of those wheelchair/cart combos parked right in the middle of the vegetable aisle (the one with the heaviest traffic since that's where people are supposed to form a line for the clerk to weigh their produce), and she was chatting with two other people who were also standing there with their own carts. Since I was taught to respect my elders, I refrained from saying anything, but really! :(

Maggie: Oh, that was nice. :)

206 - Love it!

206: That is very neat.

My bragging for the day: I took a nap. The cold medicines I've been taking have been interrupting my sleep terribly. I haven't needed to take anything other than ibuprofen today, so I dozed off for a few hours this afternoon. :)