SueWorks

It's Been a Long Week

Sue has definitely been working this week.  I've been in class or leading classes for three days.  If you're a blog follower, you'll remember that Pkin and I went to a mid-week movie AND had dinner out just like adults on a school night.  Last night I went to acting class (more about this another time.)  All this means that I've been going to bed late each night and rising early each morning.  I heard someone say that her goal was to get to bed before the day ended in which she originally arose.  Well, I've not been doing that.

This morning, being Friday and Starbucks day, I treated myself to a fully caffeinated beverage.  And since I've such a Pavlov's dog and so susceptible to suggestion, I don't know if the taste of this Caramel Macchiato is really so much better than the decaf that I usually get.  But, OMG, I'm loving it.  It seems smoother.  Is caffeine really that tasty?

Spidey

Pkin is not a movie theater aficionado.  In fact, he hates rude people so a movie theater is almost the worst place to be.  He put that aside to see the graphic effects of Spider-Man 3 on a 72 foot screen.

Spidey Makers,

It's alright to take a long shot.  You do not need to see the S-Man's head filling the screen, any screen, from top to bottom.  I was dizzy just watching the close in action.  Also, you got our twenty plus bucks, so I guess you're doing OK, but is there going to be a 4th one?

An Interested Viewer

Procrastination Quiz

Don't put if off, take the quiz now.   I'll tell you my score if you tell me yours.

Being Older

When you're young all you want to do is be older.  Just think about how many four-years-olds just want to be five so they can use their whole hand to describe there age.  I'm a January baby and spent my grammar school years being almost the oldest, and therefore the almost "best" (why, I do not know.)  There was one little witch with a B who was born on January 2, darn her. 

But as life happens, things change.  I became the youngest all of a sudden, and that was nice for a while in the workplace.  The world seems full of possibilities when you're 15 to 20 years younger than most of the people around you.  You see how their lives have turned out and maybe you think a little more seriously about some of the decisions you make.  Maybe.

This life lasts for some five, even 10 or more years, and all of a sudden you wake up one day and JesusHChrist!  You're the freaking oldest one around.  Oh, there are a few people slightly older than you but they are ancient and everyone knows it.  You wonder if people are commenting about just how old you are and then you start to think about the decisions you made and wonder where all the time and possibility has gone.  It's very sad, but you think about all the things you do have, like the great people in your life and the experiences that you learned from or just had fun doing.

If only the gray hair could be contained.  I'm going to have to spend each week under harsh chemicals at the rate I'm going.  How can "natural" white highlights look in dark, dark brown hair!?!

Ten Things That Make Me Laugh

1. The training video company which sent me Forget Me Not seeds so that I would drop $1K of company cash on resources.  Resources that I would love to buy but can't get my boss to approve. 
2. The person I met, casually, who now contacts me at least twice a week about a job that I don't have to give.  [Every job search guide says to be persistent, and not be hindered by the rules, like applying online to only positions that are posted.]
3. Really hardworking people who think they are smarter, and therefore better, than everyone else.  Hard workers do get a lot accomplished, it just takes them forever and they may lose sight of some really important things because they are making a spreadsheet with seven colors and it's taking them seven hours at work instead of 2 which could have left 5 hours to actually have a life.
4. People buying car fresheners at the car wash.  If you don't leave food and too many shoes in your car, then you really don't need much freshening.
5. Friday's at work.  How does stuff actually get done?  My Dad used to talk about Tuesday cars being the best.  On Monday you're dealing with hangovers, Wednesday is so much in the middle of the week it seems hopeless, Thursday is almost as bad as Friday and on Friday you have one foot out the door before you even get in.  This leaves Tuesday.  The only day you are really focused.
6. Distinguished gray haired men and old gray haired ladies.  Damn society!  Damn my early graying genes.
7. Collectors.  I collect random and focused pieces of paper; there is not enough rhyme or reason in my "system" though Pkin has tried.  He bought a five drawer filing cabinet and color coded files and made the first drawer of files.  And that is all that is filed in our house.  There are people, I've seen them, who make collections of valuable things, like tea cups and brass buttons.  I have some floaty pens.  I buy them wherever I go.  They do not live in one box, there are not displayed and sometimes I write with them.  The one from Canada sucks, by the way.
8. Pkin is a trend setter but we never take advantage of his foresight.  Lighted rims, his idea.  NASCAR for everyone, his idea.  The next time he says something like, "You know ... " I should listen and figure out how to make money with it.
9. House husbands.  Pkin wants to be one, heck, I want to be a housewife too, with his definition.  I want to get out of bed no earlier than 7:30 on weekdays; and have lunch with my retired buddies at the local airport.  I've seen women in the workplace whose husbands are doing the house thing because it makes good sense financially and professionally but the women are resentful.  I laugh because of the irony of getting something that you want that you then no longer want ... but it is too late.
   
   And number ten is ...
10. Top ten lists.  It takes longer to write a top ten list than it should, but people love them. 

I AM THE LA-UW

I took linguistics in college and nearly failed because I could never learn how to write phonetically.  Try to image the powerhouse of the cinema, Sylvester Stallone playing Judge Dredd pronouncing the law.

Anyway, there is an administrative judge in DC who should be horsewhipped, if the article on AOL is 25% true.  Judge Sues Cleaner for $65 Million Over Pants:

The Chungs, immigrants from South Korea, realized their American dream when they opened their dry-cleaning business seven years ago in the nation's capital. For the past two years, however, they've been dealing with the nightmare of litigation: a $65 million lawsuit over a pair of missing pants.

Roy Pearson, an administrative judge who is up for some sort of "renewal", is representing himself in the case over a pair of suit pants.  He's also citing fraud and consumer protection laws.  Oh, and he's crazy, apparently.

In this country, once you become a judge, you are one for life.  Remember the former cab driver crying over Baby Dannielynn?  Holy smokes!

I honestly believe in our justice system, more so it's a sincere desire that if I'm ever subject to it that it will treat me justly.  Gawd, I hope so. 

One of the Judge Roy's claims is for a rental car, because he needs to go to another dry cleaner.  I have the cleaners nears my house.  They are decent, but when I want a more quality service, I drive about four miles to the high-priced, classy cleaners.  When I get there, I know that I will wait longer, but I can have a cup of coffee or a bag of popcorn, and I know that I will spend about 50 to 75% more. 

Judge Roy, get a real job and leave the immigrant cleaners alone! 

Who said, I paraphrase, he who represents himself has a fool for a client?

Being a Leader

I'm reading tons of stuff about leadership, being a leader, self-actualization, and related topics.  At work I tend to shy away from taking the lead, because I fear failing and/or being called out for "being too big for my britches," plus I'm not good at influencing.  At home I'm too much in the lead, I'm just pushy and it works, generally.

You may have heard about the May 1 protests in LA, and you can read plenty online, about all the perspectives, one thing really caught my eye and reminded me of (poor) leadership regarding LA Chief of Police, William Bratton:

[He] said today that some actions taken by officers trying to clear a crowd of marchers at MacArthur Park were "inappropriate" and that he has launched two investigations.

The chief told KNX-AM (1070) that he reviewed the videotapes showing officers using batons and rubber bullets to disperse crowds -- including TV news reporters -- and said "quite frankly, I was disturbed at what I saw."

I didn't hear the interview, and I'm sure some of it was edited, but did he say, I take full responsibility!  I set the tone for the department, I am the head; it's my fault when and if officers react "inappropriately".

I don't know, maybe he can tell us all.

Spandex is a Privilege, Not a Right

This opened an email message this morning:

"Spandex is a privilege, not a right."  Perhaps it is.  But including something like that in your company dress code could put you on the fast track to court.

I met Pkin while wearing leggings.  I guess I passed the test, at that time.

This opened an email message this morning:

"Spandex is a privilege, not a right."  Perhaps it is.  But including something like that in your company dress code could put you on the fast track to court.

I met Pkin while wearing leggings.  I guess I passed the test, at that time.