Really Home - Vacation Glow Gone

     Hi Bloggie, It's been a few days huh? :-) I love being away but always happy to return. As wonderful as my 4 pound laptop is, I can work faster using the larger one. But, I hate to think of what my e-mails would have looked like had I not been able to get to the internet for a week. Groan and more groans. I know that the smaller machine will be a real blessing.

Before I left for AC I talked to Wendy about the Friends of East Orange Public Library auction and jazz event. www.eopl.org/  It was awesome. Well attended, great music and fabulous auction items, including fur coats. http://www.njstatelib.org/LDB/LibNetNews/news_item.php?item_id=296

My coordinator is such a sweetie, she wanted to invite a few of us out for tapas and wine as a 'thank you.' I had to say no because I was busy readying to leave for AC. I laughed and told her how I felt when I walked out and saw all of those people sitting and waiting for the program to begin. Boy, I felt that I had been tricked big time. (LOL) But I did it. I opened the auction. I'm so proud of myself. Then I ended up wearing and modeling a $3k mink cape and that was after I finished typing auction info. I guess I  must really like her :-) The two pieces of chunky jewelry that I donated were sold. Yah! 

Well I have been paying serious typing dues since my return. My movie review is looking pretty good and I have earned some $$'s from it. I had a check waiting for me in the mailbox :-) Wish I had time to rest on my laurels but I don't. I'll do some proofing tonight.   

Welcome Mr. Sun

It's a autum beautiful day. The sun is almost blinding this morning and there is no sign that AC had torrential rain and gigantic waves climbing over the boardwalk.

I stepped out on the balcony and finally I can stand out there with a cup of coffee. Too bad I am getting ready to head by home. I would love a day of sun and walk down to Gardner's Basin. My guest left last night after dinner so this morning belongs to me and my thoughts. This worked out wonderfully. Much better than I ancitipated because it was last minute planning.

I will be leaving in a hour or so. But first things first--a little housekeeping, some last minute checking stuff and things.

Happy Thanksgiving

     Happy Thanksgiving everyone. The waves are still crashing against the shore this morning and, it's windy and rainy--brrr.

Almost ready to head to the dining room for breakfast.  I think we have a choice of breakfast foods and/or Thanksgiving dinner. You would be surprised how many people enjoy eating turkey and stuffing early in the morning.  Happily it will be a quiet day for us and happily there are two televisions here. I plan to keep TCM on all day, they are showing old Doris Day movies. Boy, she sang like a bird. This is just what I need this after receiving more bad news about my office. I still think of Legal Management as my office, my people. I am hoping this will have a positive turn.

I just looked out at the waves again, yeh I know, but I can't help it :-( the ocean draws me to it.  The waves are much higher this morning.  In one particular spot they are going under the boardwalk but coming over the low wall and into the street and flooding the area. Yesterday we went out on the balcony for a few minutes, today it would be foolhardy to do that.

Heading for breakfast (or dinner).

Singer Tony Martin - He Still Has It!

    Tony Martin was on television last night. He was sensational. I cannot believe that he is 80 years old. It seems almost 'eeww' to think that he is sexy, but what you gonna do? (LOL) When I was in the 5th or 6th grade, I remember that I knew how to draw 3 things wonderfully well; a bird, an hour-glass shaped woman with her hands on her hips, and Tony Martin standing in a spotlight with his arms stretched out. I always wrote the words to one of his songs on the same page. I don't remember the name of the song, but I do recall that I knew all of the words. I am sure that's because my dad listened to the "Make Believe Ballroom" all day. I think it is still on public radio. The promo song is playing in my head right now.

Martin was interviewed earlier today and he knocks me out--he sang with all of those young folks and gave them a run for their money. This show is surely one of their great moments. If there is a DVD, I will definately buy it. 

The Ocean is Showing Her Strength

    I can't not believe the noise from the ocean's waves last night. I ended up getting up in the middle of the night to write about it.

Am expecting a friend down here later today. We will be eating in the dining room tonight, the wind looks so fierce and the water is still bouncing off the boardwalk. He is delayed because of the traffic heading this way. My goodness I am having a hard time concentrating this morning. Probably because too much going on, I have two televisions on, but mostly it's mother nature's fault, you can't give people spectacular waves and expect them go about their work when such a tremendous water show is playing just outside their window :-( Even the sound makes you get up to see what's happening.  

She (the water) continues to show her strength and I get it. Just like when a mom gives you "the look" or says your name in a certain way, you may deep sigh, but you know who is boss.

Not Wishing This Day Away, But...

      So much is going on, and I'm stressed. Sill it feels like a good day.

My girlfriend is, oh so ill, I saw her Monday and won't be able to see her until I return after Thanksgiving. I did not wake up this morning thinking of her as I have been doing. That's a good sign. She has made sure that she was very independent, even of friends--when she held my hand at the end of my visit and said "I don't want you to go", I was hit hard. But for some reason I am feeling positive today, I hope she is also. I will call her good friend today, I must let her know that I will not be able to visit Monday.

I finished writing my short speech. I cannot believe that I am the opening speaker at this event tonight--I did not even feel myself being sucked in, usually I do. I am saying a quick prayer that all goes well and that we makes lots of money for the library. I using my new notebook. My goodness, this keyboard is small. No complaints from me though, I had thought up until this morning that I would have to travel with my big laptop because I could not find a AOL download disc. I changed my plans today after feeling the pull, if I can call it that, of going to pick up my mail and stopping by BlockBuster(sp?) to see if they had one, I was willing to pay. The young man just said, "they are right over there, free". Oh, happy day. I bought a cheap pair of 'starlet' high heels and headed straight home. I was able to buy my one real indulgence, Hanes stockings.

I am setting up this little baby so I can take it with me. It fits in my large laptop purse perfectly.  Maybe I need to cut my nails shorter to use it comfortably. Nahh! I'll get the hang of it soon.  However, I do wonder where the 'insert' key is :-(

Very Busy Not Sure Why :-(

    All of a sudden, I am feeling swamped. There was a 9:30a meeting I needed to attend yesterday, but was unable to, that always makes me feel anxious, maybe it's a guilt thing. Two days ago I was asked to speak at the Friends of East Orange Library Auction tomorrow. I don't have anything written down, must do so today and get some feedback.

Have been up for a couple hours to make sure I have clean articles ready for Sunday publishing. Already sent one review, but still feel pushed against the wall. I had hoped to see "Casino Royale" today, but know that won't happen.  

Will be away for Thanksgiving and have not given thought to what clothing I will take--that's not new I never know, I have found that it's not all that important as long as I have a couple of pairs of jeans, etc. My finger's are crossed that my new J.D. Robb novel will arrive today or tomorrow, I would love to take it with me.

I cannot believe that O.J Simpson has written a book about Nicole's murder. It's not so much that I am shocked (which I am), mostly I wonder what's going on in his mind. To me, this ranks him right up there with Jeffrey Dahmer. I feel so bad about this.

I just noticed that I did not send in some info for the Auction. So odd, I am sitting her typing and I hear the song "The Book of Love". O.K. I don't have time to think about my ex-husband, etc. right now. Trying to figure out how much East Orange Library stuff, I can get done by 11a  today. LOL.

Yes!! I do know what I will take with me--long skirts/easy care tops--that always work. It's not like I will be going anywhere. I have even decided what I will wear tomorrow night.

Feeling very much the white rabbit in "Alice in Wonderland." at this moment. 

     

Supposed to be Researching - BUT!

     While doing a search, I came upon the most interesting site, ZuZu http://www.zuzu.org/contents.html  There is a section titled "My Neighborhood" and the the blurbs appear to be written by children. They tell us they feel about their towns.  

 

Here is what youngster wrote, "My name is David Vu. I live in Brooklyn Center MN. My neighborhood is alright. There is going to be alot of hmong people coming to live here.So I'm glad. So my neigborhood is alright."  At first glance I thought the word  "hmong" was a typo, but decided to check it out, in doing so I came across the most interesting information about a group of people had have heard of.  http://www.jefflindsay.com/Hmong_tragedy.html    

See an online Hmong newspaper http://www.hmongtimes.com/  

Learn to speak Hmong http://members.aol.com/nyablaj/hmong.html

 

Here is what another kid says about her town--ya gotta love a kid who is not afraid to speak her mind, "I live in Stoughton, Ma. A place where NOTHING happpens, it is boring I have to go to Brockton or Boston just to have some excitment with my friends! We have a small little movie theater that was a buck a night! But then of course it was bought out by another company! Now it is five bucks a night! Now I am broke!!

Just recently we got the 911 number for the police & ambulance. Before we had two different numbers for the police & ambulance, 344-2424 & 344-3131! Was that dumb or is it me? We have no malls, no GOOD! shopping stores! What is wrong with this town! Another crappy thing was that they are destroying all of the land on my street by making cheap new houses out of particle board! If you wanna move to Stoughton do NOT buy a knew house! It would be a major mistake!!

During the summer there were three incidents that actually put us on the news (which was a first)! It started at the beginning, Two stores were robbed Town spa (a really great place to get pizza), don't ask me why the robbed a pizza joint! And Christy's. Yes the one that has a gas station outside. Another thing that happened was there was a double murder two Stoughton men were killed by a psycho who lives in Sharon. Just over money !! Stupid Huh. The third thing was a 16 yr old boy was hit by a car. He ran out in front of it, too bad the car couldn't brake in time. Sorry I can't tell you anymore since it just happened at 12:00 midnight last night. I don't even know if he lived or not!

Well as you can see I really HATE this town. If anyone knows a good place in the U.S. to live E-mail me PLEASE! I gotta get outta here!! Oh yea here most of the people listen to rap!!!! YUCK!! LOSERS.

Words by an 8 year old, paintings by a 5th grader. Such talent. http://www.zuzu.org/sara.html

I must go back to the really sweet site later. Anxious to read what other children think of their neighborhoods. http://www.zuzu.org/neig.html  Who knows, I may learn something else ;-)

Deep Sigh!

     I have spent sooo much cash this month :-(  Plus I used my AMEX to the hilt. I should not use my AMEX until June 2007. Of course I have to be realistic so I know that this is not possible, but I do plan to make December a much better financial-spending month. So far, November has been a slow income month for me, but I am hopeful, I still have a couple of weeks to go. When I picked up my biz mail yesterday all I found was my AMEX bill and my new wireless laptop was listed (a pox on those Visa people for doing the right thing and trying to protect me.) But I do consider this a very necessary expense. Come January I think I will invest in a pdf program, which will make my online advice to clients difficult to change. I don't believe that anyone has done that or would do it, but it does pay to be cautious. I must follow my own advice--meanwhile I am trying to find a good free program.

I stopped by C & A's for lunch this week and had a really good corn chowder. It was tasty and had huge chunks of white potatoes. The little buttered roll that came with it made it just perfect. Sometimes, it takes so little to make me happy. (smiling)

 

Kinda Makes You "Wonder"

      Everytime you stop and say, "Now I have heard everything", there is always one more thing.  Now there is the "Wonderjock" for men, apparently very similar to the "Wonderbra" for women. I am not knocking this, if women can wear a bra that makes them appear to be more endowed, why not men? 

While reading the morning news on AOL I found this item. "SYDNEY (Nov. 2) - Size really does count, just ask Australian underwear maker AussieBum which has just launched the "Wonderjock" for men who want to look bigger. Since the launch seven days ago, AussieBum says it has sold 50,000 pairs of "Wonderjock," mostly on its Web site www.aussiebum.com and a handful of stores around the world..."There is no padding, rings or strings," said Ashby, a co-founder of the Internet-based AussieBum firm."    
http://news.aol.com/topnews/articles/_a/underwear-helps-men-look-bigger/n20061102073309990012?cid=936

Wall Street and Image

   I heard this news while watching television last night.

" On gays and lesbians in the workplace, Wall Street may have embraced change faster than other industries. That is one suggestion in a recent feature from Bloomberg News, which examines the increasing number of openly gay employees at old-line securities firms." The full story is here.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601109&sid=a2GgU1I4YhPc&refer=home

Isn't there a Bob Dylan song that goes "Times they are achanging."?  Years ago when I started working for a securities firm, they were very concerned about my 'telephone voice.' I know this because the telephone operator told me months later, after we became friendly.

I had told my mom about the many telephone calls I received from the manager before I actually started the job and mom, God bless her, got it on first try, she said "Baby-girl they want to know if you sound colored on the telephone." My reaction was, "Oh, that can't be true, but Betty confirmed that indeed it was true. Did I say anything to my manager? No I did not. Did I quit? No I did not. But when I did leave, I did it with style. There were real reqrets from the brokers (except one-I think) and my manager. It did my heart good, when he repeatedly asked me to stay and offer me a raise to do so. It did my heart one better when I said no. 

Manicures, Politics and Other Stuff

      Got my nails done yesterday. I decided to go with a different color, I do every once in a while. The color I use is the same one I have been using for 6 or 7 years. Hey, it suits me :-)  So anyway, I pick a color from the rack and my manicurist does a wrinkle nose face and says "Oh, no. Not this, you need a 'working woman's color. MMmm. What? I can't be jazzy? I'm trying to look hot and she calls me a working woman? Since she is the professional, I took her advice and went with the WW color. <big grin>

Poor Senator Kerry, he claims he was joking when he said ''You know, education, if you make the most of it, you study hard, you do your homework and you make an effort to be smart, you can do well. If you don't, you get stuck in Iraq.''-- Sen. John Kerry.  That does not read like a joke, even when you hear it the humor in his voice, it is not amusing. Jokes about war and soldier's are seldom funny.  Mom's can turn ugly when they think you are speaking  ill of their offspring. Auntie's too ;-)

Good Morning America showed an interview with Little David's dad. He seems to be satisfied with Madonna's adoption of his son. He says that Madonna has promised to return with David every 4 years. A pox on nay-sayers--I believe that Madonna has an unusually big heart, like Liz Taylor and Mia Farrow.   

Oh, I love my new laptop, a couple of days ago I used it to watch a movie and play a Rod Stewart CD. I am 'Snoopy dance' happy. This baby weights only 4-1/2 pounds. I am waiting for the AOL CD so I can go online. Yah! When I called AOL I was told that most post offices have the free trial CD's, I have not been able to find one here, but will check in SO this week.  

The weather has been so gorgeous this week, when I went to pick up my biz mail I saw a lot of people lunching outside and catching the rays. I had planned to pick up a few items from the supermarket, but did not because I could not find my supermarket coupons. When I came home I saw them in the outer pocket of my purse. (groan)