Things have been wild this week. Yesterday marked the completion of my fourth year at Aerojet. I'm very glad of the experience and of the friends I gained, but I'm also glad to be moving on and challenging myself. With just a few days to go now, I've been counting them as they go by.
Monday evening, my parents and I took in "The Hurt Locker" (2009) which is about an EOD team in Iraq. It was very graphic, obviously, but also enlightening about what a day-to-day is like over there. It was a little distressing, because I know folks are going through that every day, even now; and of course, my brother will be heading for Afghanistan in a year or so. Afterwords I prepared a few presents for friends before retiring for the evening.
Yesterday morning I got a call from the airline, saying they had cancelled my return flight from Atlanta in September... and I worked out a better deal, leaving the morning after instead of the evening before. So I'll get enough time for everything I want! :) But then I also got a call from my insurance company, and it left me feeling a bit frazzled. Everything's fine, it's just I'll have a few dollars less than I thought I would. And then I had my dentist's appointment. Even though I only had a cleaning 3 months ago, with all the healthy food I've been eating (with hardly flossing at all), I really needed one. So I'm cleaned up and better informed... another blessing coming in at the perfect time. My insurance stops at the end of next week... and I made an appointment to get a leaking seal (from when I was a kid) replaced before then.
That night my parents and I had a little bit of Bible reading and prayer together, so that was nice. I also went through the top of my desk, cleaning things out and remembering my staggering Visa bill (most things from the Big Trip). And I misplaced some pocket sheets that I bought a while ago for my patches... so sometime I need to find that. At that point I was letting things worry me more than I needed to, so I took off for a run and it made me feel much better. 1.5 miles in 14 minutes... a little faster even. I relaxed very well after that, some push-ups, and a long shower.
Today was neat! We just had a department potluck with managers providing hamburgers. :) People bring all kinds of neat salads and sides; I found I really love sliced green pepper with humus.
Gosh, year's half over! And five working days to go... :)
Jp
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Quiet Day, Back to Reality
Slept in, did a lot of writing. Everyone else was off somewhere so I had a quiet time of it. Finished writing right before the evening church service, and had a good time getting back in the Bible. Took myself out to our local Italian restaurant for some soup & salad. Walked the dog. Loved the pink in the gray clouds as the sun was going down.
Jp
Jp
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Old Time, Same Place
Today I didn't quite make it in at 9 :) I woke up around 9:30 :) But I needed it!
I missed a couple things: a talk about sound effects from a live report of D-Day, and the other a documentary still in the makings about all sorts of radio things (I gather). When I walked in the door it was footage of Foley artists trying to find perfect sounds. It would have been nice, but I was in time for the next thing, which I cared about very much:
Leonard Smith, along with his wife Ann and son Anthony (and Gloria and two other REPS members) performed a tribute titled "Memories of Radio" that Leonard wrote, featuring famous sketches and songs. They started with a scene of a ballroom orchestra. It was soon interrupted with a special bulletin about Martians landing... segueing into narration about the War of the Worlds. There were notes of the beginnings of radio, the founding of the Mutual Broadcasting System, and sentimental sides:
"Radio became the news and entertainment medium for Depression-Era America: a shared, common experience that came right into one's living-room, night after night... It has been said that in the summertime one could walk down the streets of American towns and hear the entire fifteen-minute nightly Amos 'n' Andy broadcast without missing a line."
There were notes of "bloopers", an excerpt of Clem McCarthy announcing a Joe Lewis fight (complete with crowd noise), and the fact that radio made so many musicians famous, followed by a live performance of "Tangerine" by Ann Smith, accompanied by her son Anthony on the piano. Afterwords, The Lone Ranger and Jack Armstrong burst onto the scene; the latter described as "being instrumental in the defeat of Nazi Germany and Japan." LOL! Little tidbits of information on these kid shows and others were thrown in. The Shadow had his laugh and Mr. District Attorney had an excerpt and a conclusion: "Boss Verona was eventually brought to justice. The D.A. had Miss Miller pose as the bride to deliver the kidnap ransom, and in the darkness of the meeting place, she managed to snap some photographic evidence with that new marvel of 1942 science, infrared light."
There was so much fun listening in here: mysteries, soap operas,
Jack Benny, the coming of the War, music from movies, the 'Who's on First?' routine, and the end of the swing era. Leonard and Ann sang a duet of "I Remember You". This was followed by a touching story about Judy Garland returning to the public scene (in the '60's?) on Bing Crosby's show, and Ann sang "Over the Rainbow". They closed with a rendition of Bob Hope's "Thanks for the Memory" that Ann had written new words to, mentioning all these programs and reminiscing about how funny, lively, silly and happy it all was. No, thank you, Smith family!
Okay... I'm only to 11 am. This might be a long one. :0
Leonard kindly autographed my program and I was able to let him know that this was the highlight of the whole weekend. He complimented me on my pen... lol! And he didn't even know two other great actors this year (besides Gloria the previous day) had used the same one. :)
Next up was a CBS Radio Mystery Theater story about "The Buchanan Caper", where a boy is trying to be located because he wrote a school paper about his friends using disintegration beams, teletransmuters, and matter-changers. The assistant principle wanted to cash in on their possible inventions, but anyone who got close to the kid instantly disappeared. :) It was fun, but also a little jarring, coming from the romance I had just been lost in. It was also from the 1970's, complete with old coke and hot dog ads.
And then it was lunch break. I only had yogurt and granola on my way out the door at about ten, so I was ready. Went across the street to the very swank and pricey "Whole Foods Market", where I had some sample "pork and maple breakfast sausage" (wow!), sushi rice, avocado & cucumber bites (again, wow), and a drink of "Mango Madness" juice, the later so good that I actually bought one. I got that and a bean and zucchini salad. Small, but tasty and healthy.
Upon returning, host John Jenson played a bunch of clips from comedy routines. He played video of Eddie Cantor on "Time to Smile" (1939), Abbot & Costello's "Who's on First?" (deja vu), a rare Burns & Allen routine from the '30's (Gracie worked in a department store for 5 years and did nothing but crosswords - and George wanted a tie - "a pie? what flavor?"), a Red Skelton skit, a Jimmy Dorante number, and then audio clips of Bergan & McCarthy (about the boy scouts - very cute) and Phil Harris & Alice Fey (about getting Phil to let Alice do another movie). I enjoyed this one very much.
Bob Loudon, from yesterday morning, did another segment of swing songs and radio bloopers, which was followed by a performance of "Jack Armstrong, the Aaaaaalll American Boy". It was full of Nazis, boat chases, and gee-wiz! lots of stuff. Gloria sat next to me during this one and we were able to chat for a bit.
In the next room, the next moment, was SUSPENSE... and this year, they did a fun episode! The lady who played Miss Brooks yesterday played Lucille Ball (playing the featured role)! And she was great! It was about a hard working girl in New York who got her purse stolen with her last nickel and then returned with a wad of cash in an episode entitled "The Ten Grand". Very neat. Greek-American citizens were collecting cash for the resistance and evading German agents... very fun!
There was a bit of a break after this so the caterers could set up the room for the banquet. The silent auction was ending, so I went to see how the one thing I bid on was doing. It was a book by an Enthusiast's father who created I Love Lucy, Jess Oppenheimer. Gregg, his son, directs many of the radio shows they perform here. But somebody else got the book. Oh, well :)
I had the same thing for dinner this year as last: salmon garnished with rice and grilled zucchini & veggies. And nearly everyone at my table had it: Gloria and her husband Ron, Kate, who plays Judy Garland, and the wife of the only person here I know, Dave Selvig, who I learned of this organization from last year. He had steak :) Boy, did I get a good table!!! Dave was one of the actors in Leonard's "Memories" this morning... and he gave me his script! GOSH! That's why I was able to quote with precision above. :) So by the end of the four hours we spent together, we were all pretty friendly. :) We talked a little about my joining the Navy (they were all so nice!) and a little more about Gloria's experiences with Eve Arden and Len Smith.
Oh! But I forgot to mention... while we were waiting around for dinner beforehand, I was able to shake hands with Mr. Norman Corwin and give him my deepest appreciation for coming to speak to us and for his great work. He sat at the table behind me. (holy cow!)
There were three programs while we were still at our tables. Chuck McCann did a sketch of a Shakespearean actor from England doing Julius Caesar in Central Park. The soundtrack of airplanes, people booing, workman jack-hammering, cars honking, sirens blaring, and the police helicopter interrupting was hysterical. No one could stop from laughing, and many cried. It was particularly fun for me, just being in Central Park two-and-a-half weeks ago. :)
We then had an episode of The Great Gildersleeve, starring Shirley Mitchell in her original role as the widow Leila Ransom and local OTR director Jim French as Throckmorton. It was LOL funny, of course. It was Leila's first show... he introduced himself as the local air-raid martial and she told him, "You look so big and military!" and he replied, "You should see me in my gas mask!" "Oh, I bet it would make you look so handsome!". Good times.
For a finale, if that's possible, they did The Treasury Hour Bond Show, featuring nearly everyone. What a night! I guess the pictures prove that it actually did happen... wow.
Jp
I missed a couple things: a talk about sound effects from a live report of D-Day, and the other a documentary still in the makings about all sorts of radio things (I gather). When I walked in the door it was footage of Foley artists trying to find perfect sounds. It would have been nice, but I was in time for the next thing, which I cared about very much:
Leonard Smith, along with his wife Ann and son Anthony (and Gloria and two other REPS members) performed a tribute titled "Memories of Radio" that Leonard wrote, featuring famous sketches and songs. They started with a scene of a ballroom orchestra. It was soon interrupted with a special bulletin about Martians landing... segueing into narration about the War of the Worlds. There were notes of the beginnings of radio, the founding of the Mutual Broadcasting System, and sentimental sides:
"Radio became the news and entertainment medium for Depression-Era America: a shared, common experience that came right into one's living-room, night after night... It has been said that in the summertime one could walk down the streets of American towns and hear the entire fifteen-minute nightly Amos 'n' Andy broadcast without missing a line."There were notes of "bloopers", an excerpt of Clem McCarthy announcing a Joe Lewis fight (complete with crowd noise), and the fact that radio made so many musicians famous, followed by a live performance of "Tangerine" by Ann Smith, accompanied by her son Anthony on the piano. Afterwords, The Lone Ranger and Jack Armstrong burst onto the scene; the latter described as "being instrumental in the defeat of Nazi Germany and Japan." LOL! Little tidbits of information on these kid shows and others were thrown in. The Shadow had his laugh and Mr. District Attorney had an excerpt and a conclusion: "Boss Verona was eventually brought to justice. The D.A. had Miss Miller pose as the bride to deliver the kidnap ransom, and in the darkness of the meeting place, she managed to snap some photographic evidence with that new marvel of 1942 science, infrared light."
There was so much fun listening in here: mysteries, soap operas,
Jack Benny, the coming of the War, music from movies, the 'Who's on First?' routine, and the end of the swing era. Leonard and Ann sang a duet of "I Remember You". This was followed by a touching story about Judy Garland returning to the public scene (in the '60's?) on Bing Crosby's show, and Ann sang "Over the Rainbow". They closed with a rendition of Bob Hope's "Thanks for the Memory" that Ann had written new words to, mentioning all these programs and reminiscing about how funny, lively, silly and happy it all was. No, thank you, Smith family!
Okay... I'm only to 11 am. This might be a long one. :0Leonard kindly autographed my program and I was able to let him know that this was the highlight of the whole weekend. He complimented me on my pen... lol! And he didn't even know two other great actors this year (besides Gloria the previous day) had used the same one. :)
Next up was a CBS Radio Mystery Theater story about "The Buchanan Caper", where a boy is trying to be located because he wrote a school paper about his friends using disintegration beams, teletransmuters, and matter-changers. The assistant principle wanted to cash in on their possible inventions, but anyone who got close to the kid instantly disappeared. :) It was fun, but also a little jarring, coming from the romance I had just been lost in. It was also from the 1970's, complete with old coke and hot dog ads.
And then it was lunch break. I only had yogurt and granola on my way out the door at about ten, so I was ready. Went across the street to the very swank and pricey "Whole Foods Market", where I had some sample "pork and maple breakfast sausage" (wow!), sushi rice, avocado & cucumber bites (again, wow), and a drink of "Mango Madness" juice, the later so good that I actually bought one. I got that and a bean and zucchini salad. Small, but tasty and healthy.
Upon returning, host John Jenson played a bunch of clips from comedy routines. He played video of Eddie Cantor on "Time to Smile" (1939), Abbot & Costello's "Who's on First?" (deja vu), a rare Burns & Allen routine from the '30's (Gracie worked in a department store for 5 years and did nothing but crosswords - and George wanted a tie - "a pie? what flavor?"), a Red Skelton skit, a Jimmy Dorante number, and then audio clips of Bergan & McCarthy (about the boy scouts - very cute) and Phil Harris & Alice Fey (about getting Phil to let Alice do another movie). I enjoyed this one very much.
Bob Loudon, from yesterday morning, did another segment of swing songs and radio bloopers, which was followed by a performance of "Jack Armstrong, the Aaaaaalll American Boy". It was full of Nazis, boat chases, and gee-wiz! lots of stuff. Gloria sat next to me during this one and we were able to chat for a bit.
In the next room, the next moment, was SUSPENSE... and this year, they did a fun episode! The lady who played Miss Brooks yesterday played Lucille Ball (playing the featured role)! And she was great! It was about a hard working girl in New York who got her purse stolen with her last nickel and then returned with a wad of cash in an episode entitled "The Ten Grand". Very neat. Greek-American citizens were collecting cash for the resistance and evading German agents... very fun!
There was a bit of a break after this so the caterers could set up the room for the banquet. The silent auction was ending, so I went to see how the one thing I bid on was doing. It was a book by an Enthusiast's father who created I Love Lucy, Jess Oppenheimer. Gregg, his son, directs many of the radio shows they perform here. But somebody else got the book. Oh, well :)
I had the same thing for dinner this year as last: salmon garnished with rice and grilled zucchini & veggies. And nearly everyone at my table had it: Gloria and her husband Ron, Kate, who plays Judy Garland, and the wife of the only person here I know, Dave Selvig, who I learned of this organization from last year. He had steak :) Boy, did I get a good table!!! Dave was one of the actors in Leonard's "Memories" this morning... and he gave me his script! GOSH! That's why I was able to quote with precision above. :) So by the end of the four hours we spent together, we were all pretty friendly. :) We talked a little about my joining the Navy (they were all so nice!) and a little more about Gloria's experiences with Eve Arden and Len Smith.
Oh! But I forgot to mention... while we were waiting around for dinner beforehand, I was able to shake hands with Mr. Norman Corwin and give him my deepest appreciation for coming to speak to us and for his great work. He sat at the table behind me. (holy cow!)
There were three programs while we were still at our tables. Chuck McCann did a sketch of a Shakespearean actor from England doing Julius Caesar in Central Park. The soundtrack of airplanes, people booing, workman jack-hammering, cars honking, sirens blaring, and the police helicopter interrupting was hysterical. No one could stop from laughing, and many cried. It was particularly fun for me, just being in Central Park two-and-a-half weeks ago. :)
We then had an episode of The Great Gildersleeve, starring Shirley Mitchell in her original role as the widow Leila Ransom and local OTR director Jim French as Throckmorton. It was LOL funny, of course. It was Leila's first show... he introduced himself as the local air-raid martial and she told him, "You look so big and military!" and he replied, "You should see me in my gas mask!" "Oh, I bet it would make you look so handsome!". Good times.
For a finale, if that's possible, they did The Treasury Hour Bond Show, featuring nearly everyone. What a night! I guess the pictures prove that it actually did happen... wow.
Jp
Friday, June 25, 2010
Golden Radio Days...
That was our first panel: Bob Loudon, who had started with CBS in 1946, playing a hodge-podge of various clips of shows and songs on cassette tape. :) Strangely enough he started with a Christmas eve wish from Glenn Miller... and then played Jack Benny (when he meets Mary Livingstone... never heard that one before and it was a hoot! ...(to impress her) "When you're with me, money doesn't mean a thing! ...Hey Mister! Here's your penny change.") There was a clip with very corny jokes from Inner Sanctum Mysteries, a fistfight from Gunsmoke, Frank Sinatra singing "Pistol Packin' Momma" on a hit parade special, and a series of bloopers (although childish, they do mention our favorite city: an announcer asks a contestant where she works: "I work at the Pittsburgh Natural Gas Company; over 90% of the people in Pittsburgh have gas.") And to finish it off he played a sketch between Bing and Bob: Beethoven writing a swinging symphony gets a visit from Mozart and they both talk in very faky German accents.
Next, and as a special treat, Leonard Smith (Stretch Snodgrass) in his first appearance at any convention and Gloria McMillan (Harriet Conklin), one of the Enthusiast's regulars, were interviewed together about how they started and what they've done and what it was like working on Our Miss Brooks. They both started very young (Gloria at 6 - from Portland, OR! - and Leonard - from Chicago - at 4 yrs old) singing for various productions before their families moved them to LA. They both thought the world of Eve Arden, describing her as "a great lady" and "generous and kind" without a second's thought. Harriet... I mean Gloria... said she was her mentor and a very close friend, advising her about which boys she should date and just taking care of her in general. Gloria also said that her favorite memories of Eve were not from Miss Brooks... but from later on, after she had started her family. Eve invited (more like insisted) that Gloria join her in Seattle to perform dinner theater together. She said it was the time of her life. Leonard recalled his fondest memories as the cast getting together to play charades, and how it struck him what great actors they were. He also mentioned that Gale Gordon was so good at projection that John Barrymore called him better than anyone on Broadway... and that during rehearsals he would make the walls shake with a resounding (and familiar) "MISS BROOKS!!!!" lol! Gloria said she has absolutely no regrets about her career. She currently teaches acting and dancing to children with her husband in California and envies herself at the fun she has. :) Leonard joined the Air Force during the Korean War, envisioning flying on aircraft, but ending up emptying bed pans at a hospital. :( After his enlistment he became a sportscaster for many years and then got an advanced degree from a religious university and (ironically, from Stretch's standpoint) became an English teacher for over twenty years. It was a wonderful, interesting interview, and was very close to being the highlight of the day!
Then interspersed with lunch were three radio plays (gosh, this has been a fun day!). Like last year, they had a segment of the "I Remember Mama" series with "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn"... where Rosemary Rice reprised her role as "Katrin" in an 1947 episode where she falls in love. Very sweet, but so many sad things happen, that it's, you know... sad. Then there was "The Twilight Zone" in an episode where a Librarian named Romney Wordsworth is deemed obsolete by an oppressive, Big Brother-type government that thought Hitler was a pansy. It was very heavy-handed about truth, democracy, how everyone faces death and the existence of God. Gracious! And this was entertainment! :) And then a much lighter show, a 1948 episode of "The Aldrich Family" where the boys find themselves engaged to girls in town and how they try to escape. I loved the Jello song that the entire cast sang! So funny!
Next we got to meet Norman Corwin himself! At 100 years old this year, I couldn't believe that he was up for talking to a crowd like us! And not only up to it was he, but he complimented us to no end, saying this was the best group of radio enthusiasts he knows of. He also shared with us what a friend told him what living in Seattle was like: "It's like being married to a beautiful woman; except she's sick ten months of the year. But she's very beautiful all twelve." LOL! He was very distressed at the state of radio right now, and the state of the world in general, but he had so many things to talk of. He started out as a newspaper man in the 1930's and he said radio sort of chose him. It was the way to go. And then he got into what he is famous for... the rousing and influential programs he wrote for National Public Radio.Directly after this, we were given a fabulous performance of "Untitled", written by Corwin in 1944, following the story of a PFC Henry Peters who was killed at 26 yrs old. It had interviews with people who knew him along with a narrator who ended up being Henry in the end, saying that it was hard to leave a mother at the window and a girl in tears at the railroad, but that if freedom really was preserved, then it was worth it. My eyes were not completely dry at the end.
There was another interview with a sportscaster after this, but I was so worn out, and up and excited for so long that I blinked out a little as I sat listening. And then there was a dinner break. Getting out of the building for an hour was a good thing! And the booth at Panera Bread was so comfortable!
Upon returning at 7 pm, there was the "Screen Guild Theater" with Jack Benny and Joan Crawford (Chuck McCann and Gloria McMillan). I loved Jack's line to Joan: "Fan?! I'm practically a windmill!" Chuck was a close friend of the late Eddie Carroll, and dedicated the performance to him. He did a magnificent job at sounding like Jack too. Judy Garland also appeared (Kate McKnight, who did a darned good job of singing like Judy) and sang the song I saw her sing on the "That's Entertainment" with Emma! The "You Made Me Love You" song about "Mr. Gable". :)The premiere event today was the recreation of Our Miss Brooks. Everyone was a little tired and put out at the schedule being so out of wack (and late), but they did alright. It was very different though; the fact that Eve Arden wasn't there had a big impact. She can make almost anything sound funny because she's Eve Arden. Her stand-in was no Eve Arden, but seeing and hearing Gloria and Leonard in their original roles was well worth it.
They did the episode I listened to last summer in San Diego, the one where Walter and Stretch fight over Harriet. Somehow the ending got messed up though because it wasn't funny. I'll have to go back and listen to it... Oh! and the lady who played Connie's housekeeper, Mrs. Davis, she was PERFECT! :)By this time it was much later than when they wanted to end, but they did the episode of "Six Shooter" with Jimmy Stewart anyway. Jimmy was played by Jack Benny, if that makes any sense. :) I was very impressed with Mr. McCann's vocal abilities! It was like having my hero before me! :) And as an added bonus for those few of us who stayed for this final performance, they started in the middle of a Fibber McGee & Molly episode, as if we had tuned in half-way through! And as a running joke during Six Shooter, the sound effects team only had 3 half-coconut shells with which to create a posse! When proving everyone else wrong, Jimmy said, "That's the most unhappiest posse I've ever seen riding two horses."
What a day!
Jp
And Again
It's dinner break this time, except this time I'm at Panera Bread in downtown Bellevue. If only I had known one was so close last year! I had half my favorite sandwich, Sierra Turkey with a cup of chicken tortilla soup (very lightly spicy soup with corn and beans and tortilla strips on top) in one of their two-for-one deals. Apple on the side along with browsing ability, and I'm one happy little clam. :)
Gosh, the set of panels and shows this year is outstanding! I can't wait til I can have some real time tonight to sit down, process it all and post about it! Wow!
Jp
Gosh, the set of panels and shows this year is outstanding! I can't wait til I can have some real time tonight to sit down, process it all and post about it! Wow!
Jp
Checking In
Gosh, it feels like Saturday! I took the day off work today in order to get to the first bit of the Radio Enthusiasts of Puget Sound's Showcase "Salute to the Shows and Stars of the Golden Age of Radio". Last year I missed a good bunch of Friday morning. And I'm happy to report I made it in time for every second of it this year. :)
I'm coming to you from the "mingling room" lobby of the Bellevue Coast Hotel. We're on the lunch break right now, and I just had a fabulous chopped steak at Denny's next door.
The only thing to report from yesterday was that I spent the evening with Meg and Jason, helping them move stuff to their place (couple rooms at Jason's brother's house) in Edmonds. I was very impressed with the painting and sheetrocking they did! They greatly improved things! I helped when Jason's brother's wife moved in... a while ago. I think it was last year. Who knows! Time flies so fast!
Reports on the convention to follow... sometime "soon".
Jp
I'm coming to you from the "mingling room" lobby of the Bellevue Coast Hotel. We're on the lunch break right now, and I just had a fabulous chopped steak at Denny's next door.
The only thing to report from yesterday was that I spent the evening with Meg and Jason, helping them move stuff to their place (couple rooms at Jason's brother's house) in Edmonds. I was very impressed with the painting and sheetrocking they did! They greatly improved things! I helped when Jason's brother's wife moved in... a while ago. I think it was last year. Who knows! Time flies so fast!
Reports on the convention to follow... sometime "soon".
Jp
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Wednesday
I had the best of Wednesdays yesterday! After yet another very busy day at work (I took more than half the day processing 20 UCR's) I had a burst of energy after eating a bite for dinner. I picked up my room, washed my bed, walked the dog, cleaned the bathroom, took the dog on a quick run through the park (he had energy too!), then went for a mile and a half run (I think my time was close to 15 minutes... I must have not been pushing myself), drank a lot of water upon coming inside, proceeded to do 21 push-ups (most ever) and a bunch of sit-ups while waiting for the dryer, made my bed, and finished the bathroom before taking a very fast shower at ten after ten.
I assumed that I would be exhausted this morning after staying up late talking with Mike, as usual. But this morning I don't think I've ever felt more relaxed and contented in my whole life as I do right now. I had a couple eggs and a piece of toast... and I didn't even mind coming to work.
Jp
I assumed that I would be exhausted this morning after staying up late talking with Mike, as usual. But this morning I don't think I've ever felt more relaxed and contented in my whole life as I do right now. I had a couple eggs and a piece of toast... and I didn't even mind coming to work.
Jp
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Finally, The Sun!
Welcome, sunshine! although your stay was brief!
Today was gorgeous outside, and it even got above 75 degrees! I was stuck inside at work for the better part of the day, but I did take one trip to the next building in the late morning to haul a very heavy box of closed out manufacturing orders back to my building. I appreciated the warm rays in the cool weather when I did.
Gosh, work was very busy; it looks like it will be that way until I go (which is a blessing). I found out of tolerances in two different books today! wow! it feels good to do my job so well, but I wish other people would do theirs... it would make it easier.
After a short dinner I took a brief nap, curled up in Dad's chair. My body has been fighting off something that may turn into a sore throat, and on top of that, it's that time of the month. And I'm pretty tired from work. Poor Puppy could hardly stand it once I woke up. He had been dying for a walk the moment I came home. I took my camera along this evening... and I had a good time. I was still a little sleepy and the sun was shining, but it was getting cooler. My light coat, unzipped, was absolutely perfect.
Since returning from that I've laid down on my bed with the window open, thinking about things and listening to the chirping birds with my blanket on top of me because of the cool of the evening. It's nine o'clock now, and the light is just starting to fade. Ahh.
Jp
Today was gorgeous outside, and it even got above 75 degrees! I was stuck inside at work for the better part of the day, but I did take one trip to the next building in the late morning to haul a very heavy box of closed out manufacturing orders back to my building. I appreciated the warm rays in the cool weather when I did.
Gosh, work was very busy; it looks like it will be that way until I go (which is a blessing). I found out of tolerances in two different books today! wow! it feels good to do my job so well, but I wish other people would do theirs... it would make it easier.
After a short dinner I took a brief nap, curled up in Dad's chair. My body has been fighting off something that may turn into a sore throat, and on top of that, it's that time of the month. And I'm pretty tired from work. Poor Puppy could hardly stand it once I woke up. He had been dying for a walk the moment I came home. I took my camera along this evening... and I had a good time. I was still a little sleepy and the sun was shining, but it was getting cooler. My light coat, unzipped, was absolutely perfect.
Since returning from that I've laid down on my bed with the window open, thinking about things and listening to the chirping birds with my blanket on top of me because of the cool of the evening. It's nine o'clock now, and the light is just starting to fade. Ahh.
Jp
Monday, June 21, 2010
Not Too Bad
I woke up this morning right on time after an insane dream about Cary Grant (who was a part of the family...) and some rather nasty stuff about people who had fallen off of a tall parking garage and a killer cat that had apparently been responsible for it all.
Where on earth did that come from?
Work was very busy today and I stayed engaged the whole time. A coworker of ours is just beginning a two-week vacation, so there's plenty to do.
At home I've stayed really relaxed. No workouts today! I like doing every-other day for that sort of thing. Mom and I had a long, pleasant conversation with our leftovers tonight. Other than that I've started planning for our week-long trip to San Francisco in the end of July, and Meg and I played a game of Phase 10 for the first time in a long time!
Jp
Where on earth did that come from?
Work was very busy today and I stayed engaged the whole time. A coworker of ours is just beginning a two-week vacation, so there's plenty to do.
At home I've stayed really relaxed. No workouts today! I like doing every-other day for that sort of thing. Mom and I had a long, pleasant conversation with our leftovers tonight. Other than that I've started planning for our week-long trip to San Francisco in the end of July, and Meg and I played a game of Phase 10 for the first time in a long time!
Jp
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Resting
I slept in! Until 10 am! Wow!
I had an incredibly slow, relaxing, quiet day. Small breakfast with Mom (but we sat around and talked for a long time), then the FC came home and I was ready for a noontime snack. And then it's a little fuzzy. It might have been then that I laid down for a nap on the couch in the kitchen/dining room (it's a big room). I slept for quite a while. And at one point I did get up and look at my first photo album (from the trip) with Mom. Went back to sleep, got up around four, and took the dog on a walk since it had stopped raining. And then I took myself on a mile and a half run. In thirteen minutes! That's much less than the one I did on the treadmill at the hotel last week. I'm feeling really good right now. Even the full run didn't knock the wind out of me like less than that used to. Whooo-hoo!
And I did end up listening to the sermon I missed last week and Mom and I did go to the service tonight. Unfortunately, they're discontinuing the evening service for the summer... so darn! I may or may not make it to the morning services in following weeks. We'll see.
Afterwords we went out to a late dinner at a local, 1940's themed cafe. Had hot chocolate (because I was feeling frozen from the fifties degree weather) and hot creamed turkey soup along with a salad and most of a turkey and bacon sandwich. And while leaving I saw my university band director there, having dinner with his family! So I said hello and we hugged! :) What a surprise!
Gosh, there's work tomorrow...
Time for another long winter-ish nap on the eve of the shortest night of the year.
Weird. :)
Jp
I had an incredibly slow, relaxing, quiet day. Small breakfast with Mom (but we sat around and talked for a long time), then the FC came home and I was ready for a noontime snack. And then it's a little fuzzy. It might have been then that I laid down for a nap on the couch in the kitchen/dining room (it's a big room). I slept for quite a while. And at one point I did get up and look at my first photo album (from the trip) with Mom. Went back to sleep, got up around four, and took the dog on a walk since it had stopped raining. And then I took myself on a mile and a half run. In thirteen minutes! That's much less than the one I did on the treadmill at the hotel last week. I'm feeling really good right now. Even the full run didn't knock the wind out of me like less than that used to. Whooo-hoo!
And I did end up listening to the sermon I missed last week and Mom and I did go to the service tonight. Unfortunately, they're discontinuing the evening service for the summer... so darn! I may or may not make it to the morning services in following weeks. We'll see.
Afterwords we went out to a late dinner at a local, 1940's themed cafe. Had hot chocolate (because I was feeling frozen from the fifties degree weather) and hot creamed turkey soup along with a salad and most of a turkey and bacon sandwich. And while leaving I saw my university band director there, having dinner with his family! So I said hello and we hugged! :) What a surprise!
Gosh, there's work tomorrow...
Time for another long winter-ish nap on the eve of the shortest night of the year.
Weird. :)
Jp
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Day With Family
I tried very hard to sleep in this morning, but I had to keep falling back asleep after 6am. I must still be on Eastern time or something. :)
Mom and I shared some oatmeal and then we cleaned up the piles of dishes that had been accumulating over a day or two. It was quite a job!
But at 1:15, Andie and Beckie (who had arrived a couple hours before) and Mom and I took off for our friend's house in Carnation for Meg's wedding shower. It was a very fun afternoon in the truest of Mayfield shower traditions (they've had three of their own) and we stayed much later afterwords to talk about flowers and bridesmaid's dresses for the actual event in just under a month!
So today was long, but I had a wonderful time chatting with an old friend of mine (one of the sisters) and because I was so hungry I tried out the egg-salad sandwiches (I used to not care for them) and found to my delight that they were very good!
What a day! How I want to sleep.
Jp
Mom and I shared some oatmeal and then we cleaned up the piles of dishes that had been accumulating over a day or two. It was quite a job!
But at 1:15, Andie and Beckie (who had arrived a couple hours before) and Mom and I took off for our friend's house in Carnation for Meg's wedding shower. It was a very fun afternoon in the truest of Mayfield shower traditions (they've had three of their own) and we stayed much later afterwords to talk about flowers and bridesmaid's dresses for the actual event in just under a month!
So today was long, but I had a wonderful time chatting with an old friend of mine (one of the sisters) and because I was so hungry I tried out the egg-salad sandwiches (I used to not care for them) and found to my delight that they were very good!
What a day! How I want to sleep.
Jp
I Meant to Post on Wednesday...
better later than never, I always say...
This was from my first day back at work. I wore my "Betty" outfit that I purchased at the Vermont Country Store. :) Meg insisted on a picture, since skirts are very much out of my ordinary attire.
Jp
This was from my first day back at work. I wore my "Betty" outfit that I purchased at the Vermont Country Store. :) Meg insisted on a picture, since skirts are very much out of my ordinary attire.Jp
Friday, June 18, 2010
Back!
Well, I've finally cleared up my floor and chair from my instant unpacking on Wednesday morning, so I can now walk across my room and sit down on my very own chair and write this. :)
It's been very difficult to work at work this week, with all the talking about my trip and catching up and talking about leaving in three weeks... !!! Often times I sit and look at the calendar... oh, dear! :) Next week will be better though, especially after getting some much needed rest this weekend.
Gosh, after all that posting for 12 days straight I've really relaxed this week! Except I spent all Wednesday night posting 923 pictures to Facebook... and last night I went straight to bed after dinner at 6:30 and didn't wake up til 11pm... and I thought it was time for work. :) Got myself fixed up for bed (for real) and then slept for 5 and a half more hours, making it a total of ten! And I needed every minute!
Feeling much better today... got to work early so I could leave early for the Navy. And SUPER GOOD news! I'm at 162 lbs! Better than I thought! And probably the lowest I've been since Army ROTC in 2005. So the Chief will not get mad: not at me or my recruiters... I am two below where I signed on at... so I am well pleased!
Whew! (however, I need to press on)
Jp
Friday, June 4, 2010
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Worries
I can't believe that all I've been waiting for is coming down to tomorrow. I'll get on a plane and go... and go, and go, and go. :)
I'm worried that I didn't get enough sleep this week. I never got to bed before midnight... and Wednesday night made me worry a whole lot. We had our monthly meeting, and the Chief says that he's going to cut anyone who weighs more than their beginning weight by mid-month and I'm a couple pounds above that... four as of yesterday. So I haven't been eating very much. And after I got home I did a mile and a half run. He says he'll do it because there are so many people who want jobs in the Navy right now, but can't have them. So he doesn't want to worry about people who are close.
I may love traveling, but I hate packing. I'm worried I'm forgetting something. ...hmm. Anyway, I think I have everything I need, and I think the suitcase is under it's weight limit... hmm. We'll find out. Oh! But I did twenty push-ups tonight (all at once)! That's a first!
I'm super tired already... this isn't good. :)
Lord, please bless my trip, and help me to rest tonight. Help me to enjoy this as much as I can. Help me to lose what weight I need to. Help me to not worry, but to trust you. Thank you for being so good and caring about my smallest care.
Jp
I'm worried that I didn't get enough sleep this week. I never got to bed before midnight... and Wednesday night made me worry a whole lot. We had our monthly meeting, and the Chief says that he's going to cut anyone who weighs more than their beginning weight by mid-month and I'm a couple pounds above that... four as of yesterday. So I haven't been eating very much. And after I got home I did a mile and a half run. He says he'll do it because there are so many people who want jobs in the Navy right now, but can't have them. So he doesn't want to worry about people who are close.
I may love traveling, but I hate packing. I'm worried I'm forgetting something. ...hmm. Anyway, I think I have everything I need, and I think the suitcase is under it's weight limit... hmm. We'll find out. Oh! But I did twenty push-ups tonight (all at once)! That's a first!
I'm super tired already... this isn't good. :)
Lord, please bless my trip, and help me to rest tonight. Help me to enjoy this as much as I can. Help me to lose what weight I need to. Help me to not worry, but to trust you. Thank you for being so good and caring about my smallest care.
Jp
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Day Off, Day On
Monday was neat! I had planned to work out at the Everett Naval Station gym with another recruit right when it opened at 10:30. We both ended up being a little late, so it worked out perfect. My DEP card got me on base just fine (the gatekeeper asked what rate I was going for - but that's it) and I managed to go to the right parking lot even though I had never been there before. I figured it would be near the baseball fields I saw. And being "Active Duty", I got in for free. Very nice. Hannaford (the other recruit) and I did a mile and a half run (it's easier when you go with someone else and it's flat...) on a path on the waterfront on base. We then returned to the gym and did weights for an hour.
I went right home to a full house! Andrea, Nathan and co. were over and spent the day with us! I had some breakfast, washed the dishes, and played with the kids. We had a marvelous supper... grilled chicken and lots of fixings. And the sun broke through our massive, oppressive clouds that afternoon for the first time in days! I laid down on the deck in my sweatshirt and a blanket (there was a stiff breeze) and watched the little, white, wispy clouds parade by. A few birds darted around and an eagle circled for a while. I just wanted to drink in the sounds and the sights. Wind chimes rang, leaves rustled, and people mowed their lawns. After a while I even dozed off. When I woke up, it was time for strawberry shortcake. A beautiful day, indeed!
I kept myself pretty busy at work today, so the day flew by. That and I had to leave early for my doctor's appointment. I was a year overdue for tetanus, and I didn't want to have to worry about getting an extra shot at Boot. Besides, they cleaned out my ears as well.
After dinner by my request Mom cut my hair, so I am back to short hair; a little shorter than my Facebook profile even. And it's back to being cute and bouncy. :)
Jp
I went right home to a full house! Andrea, Nathan and co. were over and spent the day with us! I had some breakfast, washed the dishes, and played with the kids. We had a marvelous supper... grilled chicken and lots of fixings. And the sun broke through our massive, oppressive clouds that afternoon for the first time in days! I laid down on the deck in my sweatshirt and a blanket (there was a stiff breeze) and watched the little, white, wispy clouds parade by. A few birds darted around and an eagle circled for a while. I just wanted to drink in the sounds and the sights. Wind chimes rang, leaves rustled, and people mowed their lawns. After a while I even dozed off. When I woke up, it was time for strawberry shortcake. A beautiful day, indeed!
I kept myself pretty busy at work today, so the day flew by. That and I had to leave early for my doctor's appointment. I was a year overdue for tetanus, and I didn't want to have to worry about getting an extra shot at Boot. Besides, they cleaned out my ears as well.
After dinner by my request Mom cut my hair, so I am back to short hair; a little shorter than my Facebook profile even. And it's back to being cute and bouncy. :)
Jp
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)