I think I'm getting sick.

I woke up with a sore throat this morning, and now my ears hurt like someone's taken sandpaper to my ear canals. I took some migraine aspirin or whatever they're called. Hopefully it will help my ears.

We had a cold front come thru last night. The temp right now's about 48, absolutely perfect. I have the windows open (for a while, at least) and my flannel pants and socks on, nice and cozy.

I need to knit another pair of felted slippers for this winter. My pair from last year have holes in the bottom. The pattern is called "Fuzzy Feet" and is from the knitty.com website. Last years's pair were red with a black cuff--I wonder what color I should knit this year?

I'm telling on Maggie . . . .

A little while ago I'm sitting at the computer and Maggie's off in the back of the apartment. Suddenly I hear a big "BANG!" So I take off for my bedroom and find this:


Now, for a minute I thought I had forgotten to make up my bed this morning, but then I realized that I had indeed done that before I left for work. Apparently Miss Maggie had a hair up her butt and was rolling around on the bed and actually messed it up this badly. Now, she will do this in the mornings while I'm getting ready for work, but nothing as bad as this!

Apparently Maggie has "Fall Fever." That's what happens when the temperature drops 30 degrees in 24 hours.

Crawling into the 21st Century

You know, I used to be a huge techno-geek. I had to have the latest and greatest of everything. But a reversal of fortune caused me to have to be satisfied with sitting on the sidelines and watching most of the "digital age" pass me by. I feel lucky to have a computer and internet access.

But once in a while I'll splurge and get myself something that I really don't need, could live without, but purchase simply because "I just want it" (I don't get many "I just want its" anymore). (And no, buying sock yarn is not an "I want"--it's a necessity!)

This week two really cool things happened. I found a wonderful little program called Lathe that formats video for viewing on a Palm. I'm now able to carry around episodes of West Wing to watch whenever I want. How feakin' cool is that?

However, the very best thing was that this week I finally came into the wireless internet age. I have been dreaming of buying an Enfora wifi case for my T3 for a while now, but I put it off because there was always something else I needed and I really didn't need it, I just wanted it, it wasn't a necessity. There was always something else that I actually needed more, plus the fact that I didn't have a wifi network at home anyway.

The other day I went to the one website I knew carried them and found that they had been--DISCONTINUED!

OH NO!!!!

How could this be? Didn't they know that I wanted this case? This was a CATASTROPHE!

So I ran over to the Enfora site, and yes, they were still selling them. HALLELUJAH! What else could I do? I whipped out the debit card and bought one immediately.

And then developed a severe case of Buyer's Remorse.

I knew I didn't NEED this, but I really WANTED it. I don't really buy very many frivolous things for myself--I'm actually a little scared to go shopping any more, which is why I don't go out very often. Most of the time I buy things from the internet. The only time I really go splurge shopping is when I go yarn store hopping with Missy (she's an enabler, I tell you). But I convinced myself that this time it was okay to buy something fun.

Then I got the case and surrendered myself to the wifi god.

Wow, this is great! I can now surf the net and send email, read my blogs, and even stream radio from several stations. I'm also able to download podcasts directly to my Palm--how freakin' cool is that? It felt so good to be a "techno-geek" again.

But there was a problem. I have wifi access at work and around town, but I don't have wifi at home, and that's where I am most of the time. It's another one of those things that I really didn't need, since I didn't have anything to wifi with. But that had changed, so didn't I need to be able to use it at home to justify the cost?

I lasted 24 hours.

The next day I was off to Radio Shack for a router, where I had to argue with a salesman (I didn't know anything about how to install the damn thing, but I knew more than he did--geez), and then I went home to install my new toy.

It was really quite simple. I bought a Linksys router, and the installation disk walks you through all the steps. In no time I was off and running my own wifi network. How cool is that?

So now I'm happy. I can be in bed and read my blogs, send e-mail, and do all kinds of stuff. I can now sit on the sofa and put my feet up instead of having to sit at the desk. There are some differences in using a PDA and a regular computer, but it works really, really well. It's just about the coolest thing ever!

Now all I need are a couple of 1gb SD cards, and I'm all set.

As for the interview, it was pushed back until next Tuesday, so I'm trying not to obsess over it. Having all this new fun stuff to play with has helped a lot. It's an "it's okay to have something new and fun because this helps you forget that you have a really sucky life and need a new job" kinda thing.

And I really need a new job.

Yes, I know I've been a bad blogger.

I just haven't had much to say lately. That and the fact that I seem to have no energy at all have both contributed to a lack of insight in the last week or so.

Part of this stems from work issues that I won't go into here. Needless to say, things have gotten to the point that I feel I need to move on. I know it's going to be an uphill struggle to find a new job--who wants to hire an plain, overweight, 48-year-old single woman who has little redeemable social value? Clerical help is a dime a dozen, and why hire someone with 25 years' experience when you can get someone perfectly capable for much less money and have someone young and cute to look at as well?

I've been lucky enough to get my foot in the door for an interview at a local company this week. The position I'm interviewing for is currently held by a friend from my previous place of employment. She was sweet enough to put me in the loop to be considered. I know I probably don't stand a rat's chance of getting the job, but maybe it will motivate me to get started looking. I need to get this done and get out--I don't think I can take much more from this job.

With preparing for interviews in mind, I finally had my hair cut yesterday. It's really short, which I like because it's so easy to care for, and it does look better than having a lot of hair around my face and neck. I even came home and colored it to get rid of all the gray. I'll be generous and say I think it makes me look not only better but a little younger. Sure can't hurt. Now if I can just find something to wear from my rather limited wardrobe, I'll be ready to go. I just need to try not to have a freakout when I walk in the door for the interview.

I am slowing progressing on Sock #2. At this rate, it'll be Christmas before it's finished, but I am getting a little done now and then. My shawl is still sitting in the same place it was three weeks ago. I have just been too brain dead to think about struggling with it. I hope to get back to it a little later when I have a little more energy to knit.

I think Fall's definitely here. The days are getting shorter, and the temps have been much cooler. I actually put another blanket on the bed last week. But we still need rain! My poor plants look horrible--half of them are dead and the other half are almost there. I need to clean up the porch and plant some fall flowers, pansies and mums, but the owners are getting ready to paint the apartments, and I don't want to do anything until they're finished; otherwise, I'll have paint all over my flowers.

Happy birthday to my friend . . . .

There are places I’ll remember
All my life
Though some have changed
Some forever not for better
Some have gone and some remain
All these places have their moments
With lovers and friends I still can recall
Some are dead and some are living
In my life I’ve loved them all

But of all these friends and lovers
There is no one compares with you
And these memories lose their meaning
When I think of love as something new
Though I know I’ll never lose affection
For people and things that went before
I know I’ll often stop and think about them
In my life I love you more

Though I know I’ll never lose affection
For people and things that went before
I know I’ll often stop and think about them
In my life I love you more

In my life I love you more