Ice Storm 2008

The ice storm was like a double-edged sword....beautiful and dangerous. While I was without power for seven days, many thousands of others in NH are still without power. The storm served to reawaken the gratitude I have in being able to flip a switch and have light, turn a handle and have hot water, and click a remote and have a television signal. Life is, indeed, good. Happy Holidays.

Wish Lists

Dateline: 1968
I remember vividly being given the keys to the kingdom by my Mom....that is the Christmas Wish Book from Sears. My sister and I were told to pick an item from each page that we'd want. Now mind you, we were also told that Santa would not bring us all the items, but this was Santa's way of discovering what it was we valued. I remember carefully scrutinizing each page in the toy section, pouring over the contents, reading slowly each item's description and strategically planning every choice. It was fantastic!
Fast forward 40 years, and now I carefully research on-line sales, item descriptions, best prices and carefully pick what I add to my Amazon.com Wish List. The process is just as fun, I still know Santa won't bring me all that I wish for, but I still get the thrill of "drooling" at Christmas without the ache to the pocketbook. The media has changed, the method hasn't.
Merry Christmas.

Video Production Fun! Video Editing Fun!

Gary Puckett and Union Gap

Okay, so it's Third Grade, I'm in Teague Park Elementary School, it's winter and I'm playing on a hard-crusted snow bank (some form of King of the Mountain). I remember Gary Puckett and the Union Gap's top song of the moment -- "Young Girl." Oh, I still can almost smell the cold snow and frozen toes and singing that song at the top of my cold lungs, 'young girl, get outta my mind, my love for you is way outta line, better run girl, you're much to young girl.' And the clothes they wore, how 'bout those Nehru Jacket-like long coats?
I now am the proud owner of the CD, Best of Gary.... I play it A LOT, it's great workout music and it take me back to the uncomplicated days of my young-girl life. Is there anything better?

Vote!

Halloween Dreams

Because I spent a majority of my 30s putting myself through college by bartending and working in bars, I've grew to love the "adult" holiday of Halloween. Not the trick or treating, but the donning of wierd, simple, fantastic, or complex costumes. I never set out to win any prizes, but I truly love the design and engineering of great costumes. Let's see, I've been a web server, a file server, the energizer bunny, Miss Conception and a variety of Monty Python characters.
Since this year Halloween falls on a work Friday, I'm contemplating my Friday costume. Maybe I'll post a picture next week when I decide what I will became on Fright Day....

IT @ Home!

I've got to tell you that sometimes being a "geek @ home" has real disadvantages. I've spent innumerable hours this weekend creating backup processes, culling photographs, updating software, organizing music files, etc. I'm good at it, but boy what time it takes! I'm just feeling the need to say Oy Vey! Oh well...all my files are backed-up, the tasks are automated, my data files are better organized, and I do feel better (read: more secure). I'm ready for a computer crash, but please "goddness of my hard drive", please be kind and let me be just a bit more geeky without retribution anytime soon. Amen.

Downeaster Train

Boston - what a awesome city. I caught the Downeaster down on Friday morning and spent a wonderful day in the city with a long-lost friend. We walked, we talked, we ate, we shopped, we walked some more.

I am amazed at the history in Boston (now I shouldn't really be amazed because I DID study it in grade school), but somehow the past really comes to life when you wander the streets of Beantown.

My amazement also probably stems from my country-ways kind of life. City life with its corresponding noise, traffic and virtual assault on your senses is intense. I'm sure that's why Amtrak going down to Boston is a way to slowly build the intensity level -- (of course this could all be hooey and I should just "deal" with it.

Well here's to Paul Revere, Boston Commons and a great day in the city. Glad to be home, but always glad to venture away too.

What I Will Do On My Fall Vacation

At the end of week, shall I do a show and tell? Excitedly skip up to the front of the classroom with my secrets to share. Nervous and giddy simultaneously? Remember those early fall school days after saying good-bye to summer? That's akin to how I feel this week, and....
....it's fall vacation week --I feel relaxed, calm and a bit excited at the prospect of doing anything, everything and nothing. No plans, no must-dos, no schedules, no to-do lists, just simply enjoying a week calming and indulging myself. So this week it's slow mornings with great tasting coffee, wearing slippers and fleece pants and showering when I want and not when I don't, playing, sleeping and just absolutely whatever.
Ahhh, I wish these days could last forever....