How Time Flies

It's hard to believe it was 18 years ago that my family traveled to England and France...EIGHTEEN YEARS! Back then, we didn't have the luxury of the Internet to help us plan where we'd be staying, like being able to look up hotels on http://www.cheaperthanhotels.co.uk/United-Kingdom/York/ to find a cheap place to stay in York, which by the way was one of my favorite places we visited. Although, we just drove around until we found a bed and breakfast that looked decent. But still, it might have been cheaper for my folks to go to a site like http://www.cheaperthanhotels.co.uk/United-Kingdom/York/ and do a search beforehand. Granted, the spontaneity would have been killed, but my folks could have probably saved a ton of money. I wonder if being able to find inexpensive, yet decent, places to stay so easily has made more people be less spontaneous about where they might end up staying? Does being able to plan every last detail on the Internet at sites like http://www.cheaperthanhotels.co.uk/United-Kingdom/York/ hurt the spontaneity of some trips? Probably not...I mean, we had travel agents before the Internet, right?

Tags: Internet, United Kingdom, hotels, travel, trips

Time to Go Back to School?

With all of my recent, unwanted job changes (in other words, a reorg)...it's made me think about going back to school again, not for a degree, but to take some classes in marketing or PR writing, because I really need to get another skill set besides publishing project management. It'd be great if I lived in Chicago, Boston, New York, or maybe Los Angeles. But Cincinnati isn't exactly a publishing mecca. Yeah, my company is huge, and I could probably move around in it. It's just that I can't see myself here for the rest of my life. I think I might have to jump out one of the windows here if that were the case. So, I think I need to start looking at student loans, or else ask my dad for some support. It's just that he gave me about $6000 in financial assistance last year. Granted, it was mostly taxes for freelancing and a medical thing I had done, but still. Classes are expensive, and I don't feel like being beholden to this place for tuition reimbursement.

Staying at Dad's

When I stayed at my dad's place after his surgery, I slept on a bed with a memory foam mattress, or at least that's what the mattress cover was made out of (never took the sheets off to look). You know, it wasn't that bad. The first time I sat on it, it felt unforgiving. It was hard to get used to at first, and I always have problems sleeping in unfamiliar places. But after the first two nights, I slept pretty well. It definitely conformed to my body in all the right ways, probably better than a standard mattress. But these things are tres expensive, so I don't think I'll be getting one for myself anytime soon. Maybe I'll look into a mattress cover, because those aren't as expensive as an entire mattress made out of memory foam. We'll see.

Tags: memory foam, memory foam mattress

Still Unpacking

Yes, I moved over a month ago...and I'm still unpacking. In all fairness, I had a bad case of tennis elbow (or in this case, mover's elbow), so I couldn't really do too much. What I didn't know what to do with went in the second bedroom, so it's completely full. My desk and home computer are in there, along with a myriad of cables (for all I know, I have some HDMI cables packed away somewhere). It's insane, and I can't figure out how to organize the closet in there. So I'm procrastinating beyond belief and just pretending like it's not as bad as it looks. My dad will be coming over when he can to help hang pictures. That'll help make it feel more like home and less like a temporary residence. That's my theory, anyway.

Tags: tennis, tennis elbow, HDMI, home computer, computer, home

Gifts Galore

One of the gifts on my cousin's wedding registry was some luggage, very nice luggage actually. And they got it, along with the LCD television they said was their "what the heck?" registry item. Lucky for them, my cousin has a very generous aunt, because she took them to get it while we were there. Now, the television they had was this thing you had to hit to get it to work, so they really did need a new one. I don't need a new one, but I want an HDTV in the worst way possible. I am such a geek when it comes to new technology. I suppose there are some who are worse than I am, but not many. Maybe if my tax refund is big enough...that's what I'll get with it, an LCD that's at least 26", probably 32" in width. Here's hoping...

More Christmas Cheer

The other gift I got from my cousin (my immediate family doesn't do gifts, which makes me sad...my brother and I exchange, but my dad gets all mad when we break his rule) was a watch. Now, it wasn't one of those Raymond Weil watches, but it's this cute girly watch I can't wait to wear with one of my pink tops. I also got a pearl bracelet with a pink charm on it. Guess it's a good thing I now like pink! Used to not like it, but with breast cancer awareness having pink as its color I've grown to love it and wear it every now and then. Granted, I'm not going to paint my room pink or anything, but I do wear it now more than I ever have. So thanks, cousin! :)

Merry Christmas to All (and to Me Too, Heh)

OMG, I got the best Christmas present. My cousin gave me 4 facials at her favorite aesthetician. She's told her of my skin problems, and she told her to send me to her. I'm so excited! It's a small place, so it's not like I'm going to sit in one of those spa hot tubs and wash my stress away. But it is very relaxing, and I'm hoping that between them and the Tazorac I'm using (it works...I still break out at that time of the month, but not as bad as I have in the past), I'll have clear skin once and for all.

Glitter and Glam

Perhaps when my dad feels up to it, we can go to do something fun, or at least something we've never done before, like go to Las Vegas. I think it's something everyone should see once in their lives. If they don't like it, they don't have to go back, right? So, to take my mind off of his situation, I'm sitting here looking up a LasVegas hotel or two seeing where we might stay. I have this idea that we'll stay somewhere near all the action. I mean, why else go? I'm not much of a gambler myself, but every now and then it's fun. My mom always said she'd take me once I was 21, because apparently I used to roll doubles when we played Monopoly more than average, heh. That never happened. So if we do ever go, you can bet you'll find me playing at least one game of craps to fulfill a fun thing Mom wanted to do with me.

Is It 2008 Yet?

Seriously. I'm still all stressed out. At least I'm able to work from home this week. I think if I had to go in to work, I'd be depressed on top of everything else. Why am I so stressed, still? Well, Dad's still in the hospital after having his prostate removed, and they found cancer in it. They're fairly certain that it hasn't spread anywhere, but since Mom died from breast cancer...well, I just hate cancer. Actually, hate isn't a strong enough word for it. How about loathe, hate, detest, and despise cancer? Yeah, that works. And the poor man is having an unexplained fever, even though he's on a dual antibiotic. We had kind of hoped that removing the prostate would remove the source of infection he's had since 1986, but it doesn't look that way. He's all weepy and depressed. I've just never seen him like this, and he's had surgery before. It's so hard to see a parent in distress. And having it be almost Christmas isn't helping matters at all. I have to say that the last 5 years have absolutely sucked for my family. So I'm really, really hoping that 2008 is better. I've said that for 4 years now, and it hasn't happened. Maybe this time, it will. Gotta have hope, you know??

Moving, How I Hate Thee

I really, really need to buy a house. Why? Because then, it's less likely I will move ever again. Seriously. Going through all the stuff I've accumulated over two years is depressing, only because it shows me how bad of a pack-rat I am. And given I move next Thursday, I don't really have time to purge now, so everything is coming with me. Oh, unpacking will be just as fun, I just know it...

But then, every now and then, I have a fond memory of moving, mainly the ones having to do with new stuff my parents bought me when I moved into my first apartment. My mom got me one of those espresso machines, which I think she really wanted for herself...because she drank coffee, a lot, and I didn't. While I enjoy a latte every now and then, it's not my life's blood. So, it sits under my counter and collects dust. I should just give it away, but it holds too many memories, especially with my mother having departed this plane of existence 4 years ago this month. But that's another blog entry entirely, and one I don't want to write...because even thinking of writing it makes me tear up a little. *sigh* So maybe, tomorrow I will get out the espresso machine and have myself a latte in honor of Mom and her coffee-loving ways. :)

Tags: moving, espresso, coffee, blog, apartment, pack-rat

Montana Or Bust

I was just in Montana for a wedding for my younger cousin. Wow, that is one beautiful place. Although small, it's quite charming (and it is the capitol city, but it doesn't look that way). Anyway, they got just about everything they wanted on their registry, including the LCD TV they had put on it. His aunt Pinky (yes, Pinky) took them to Target the day after their wedding and bought it for them. She's very well-off. I mean, she and her son came from Australia. Granted, she's not my aunt, hee hee. But she's a lot of fun, and I'm glad she could do that for them. Apparently they have to hit the TV they have now to get it to work. So, now they have a brand new 37" Olevia LCD TV. I'm jealous! I think that'll be my next purchase, if/when we get a bonus next year. By then the 32" one I want will be relatively cheap. At least, I hope it will.

Hand-Me-Downs

You know, I never bother to buy stuff like a new set of glasses or a new cookware set. Why? Because my father eventually gets bored with his stuff, and then I get it...and it's nice stuff because cooking is his favorite thing to do in the whole wide world. My cousin and his fiancee (more than likely, his fiancee and not him) had a set of cookware on their registry, but there's no way on earth I could afford to get that for them. They'll have to settle for a tablecloth instead, heh. I know it's not the most exciting gift in the world, but I hate going off-registry because this is usually stuff people genuinely want. And everything else on there would have cost me a fortune. I mean...they asked for bed pillows from Ralph Lauren that cost $120 each. What the hell?? I can't imagine spending that much on something I sleep on every night, and have to discard after they've worn out. Oh well, it's not my wedding, so who am I to pass judgment? Perhaps I'm bitter that now I'm in the minority of unmarried cousins? I dunno. But if/when I get married, I for sure will not be adding $120 bed pillows to my list. :)

My Grandfather, The Physicist and Theorist

Okay, so I may be a geek (well, I am you know), but whenever I stumble across information that has anything to do with metal or die cutting, I think of my grandfather. You want to know why? Well, back in the 1940s, he basically discovered a law in physics that has to do with how metal cuts other metal, or orthogonal cutting. I look at this drawing/theory, and I think, "wow, I so did not get any of those genes" because it's totally foreign to me. My inner monologue goes something like this, "wow, I was related to him? No way!"

He also developed the model that's used in computer aided manufacturing, before computers were ever used in that capacity...and without knowing how to operate a computer himself. He's got his name displayed at the Museum of Science and Industry for that. This is a guy who loved to tinker with anything and everything. For all I know, he had EMI shielding in his garage workshop so he could do experiments. So again, I did not get those genes. I got the semi-artistic, good-with-words genes, which is okay I guess. Although, I do wish I'd inherited just a smidge of the good-with-math genes. Would have made all those high school algebra and calculus courses much better.

Waxing Nostalgic

Hard to believe that it was 20 years ago the last time I stayed at Fernandina Beach, Florida, where I spent a great deal of summers as a little girl. When my grandfather died in 1980, my grandmother sold the beach house...and when I say beach house, I mean a house right on the beach. My dad and uncle kick themselves still for not going in on the purchase of it together, because they could make a killing off of renting it out.

Anyway, my grandmother felt bad about selling it, so instead she'd get a place at one of those condo hotels in Fernandina. Not quite the same as a house, but it worked. But the last time we did that, I was 16...and now I'm 36. She passed away back in 2005, and didn't go to the beach much in her last years (she grew up in Jacksonville Beach...so it's part of who she was). I'll still look back on the times we spent at that house (and even the condo) with fond memories, that's for sure. I'd like to do that with my dad and brother, just for old times' sake. :) We talk about renting the house someday...but it hasn't happened yet.

Bridge Anyone?

My dad hosted his bridge club's party last weekend, and he said that he had so many people come, he had to go ask the doorman where there might be folding chairs available. My dad not having enough chairs is unheard of, to be honest. This is the quintessential entertainer, so to not have enough seating is a huge faux pas. But, he does have problems counting sometimes, hee hee. Guess he must have just miscounted this time. Oh well, luckily the building does keep a stash of folding chairs for their party room...so all was saved!

Tags: bridge, entertainment, entertainer

My Father, The Antique Collector

Since I mentioned my dad in my last post...I just had to bring up the fact that he's bought even more antique stuff, mostly silver. It's truly astonishing the amount of silver, china, and crystal the man owns. But, he collects it...so more power to him! I'd rather him collect stuff like this than have a ton of grandfather clocks, all going off at the same time (the two smaller ones he has are bad enough). It's just going to be very interesting...and very time consuming...when it's his time to go to the life of the world to come. I mean, my brother and I will keep some of it...but since it's not my thing, I can't see keeping all of it. Anything that has sentimental value or a family heirloom will definitely be kept, but if it doesn't...it'll get sold. Hate to do that, but since I'm not a collector of stuff like this (and neither is my brother), it's what will probably happen. Oh well, c'est la vie!

Tags: antiques, grandfather clocks, silver, china, crystal