Something To Say

I haven't been writing here much lately because: 1) I don't have time, and, 2) I haven't felt like I've had much to say recently, or at least nothing that I want to talk about on the Internet. But now I've got something to say:

I'm going back to work tomorrow.

Sort of. I mean, it's a job, but it's not the elusive (as a friend calls it) permanent position, I'm still working on that. Someone I know who owns a technical writing consulting company (yes, there are such things, quite a few of them, actually) wrote to me last week and asked if I might be available to help with some proofreading and editing. Apparently she's got a lot of files that need to be proofread and she's overwhelmed. She has several regular employees and is hiring me as a contractor for 4-6 weeks to work on this project. It's flexible hours, I probably won't work full-time (my choice), and she knows I'm looking for permanent work so I won't need to make up stories if/when other interviews come up. So it should work out well and give me something else to do for a few weeks, which will be nice.

Of course this will mean a whole new routine for me and remembering how to do things I haven't done in a while—things like having to be somewhere every morning, deal with a commute, and eat lunch in an office. I worked from home for several years before I went back to school so it's been a LONG time since I've had to make myself a lunch to take to work; I make hubby a lunch (or dinner, depending on his schedule) to take to work everyday but he's not a picky eater and I kind of am. (Okay, no "kind of" about it, I just am.) I went grocery shopping this week and got some things that should get me through this week, and I know there are a lot of websites out there with good recipes for lunches to take to work so I'm sure I can get creative if I want to take the time to do so. The good news is I may not need to be in the office everyday after the first week so that will help with the lunches and the commute. (At the moment I'm not sure how long the commute will be—especially if I try to do it during normal rush hour times—so I'll definitely try to avoid that. Hopefully it won't be more than 30-35 minutes if I can avoid traffic. Hour-long commutes are not my thing.)

To get ready for work—and because it desperately needed it—yesterday I took advantage of the nicer weather we've FINALLY been having the past couple of days and gave my car its semi-annual cleaning. (I'd like to say I'm exaggerating on the semi-annual part but, um, no.) It'll be nice to be able to see out of the windows again. And we gave doggy a bath; we wash her more than semi-annually but she definitely needed it. We usually give her a pedicure (as in cut her toenails) whenever we give her a bath so she's clicking less when she walks now, too. She'd never admit it, but I'm sure she feels better when she's all clean and fluffy again. It's just the process of getting that way that isn't so great.

I hope you all are having a wonderful Labor Day. I'm working on homework and trying to catch up on some other computer things, like finally updating this blog—that's one thing I can cross off my list!

Back to School for the Last Time

Today is the first day of my last class of graduate school—only 121 days until graduation, if anyone is counting. (Why yes, yes I am.) With only one class I don't expect school to be my entire focus anymore, which will be strange since school has been my LIFE for the past year and a half. And I'm fine with that. School is fun (sometimes; sometimes not) but I'm ready to have a job and go back to the "real" world now. (Still working on that.)

My last class is a required theory (vs. application) class called "Rhetoric of Science and Technology." (I'm working on memorizing the title so I don't have to look it up all the time.) Rhetoric is an important part of writing, and even technical writing addresses the rhetorical situation of the audience. (I actually used the phrase "rhetorical situation" in my capstone presentation last semester; I was so proud.) I wasn't an English major as an undergrad so rhetoric isn't something I think about everyday, and I'll probably learn a thing or two in this course. And get more practice writing papers and doing presentations and reading what others have to say on the matter until my eyes fall out... I can't wait.

But it'll all be worth it in December when I can walk down that aisle and say, "I did it!"

Getting to Know Our Neighbors

Some people get to know their neighbors by inviting them over for a barbecue or having a block party. We have termite and water damage on our house.

The rotted frame.

Hubby and I had both noticed water on the porch where there shouldn't be any after recent rains, and then hubby noticed part of the trim was buckling (more like disintegrating). When he took the trim off he discovered the extensive damage underneath.

Hubby worked in construction before we moved to North Carolina so he can do a lot of things himself, but he recognized this probably needed a professional. Thankfully, we have neighbors involved with construction. Our next-door neighbor works in sales with a local construction company, so hubby called him and asked his opinion on the matter. He came over and recommended another neighbor around the corner who does residential construction for a living, and who of course had already seen the damage while walking past our house. (It's right by the front door so kind of hard to miss.) To make a long story short, this neighbor is able to do the repairs and it worked out that he could work on it today—and hubby happens to have this weekend off—so they're out there hammering away as I type this. Fun times.

I went shopping this morning to get some badly-needed clothes and take advantage of North Carolina's sales tax holiday, then met a friend for a previously-scheduled lunch. When I got home here's what I found:

Hole in the house, anyone?

That's where a window lives, folks, not a door. Isn't it lovely?

Since I've been home another neighbor has already stopped by to introduce himself and see what's going on. Some people get to know their neighbors socially. We get to know them through rotted wood...

Flowers and Chocolate

Today is my birthday. I'm still recovering from my surgery last week (as I knew I would be on my birthday this year) but I'm getting closer to normal so at least I'm on the tail end of things. More importantly, I'm spending the day surrounded by flowers and chocolate, as is appropriate for birthdays. Hubby did well; guess I'll keep him for another year. :-)

The birthday spread.

Flowers from my parents. A combination happy birthday/get well soon thing.

Flowers from hubby. Roses always work.

Chocolate ice cream cake, chocolate covered blueberries, lemon drops, and creme soda—yum.

A Need To Know

I guess I should update this blog someday. It isn't that I haven't had anything to talk about lately, but when it comes to my personal life I tend to share information on a need-to-know basis. Occasionally, that need is my needing to vent, so sometimes I'll tell someone something for my sake rather than theirs. I never vent on the Internet, though, and when it comes to personal information I generally feel the Internet doesn't need to know.

One can only talk about mundane things for so long, however, so I decided I'll mention the surgery I'm having this week. Relatively minor surgery, I'm told, but nothing is ever easy with me. When I sat in the doctor's office for my pre-op appointment I casually told him, "You know I had surgery last year so I already have a scar, right? Are you going to make me symmetrical now?" It didn't occur to me that the fact that I had not-so-minor surgery a year ago might be an issue (proving once again I am NOT medically-inclined), but luckily it did raise a red flag for the doctor and it occurred to him I might have scar tissue or other potential complications due to that surgery. (And I gotta say here, this is where I wish there was a single, national medical record in this country, 'cause relying on my memory for medical things is just not a smart way to go.) Since my surgery was done here last year and in the same hospital, even, the doctor decided he needed to contact the doctor that did last year's surgery and find out more about it at the very least, and if possible have that doctor present for this surgery. Amazingly, they were in fact able to coordinate things and only needed to delay the surgery a week so both doctors could be present. The week delay means I'll most likely be recovering from surgery over my birthday, but when I found out I'd be having it I figured with Murphy's Law alive and well it was a pretty good bet that was going to happen, anyway.

The surgery is outpatient and just a few days recovery under normal circumstances, I'm told (unlike last year's where I was in the hospital for 5 days), so barring any complications I should be back to normal the following week. I've got things on my calendar then so I'm hoping that'll be the case.

So that's the story. Here are a few of my thoughts:

1. This is the third year in a row that I'll have been put under a general anaesthetic. That represents once a year since we moved to North Carolina. Maybe it's something in the water...
2. When the person from the hospital called to pre-register me for this event she looked at my chart and said, "I see you were here last year. You've got to stop meeting us this way!"
3. The hospital has free Wi-Fi. We'll bring the iPad so hubby won't be bored while he waits. And he may not even really need the Wi-Fi since my aunt gave me an iTunes gift card for my birthday and we've already spent most of it on several games we'd been wanting to get. Hubby has plenty to keep him busy on the iPad now.

Hopefully, while I'm recovering at home I'll be tired enough to not want to do any real work and actually lie on the couch and watch the Food Network without feeling guilty about it; that was the best part of my recovery time last year. This recovery will be much shorter so I won't have very long to forget about reality, but even if I get just a day or two of guilt-free Food Network time it'll be worth it.