I decorated

The back window is even less impressive. (I doubt the lights would even show in a photo.)

Privacy frost is currently privacy condensation... weather's been warm the past few days.

I am sooooo tired! I only got home a few minutes ago... my students had their exam tonight, and there was some work I *had* to do before I went home. Ugh.

Buses make good time after midnight. I even had a good connection. (Shockingly.)

The number of stroller-age children out and about at this hour of night was also shocking.

g'night...

Weird Stuff

Approximate e-mail conversation with my brother:
Me: Can I come over and borrow a teeny-tiny hex wrench? I need to take the PRAM battery out of my old laptop because it's not starting.
Brother: Sure, I have a T6 Torx.
Me: I don't need a Torx, I need a hex wrench.
Brother: The instructions say T6 Torx under "tools required".
Me: But the actual instructions say you need a hex wrench, but you can get by with a T6 Torx.

Since I was going in that direction anyway, I decide I'll just stop in at the hardware store and buy the correct hex wrench.

Approximate conversation with store employee:
Me: Where do I find teeny-tiny hex wrenches?
Him: (blank look)
Me: Allen key? A teeny-tiny one?
Him: I know. What size do you need?
Me: One that fits this. (Pulling out bricked laptop, pointing to screw.)
Him: Take it to the Apple Store.
Me: It's a *six* year old laptop that I want to fix for my sister. (Probably older now, and technically step-sister.) I just want to take out the PRAM battery to see if that fixes it.
Him: (Holding it close to his face to see better.) That's a security screw.
Me: No, it's not. Security ones have a post in the centre, this one doesn't.
Him: It's a security screw. We don't have screwdrivers for those.
Me: It's *not* a security screw, I just need a hex wrench.
(He takes me over to the right area.)
Him: We used to have security screw drivers, but we don't have them any more. (Starts looking at screwdrivers.)
Me: (Points to contraption with many hex wrenches.) Hey, that one has a teeny-tiny hex wrench! I bet that will work.
Him: No, you need a security one.
Me: *No*, I *don't*. Let me test this. (I pull out the laptop again, and insert the hex wrench.) Hey, it's the right size!
Him: You're sure? It looks like a security screw. (Still somewhat doubtful, but willing to let me buy a set of hex wrenches if that's really what I want.)
Me: It has six sides, and is convex. I'm pretty sure it's a hex wrench I want, and not a star.
Him: Convex?
Me: Well, since we're talking about the hole, technically it's concave.
(He wanders off, deciding I'm a lost cause. I look at the options for hex wrenches, and end up selecting a somewhat cheaper store-brand set that includes both metric, imperial *and* torx of various sizes... in case, one day, I want to open something that needs a torx.)

After the hardware store, I stop in at the big box bookstore next door, since it has free wireless (so that I can access the instructions) and decent places for me to sit and disassemble my laptop. (If taking the PRAM battery didn't work, the Apple Store was on my list of places to visit, and I was going to ask how much it would cost to de-brick.) Plus it has calendars, and I was looking for one for my grandma.

Shockingly, no one seemed to look at me funny for disassembling a laptop in the bookstore. (Or, if they did, they all did it from behind me, where I couldn't spot them.)

Happily, removing and reinstalling the PRAM battery fixed the problem. :) (Oddly the battery isn't just a battery, it's apparently permanently attached to a bit of circuitry... but the fact that I couldn't disassemble that didn't seem to be an issue.

Finding a calendar with both big numbers and pictures I thought my grandma would enjoy was *much* harder. (I suspect she will either enjoy or hate the one I finally got... but if she hates it, I'm willing to use it myself, and go back and buy the second choice, of which there were *many* copies.)

I did stop in at the Apple Store, but to get a replacement foot for my laptop. (I figured out where that black plastic was coming from... the part that went between the rubber foot and the laptop was disintegrating, and the other day it completely fell apart.) Apple used to supply free replacement feet. Apparently, for this model, they don't have them separate... but, since I'm under AppleCare, they're going to replace the *entire* bottom of the laptop for free. (WTF? The foot has a bit of double-sided tape, plus a snap-in bit. It really is possible to *just* replace the foot. Whatever... I want the foot, and if this is what it's going to take, I'll take it and be glad that it's free. *sigh*)

Also weird: The six-foot extension cord I bought came with a 7 3/4 inch warning label. Really? Are we really that stupid, that we need that many warnings on an extension cord?

Well, now I'm off to do my laundry after when I'm officially supposed to stop for the night. However, given the sounds of drunken revelry coming from Mr Party-Of-More-Than-One (He seems to have acquired friends), I don't think I'll be bothering him.

Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down...

Disappointing:

Minute Maid has shrunk its packaging for one of my favourite juice concentrates. (I like its taste, and it doesn't contain apple juice, or anything else I'm allergic to.) I actually bought this a while back. I noticed the packaging was more squat, but I thought that they had realized that they can use less packaging that way (shorter and wider = less surface area for the volume, yay environment!). It was only after I got home that I realized the diameter was still the same, and so they had shrunk the packaging *and* volume without shrinking the prices. Boo! First off, I hate that sort of dirty marketing, where they subtly increase prices not by changing the price, but by including less product. Second, now I have to wash the pitcher more often, because I get fewer glasses of juice per pitcher. *BIG* thumb DOWN!

I haven't bought this product since I made this discovery, I'm so peeved.

Disappointing:

Turtles (real and fake) normally have 12 turtles per level. Sobeys brand has 10... so you end up four short of other packages. I feel this is another example of misleading packaging, making you think you're getting more than you are for the stated price. (Yes, there's a little number stating then umber of grams, but that's not as noticeable as the box size.) I will not be buying this brand of fake turtles again. Thumbs down!

Also disappointing: the package is now empty. (They were good while they lasted, though.)

Big thumbs UP:

Yum! So far I've just tried the chana masala, and it was great! No artificial colours, no preservatives, no MSG (MSG is a big NO THANKS for me), easy to prepare, and pretty healthy! I had it with rice, and so it ended up being a gluten-free meal too. (Mom wants me to try eating less gluten.) And, for those who look for such things, they're also vegetarian and Halal certified, and it looks like Kosher as well. :)

The package claims to have three servings, but I polished it off in one. Probably if I had other things besides it and rice, and wasn't quite so hungry, it would have been more than one serving. (Or maybe it was meant to serve one, but counts as three servings of protein? Those food guide servings are weird.)

Thumbs down: I bought a lovely mug at a craft sale yesterday, and managed to break it on the way home. I feel like a stupid clutz. It's only chipped and cracked, but still in one piece... so now I have another pencil holder. *sigh*

Yay!

Happy, happy, joy, joy! Mr Landlord is on his way to Home Depot, so the problem will be fixed before nightfall!

Apartment Grumbles

Grrr... I have some apartment grumbles to post, but will not be posting them until at *least* tomorrow, for reasons that will become *very* apparent. I am *so* looking forward to owning my own place, when I can do repairs on *my* schedule. (Even if they are inconvenient... but the stores are open for another hour and a half, and so this *could* be done without incurring overtime hours of a specialist. Heck, get me the dang part, and I'll do it myself!)

*sigh* ...Dreaming of a nice little house in a well-treed area.

Knitting Retreat

I barely had my camera out... basically only late Friday night when people said "I want a photo of this!" The rest of the time I was either knitting (or some other form of crafting), having too much fun, or sleeping (last week was nuts... still is... but things should ease up a bit by Wednesday).

Anyway, here's what I have photographic evidence of:


Feeding frenzy at "Yarns on Stage". (Note: there were more attendees than what you'll see here, but many had gone to bed by midnight when my camera finally came out.)


Pretty greens! Mine's the one on the left. I've done more needle-felting since this photo was taken, but still have more to do.


A gorgeous art quilt that was one of the raffle prizes... aren't the stone beads neat?

I didn't win this, but I won two other nifty prizes! (Yes, I'll take a photo of my prizes and my bag plus other stuff later... but probably not tonight, unless I need a break from dishes.)


(Ladies in front of) Yarns on Stage.


I arrived home around 4 pm... now I'm doing laundry (loads in both washer and dryer, two more waiting to start) and catching up on work forums & e-mails (done). Still to do today:
• dishes,
• make hummus & other lunch stuff,
• make & eat dinner,
• prep for class tomorrow,
• prep for Art Talks tomorrow,
• send thank-you e-mails to people I spoke to on Thursday (I really should have done that sooner, but I haven't had a chance yet),
• create resume, and
• water plants (sad, droopy things!).
I think that may be everything. At any rate, it's more than I'll have time to do tonight. :(

Yay Bike Ride!

Another awesome bike ride! I did the Wolseley route again, stopping for ice cream on the way back.

Note to the lady staffing the Neon Cone booth at the Forks: I realize you're probably paid minimum wage, and don't really care if anyone buys ice cream... but when you've gone to the next booth to chat with a friend, could you at least stand so that you can see if someone is at the outdoor window? If someone hadn't been able to watch my bike while I went in to get you, your company would have lost a sale, and I would be sad because I had no ice cream. Thank you!

Now... if only this weekend were several days *longer*, so I had more time to get stuff done! (And go on more awesome bike rides!!!)

Nooooooo!

Bloglines is shutting down! I'm going to have to find a new feed aggregator. :(

Stores Are Mean

I have allergies. Finding soap (and shampoo, etc) that I'm not allergic to is a challenge. There were two soaps that my grocery store carried that I could use. Then they stopped carrying one. Now they've stopped carrying the other. Sadness. Frustration. I *hate* having to buy a million different bars before I find something that works.

The first one was a glycerin soap by Henri Bernard, which they sold for $1.99 per bar. The second is this honey-glycerin soap:

(that's the empty package... the last bar is in the shower now) which was three bars for $2.99. Here's the ingredients:

Does anyone (in Canada) know where I can buy this now? Please?

My grocery store has started stocking a new glycerin soap:

but (a) I don't know if I'm allergic to it or not, and (b) it's $2.00 for a *tiny* bar. It seems a rip-off, and I'm already grumpy with them for discontinuing my soap (without telling me, so that I could stock up). So far, I'm refusing to try this new soap, just on principle.

I tried three different stores today, and found this one possible substitute:

Ingredients:


I seem to recall there being a smelly mall store (name escapes me right now) that has glycerin soap that I'm not allergic to... but again, pricey, and I have to go into a perfume-headache-inducing store to buy it. :(

Daft!!!!

Note: This post is so I can vent in a way that doesn't involve yelling at actual people. If you aren't in the mood to read a venting rant, feel free to ignore this post.

Aaaaargh! I *still* don't have my benefits straightened out! It's been over a month now that I've been calling them. (I started calling June 14, when my dentist notified me that my coverage has been cancelled.)

I have claims from this spring I want to submit. I can't submit them until they get my benefits retroactively reinstated. (They were fine in the fall when I had my previous dentist appointment. I was slow submitting my spring claims due to a crazy-busy schedule last term.)

The question isn't whether I'm eligible, but whether to call me a sessional or casual employee. (Some of my jobs are in one category, some are in the other.) My total hours clearly give me benefits, and the benefits don't even differ in cost or what I get! The only differences are that one has the year starting in September instead of July, and one front-loads the payments so that benefits continue over the summer when you may or may not be working.

In either case, I would have paid all my benefits by now, so just flipping bill me for whatever I haven't been charged yet, and let me submit my claims!!! Figure out the rest later! I don't *care* which you call me. Sheesh. Grumble.

I politely asked them to expedite my case, since they've dithering for over five weeks now. (Apparently, part of the problem is that they keep going on vacation. Given the current financial state of the university, they are probably somewhat understaffed too.)

I would *not* have paid ~$500 for a decent pair of glasses (including eye exam, frames, lenses), if I had known that I wouldn't be able to claim at least part of it. Pharmacare has decided my income level means I need to pay around $1000 before they start helping me with my prescriptions again. I WOULD LIKE TO SUBMIT A CLAIM OR TWO, IF YOU PLEASE!!!!

Gah. Ms "We're Working On It" promised me an e-mail by the end of the day. Probably because I asked if I could have her supervisor's information, so I could find out what is going on. Last time she told me that her supervisor is looking at the case, which is why I asked for the information... but she perhaps thought I wanted to complain about her. If it gets things moving, I'm not going to enlighten her as to why I wanted the information. She did offer to have her supervisor call me when she gets out of her meeting... but I'm in an office with no phone.

Grump. Whine.

Whine

Whine. Whine. Whine.

It is *hot* out. It is *hot* in the apartment hallways. (So I probably wouldn't want to lug laundry up and down the stairs even if I could do it right now.) I want to my laundry *now*, not wait around for the water to clear up.

I went outside to check on the seedlings I planted, and now I have mosquitoes in my apartment. (I'm assuming they followed me in, since I didn't notice them before I went out.) I have three fresh mosquito bites from that brief trip outside, and those that followed me in.

I called my dad, to see if I could go over to water the plants, and persuade him to drive me over to Princess Auto to buy a respirator (I want something for when I continue my attack on the linoleum floors), but he wasn't home, and didn't answer his cell either. (He probably went away for the long weekend.)

I'm feeling cooped up and restless. The humidex is still *hot* and there's a tornado watch... so probably not the best time to go for a bike ride, even if I wasn't trying to ration my clean clothes until I can do laundry again. (Hopefully the water will clear later tonight or tomorrow, but tomorrow is so full that I'll have to do my laundry after the official "stop doing laundry" time... my downstairs neighbour, the only one adjacent to the laundry room, is fine with that, but I haven't told my caretaker that he said that, and I'd rather not "get in trouble".)

Grump.

Sh!t

Gah! I waited 25 minutes downtown for a connection (normal wait is about 10 minutes), and then the construction traffic was worse than usual! I arrived 37 minutes late. :( I talked to my boss, and I'll be staying late for the next few days. *sigh* (So much for getting to pottery faster today!)

Grump.

I talked to Mrs C while waiting for the first bus today. Turns out that the chase the other day started in the back lane, and hit three residents' cars and a tree before speeding away. :P

Ow.

My neck is killing me. I want sleep too. *whine*

*wah*

*whimper*... my body is complaining about not getting enough sleep. :( It's got that wired-overtired feel. Blargh.

Gah!

WTF is up with my allergies?!? I'm *miserable*! It's raining today, which should be clearing the air!!! Wah!!!!!! *whine*

Headache

Owie. Wah. I have a headache. I'd take something, but I want to make sure my headaches aren't reaction headaches to painkillers or decongestants, so I've decided to go off them both for a while. (I've been having frequent headaches recently, and although I'd only take something maybe once per day, and never met the daily maximum, I wanted to check.) So, instead, I hurt. About all I can do about it is whine. *whine* Sorry, but also, thanks for listening.

Just What I Expected

Latest response from the Union:

Yes, I made a mistake typing out the full address. Sorry about that.

At the last CUPE XXXX Annual General Membership Meeting in April 2009, quorum was lost partway through discussions and voting on the by-law changes (perhaps you remember the event). Some by-laws had been approved and these were forwarded to CUPE National for final authorization in June. It is the remainder of the by-laws that is to be approved by the membership at the January 26 meeting.

Copies of current and previous by-laws were made available at the April 2009 meeting. Both sets were also available on the website -- and the membership was notified of this -- for several months prior to that meeting. A notification of the January 26 by-law vote, including the location of the proposed by-laws on the website, was first issued to the membership by email in November 2009. Yours is the first complaint of its kind.

If you would like to take an active part in helping to improve the administration of this Local's affairs, I encourage you to seek nomination to one of the Executive, or Trustee, positions. There is currently one of each vacant.

So, to summarize:
1. The membership is not involved, as predicted.
2. No one has whined before, so why are you whining now? Didn't you get/keep information from last April?
3. You sound like you're interested in having things run properly... so please step forward, so we can give you lots of work to do.

Yeah, I realize I'm putting a negative spin on things. ;) I figure that if I'm paying for it, I can mock what I'm getting. (Especially if they make it difficult for me to take moderate interest in the goings-on. My choices seem to be all or nothing.)

Whiny

Head is 'splodey. Took painkillers and eating halloween-sale chocolate. Thought about buying a bagel, but not feeling like one. I finished sending the marker comments. I have to figure out forms (and queries?) in Access before I can go home.

I'd rather be anywhere but here.

Will still need to wash a pot or two before I can eat tonight. (All out of frozen pizzas.)

Grumble.

*Exhausted*

I'm *wiped*.

I left campus at 8. On the bus ride home, my stomach was in turmoil from stress, and the late dinner probably didn't help any either. I decided on comfort food. Luckily, since I haven't made it since the cold weather left in the spring, the dishes necessary for risotto were clean. (Well, a few things I had to make do.)

I got home at 9 pm.

Mushrooms: check. (Luckily I still have a stash of dried ones, although I probably only have enough for one more meal after this.)

Onion: going a bit mouldy, but enough still good after trimming off the bad bits. Check.

Butter: butter can go mouldy?!? Trimmed the fuzzy bits off, was left with plenty.

Stock: only expired by a few days.

Arborio rice: thankfully, nothing wrong with the rice.

Gee, how can you tell that I haven't had time for real cooking in far too long?

It's now 10:37, and the risotto is only just ready. *sigh* I'm off to eat it now.

And no, I still don't have clean dishes for breakfast. My eyes are burning from exhaustion, but bed is still a ways off. :(

Overworked

It's 6:52 pm, and I'm still at work, prepping for teaching tomorrow. (Do you think my students appreciate the effort I put in? I sure hope so!) After I leave here, it'll still take another hour before I get home. *sigh*

Then, once I get home, I have a stack of dishes to wash, in order to have clean dishes for dinner and breakfast. *sigh* (I kept opting for small amounts of relaxation or sleep instead of clean dishes.)

I bought some chocolate covered almonds at 4:00 to keep me going until dinner. Just now I had my leftover yoghurt and orange juice from lunch. (After a BLT sub and a grapefruit, I wasn't that hungry, and didn't have time either. Grapefruit is nice, but takes too long to eat.)

MS Access is a pain in the tush. I've already figured out a bunch of stuff. Once I figure out queries, I'll let myself go home. *sigh* And here I was hoping for a relaxing night and early to bed. *grump* I wish there was Access for the mac so that I could at least be doing my class prep at home. (And no, it's not just me procrastinating... I did at least two and a half hours of prep yesterday, and probably about about four or five hours so far today, counting the bits of prep I managed to squeak between students in the help centre.) This week is *definitely* running over the 40 hour "full time" work week... without having any of the benefits of *actually* being a full time employee.

Well, whine-break is over. Back to work. *sigh*