Macintosh!!!

Can't print ... can't edit the calendar ... spotlight doesn't work ...

but hey ... the graphics are downright snazzy ...

a new ear-worm

Ear worms are those songs that get stuck in your head and won't leave.

This morning's? "How Much is that Doggie in the Window". It won't leave! UGH!

It's at least a nice change from the one that usually dogs (pun intended) me ... a local dry cleaner has an advertising jingle they play around Christmas-time to the tune of "Up on the Housetop", and I'm usually still fighting that one well into mid-summer!

spring giddies

It's reached the time where flowers are popping up, birds are everywhere, and it's warm enough to leave windows open, and enjoy having the house smell fresh.

And the spring giddies are rushing at full power.

In every conversation, I find myself, and the other person, mentioning often how nice it is to see the sun. And between those statements, people glance out the windows and sigh.

Last night, I wanted to watch TV, but I didn't want to come inside, so I sat out on my balcony with headphones, and watched my computer. :)

I remember last year in the late winter, I went to visit a friend in Texas. She was inside her church working on something, and I was waiting for her outdoors.

I stretched out on the grass, closed my eyes, and just soaked in the sunshine.

Some ladies came out of the church, and were standing around, trying to decide who was going to walk over and make sure I was OK. :)

Fortunately my friend came out at that point, and told them I wasn't a vagabond, or insane ... I was just a northerner with the spring giddies.

Enjoy it everyone!


And ... did I mention how wonderful it is to see the sun?

earthquake

That was an interesting morning!

Soon after I got up, I heard the building making all kinds of creaky noise, and felt ... well ... strange.

I couldn't figure out what was happening, and it was over almost as soon as it started, but when I heard on the radio this morning we'd had an earthquake, it made perfect sense.

Wish I'd have known what it was, so I could really have paid attention. :)

Trinka

Macintosh update ...

My impressions of the Apple so far:

Shuts down randomly ... no warning

Printers need to be reinstalled occasionally ... no discernible reason

Search function, which once worked great ... gradually finds fewer and fewer of the documents you search for

Software is prettier, and has WAY less functionality than PC

Spell check - you have to change each mis-spelling individually ... there's no "change all" feature for words you commonly misspell, nor is there auto-correct.

Can you tell how impressed I am?

a movie I'm looking forward to seeing this weekend

I saw the trailer for this movie a while back and have really been looking forward to it.

He shows how academia squelches inquiry into the concept of intelligent design in the universe. I think it looks very interesting, and I hope to go tomorrow night.

It's so rare that I go and see a movie in the theater, but this one I've been eager for!

happy violets

I installed some grow lights over my counter last November, and my violets have just started to bloom.

Since nothing has struck me blog-worthy lately, I thought maybe I'd just share some of the flowers. :)

how cute is that!

I saw this on Bob's blog, and thought it was just adorable!

This two-year-old not only knows the Lord's Prayer ... she knows the musical version!

can I borrow a gun?

How fun is it to call and ask someone that question? :)

I've long felt that it was a deficiency in my education that I don't know how to handle guns safely. So when I saw that there's a firing range in Grand Rapids that gives beginners lessons, I thought I might sign up for one.

But you've got to bring your own gun. Not being inclined to purchase armament right now, I called my mother and asked if I could borrow hers.

Some people borrow bread pans and lawn mowers ... in our family, we borrow firearms.

Kind of a strange bunch, I suppose ...

the importance of a sure foundation

I'm afraid my robin's construction efforts have come to naught. Soon after this picture, the nest came crashing down.

I do hope he tries again ... and possibly considers a move slightly to the left, so the curtain rod support will under-gird his efforts!

We had a beautiful sunny day today - with temps in the 70s. It was glorious! Everyone was walking around with the same happy, spring-giddy grin.

a guest on my balcony

I noticed unusual activity outside my sliding door this morning.

When I looked out, I saw a robin had built a nest on the curtain rod I have hanging above the mirror on my patio.

I'm SO going to enjoy watching it, if a female approves of it and moves in to lay eggs!

a weekend in the 80's

Nope, not temperature (unfortunately). :)

I've spent the weekend at home trying to get over a nasty cold that has been hanging on for the last week. (For those who know the church I work for, listen to the recording on the prayer request update for a taste of just how bad my voice has been sounding!)

Trying to feel better, I've been lazying around, watching television - specifically a dvd set of a television show I just loved in high school - Remington Steele.

Not only am I enjoying the trip down memory lane, but it's amazing to me to see how accustomed I've become to the current technology. It still sets me back to watch people hunting for pay phones, using "high tech" computers that look like the old Dictaphone word processor we had in our storeroom when I started at church, and for real luxury, a car phone ... with a cord ... and (in some episodes), a rotary dial.

Haven't accomplished much of substance, obviously, but if a rest was what this cold needed, I certainly gave it. The real test will be when the phones start ringing tomorrow! I feel a LOT better when I haven't had to talk!

things that only make sense early in the morning

Self #1
"I've got a cold, I don't WANT to go to work today."

Self #2
"You've got to. You need to get the bulletin done. Plus, you won't feel any better if you stay home."

Self #1
"Don't WANNNNA get up."

Self #2
"Doesn't really matter what you want, does it?"

Self #1
"Suppose not. But if I'm going, I'm going to wear JEANS."

Self #2
"OK, jeans it is. But good luck trying to explain this reasoning after 5:30 a.m."

there's a crash coming some time today

I tried a new cold medicine last night. And, it worked GREAT. I could breathe, and felt a ton better.

And it had the added benefit that I no longer need sleep.

That's right. None at all.

Coffee's got NOTHING on this stuff.

Guess I won't be taking THAT one in the evening again.

staying home on Easter Sunday

I was torn this morning!

Yesterday, I started coming down with a chest cold, or some-such. I'm not feeling that bad, but I can tell it's time to load up on vitamin c. So I'm faced with the "do I go to church or not" decision.

When it's someone else, I WANT them to stay home when they're feeling sick, so as not to pass it around to others. But when it's ME, I feel lonely wanting to be there.

Somehow, sipping coffee, and keeping company with my computer screen ... just isn't the same.

It's bad enough on a regular Sunday, but today is Easter, and we're having baptisms.

Probably changed my mind 5 times this morning, until it was finally just too late to go, no matter what I decided!!

People in fragile health should be able to go to church without worrying they're going to catch something, and the only way for that to happen is for the rest of us to stay home when we feel buggy. I understand that. But I don't feel bad enough to be glad to be staying home!

Spring-time in Michigan

Day 1 of Spring-time in Michigan ... yesterday

The sun shines, and the only snow still on the ground is the piles left by the plows. I eat lunch in my car with the roof open, enjoying the sunshine.

Day 2 of Spring-time in Michigan ... today

The snow starts mid-morning, and comes like crazy all day. We cancel Good Friday service due to the road conditions.

my brother's blog

My brother left today for his officer training school. I'm thankful he's planning to blog about his time there - if you want to have a look, his blog is here.

And just in case you haven't discovered my sister-in-law's blog, hers is here, so you can follow the family at home also.

Quickbooks worked for me yesterday, with only about a half hour's effort. I was most thankful.

Quirky Quickbooks

I've been using Quickbooks at work for ages. And I love the fact it calculates the payroll taxes for me, prints w-2s. It really does everything I need it to do.

Except ...

The installation process for it is, without fail, a huge hassle.

I don't think I've ever bought a version, or an upgrade, that installed smoothly.

And yesterday's jump from 2005 to 2008 has proved true to form!

I started trying to upgrade at 9:30 yesterday morning, and I STILL can't open the files from the 2005 version.

I'm downloading updates right now, in hopes that will solve the problem.

Hopeful?

Um ... no. Not really.

I'm envisioning that I'm just beginning what will be an on-the-phone-with-tech-support day.

Tuesdays, of course, are the days I normally pay bills and do payroll. I thought by starting to install it yesterday morning I was giving myself plenty of time.

Um ... no. Not really.

Behold the Hat of Supreme Ugliness!

I wear hats to church. I recently bought a lot of 4 off Ebay. Three were quite nice, and the last one was ... well ... this!

You may not be able to tell from the picture, but it is made of silk flower petals, and there are rhinestones embellishing it, as well as the plastic cherries and red netting that you may have noticed.

It's actually quite well made. About 50 years ago, someone, somewhere spent a lot of time making this. Someone else, somewhere, spent a lot of money to buy it.

Amazing, isn't it?

Not good ... not good at all

I am finding people exceptionally irritating today.

The phone has been ringing off the hook, and a higher-than-usual percentage of the calls were people asking me to make another phone call.

For example:

"Could you call and ask Joe ____________"

"Hi Joe, Bob asked me to ask you _________________."

"I'm not sure, did Bob want ___________ or _______________?"

"Hi Bob, Joe wondered if you wanted ________________ or ____________?"

"If __________ then I want ____________, or else, if ___________, then ___________. See which one will take more time, could you?"

etc.

Now ... if it appears obvious to you that Joe & Bob speaking to ONE ANOTHER would be far more efficient? You would be correct.

But, you see, Bob doesn't have Joe's phone number with him, and so ... it's WAY easier to keep dialing my number, which he has on speed dial, and my constant call-backs for further information don't seem to clue him in that this is not the best system.