wanna see an eyeball?

I went in for my eye doctor appointment today, and they had the coolest new test. It took a picture of the back of a person's eyeballs. I thought it was so nifty, I asked if I could have my eyeballs on my flash drive to take home with me. :)

I'll just post one since, really, they look basically the same.

I was encouraged to hear that I'm a good candidate for lasik. I'm seriously considering it. The doc said if he had my prescription, he would have jumped at it, and would have done so years ago.

Behold, the eyeball!

so adorable

Adorable niece #1 called and read me a story today. I found the plot a trifle hard to follow, but the "at" and "ad" sounds featured prominently.

Beginning in January, I'll be changing my office hours, to work four ten-hour days. We're bringing on a book-keeper (which I believe I rejoiced about several posts ago), and we're going to try having her work Mondays, and I'll work Tuesday-Friday.

Three-day weekends ... woo hoo!

did my third noggin transplant last night

I was working on doing a video for the funeral home last night, and one of the pictures the family gave me to work with had a man's head cut out from another picture, and glued onto a body in the picture I was working on.

Unfortunately, it wasn't done particularly well, and was slightly too large.

So ... I did my best to try and make it look natural. I haven't had as much education in photo-shop as I wish I had! Head transplants are a little above my education level.

But it made me remember that I've actually performed two previous similar operations.

One of our missionaries had asked me to do a prayer card for them. They wanted a family picture printed out, with all their names on the picture. They have 8 children, so it's nice to have them identified.

Well ... in the best picture, one of their boys wasn't smiling. So I tried to take his head from another picture, and insert it into the good one.

I worked really hard at this. If I remember correctly, I think I was using Microsoft Paint, or something equally basic ... plus I had no experience or training in such matters.

But I worked and worked, and finally got it to look pretty good.

Showed it to them ...

and then discovered I had made one very crucial error early in the process ...

I chose the wrong boy's head to paste in. :)

That's right. They had two of the same son in the picture, and one boy missing altogether.

Oops.

Fortunately, I had gleaned enough experience that it went MUCH smoother the second time, when I put the RIGHT boy's head in the picture.

So ... three head transplants, and I don't even have a medical degree (or ... unfortunately, any training in Photoshop, though I would like to pursue some!)

one of those fun forward things

Copy the list, and bold-face the ones you've done.

1. Started your own blog.
2. Slept under the stars.
3. Played in a band.
4. Visited Hawaii.
5. Watched a meteor shower.
6. Given more than you can afford to charity.
7. Been to Disneyland.
8. Climbed a mountain.
9. Held a praying mantis.
10. Sang a solo. (this was a really bad idea ... as all who have heard me sing can attest!)
11. Bungee jumped.
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea.
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch.
15. Adopted a child.
16. Had food poisoning. ummm ... yeah ... a lot of "no fun"
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty.
18. Grown your own vegetables.
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France.
20. Slept on an overnight train.
21. Had a pillow fight.
22. Hitch hiked.
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill. it was a mental-health kid of thing!
24. Built a snow fort.
25. Held a lamb.
26. Gone skinny dipping.
27. Run a Marathon.
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice.
29. Seen a total eclipse.
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset.
31. Hit a home run.
32. Been on a cruise.
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person.
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors.
35. Seen an Amish community.
36. Taught yourself a new language.
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied.
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person.
39. Gone rock climbing.
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David.
41. Sung karaoke.
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt.
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant.
44. Visited Africa.
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight.
46. Been transported in an ambulance.
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing.
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person.
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling.
52. Kissed in the rain.
53. Played in the mud.
54. Gone to a drive-in theater.
55. Been in a movie.
56. Visited the Great Wall of China.
57. Started a business. (a teeny tiny organizer business)
58. Taken a martial arts class.
59. Visited Russia.
60. Served at a soup kitchen.
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies.
62. Gone whale watching.
63. Got flowers for no reason.
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma. (they can never FIND blood in me when I have to get it drawn, so I've never dared attempt it voluntarily! :)
65. Gone sky diving.
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp.
67. Bounced a check.
68. Flown in a helicopter.
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy Fred-Shep ... still stuffed in my closet somewhere. :)
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial.
71. Eaten Caviar.
72. Pieced a quilt. during my junior high "I'm going to be a home-maker" phase :)
73. Stood in Times Square.
74. Toured the Everglades.
75. Been fired from a job. NOT a fun day ... I still find myself wishing I could get in touch with them and correct the misunderstanding ... you know that "permanent record" they warned you about in elementary school? I feel like there's this enormous blotch on mine! :)
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London.
77. Broken a bone.
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle. I'm not sure it was speeding ... but it sure felt like it ... wonderful!
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person.
80. Published a book. well ... helped OTHER people publish them anyway!
81. Visited the Vatican.
82. Bought a brand new car.
83. Walked in Jerusalem.
84. Had your picture in the newspaper.
85. Read the entire Bible. Straight through?
86. Visited the White House.
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating.
88. Had chickenpox.
89. Saved someone’s life.
90. Sat on a jury.
91. Met someone famous.
92. Joined a book club.
93. Lost a loved one.
94. Had a baby.
95. Seen the Alamo in person.
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake.
97. Been involved in a law suit.
98. Owned a cell phone.
99. Been stung by a bee.
100. Read an entire book in one day.

the time has come

I believe my unfiled-pile has reached critical mass, and must-needs be addressed!

(note ... this is at home, NOT at work ... k? Just wanted to be sure that was out there! I'm MUCH more responsible at work.) :)

those catalogues

I made the mistake of ordering a shampoo rack for my shower.

"Why is this a mistake?" you may ask.

It has gotten me on the mailing list for a collection of catalogues that seem to be targeted at those over age 90.

They are full of long-handled gadgets promising to protect me from every having to bend over, or reach up, for anything again. There are special brushes and contraptions to clean anything and everything. They promise to "protect" me, and everything I own ... special bags to store magazines to "protect" them (from what? I don't know) ... special socks to put over the legs of chairs to "protect" the floor. (Though what happens when said chair slides away from the person sitting on it, I'm not sure. The floor's fine, but the broken legs? Not so much.

Then there are all the things to increase my "comfort" ... in areas where I never knew I was uncomfortable ... magic pads to sit on, sleep on, stand on ... things to inhale and swallow and wear ...

The catalogues have a kind of horrible fascination ... there's the thought that people out there, somewhere, are actually wasting their pensions on special brushes to get the lint out of their dryer vents, and tomato-shaped containers to hold their tomatoes.

But then there is the most repulsive-sounding consumer item I've ever seen ...

Terry-cloth toilet seat covers.

I am not kidding.

The very thought of it just makes me feel ill.

Merry Christmas

A friend and I put up my tree last night, and I thought I'd share it. :)

I bought a tree-topper (never had one before), and there's obviously a structural issue I had failed to anticipate. It's heavy enough that if I put it on, it slowly leans, leans, leans until it falls off. Very pretty thing ... just can't figure out how to apply it!

the work Christmas party by which all other work Christmas parties will be judged

The funeral home for which I work part time had their Christmas party last night.

I have not found company Christmas parties particularly enjoyable in the past, but I decided to go ... though I went alone so as not to subject anyone else in case it was awful.

But it was SO not awful!

Positive #1 -
No alcohol. I have no objection to moderate drinking, but as a non-drinker myself, I feel uncomfortable when people have drunk enough to be "not themselves". Company Christmas parties seem to be prime situations for this. Then I have to try and forget what I saw when I run into them at work later.

Positive #2 -
It was done open-house style ... you came when you wanted to, left when you wanted to, and felt no time-pressure.

Positive #3 -
It started at 5:00! woo hoo! It happened during the time of day when I was still AWAKE! :) Whenever something starts at 7:00 ... I'm already ready to be curled up at home with a good book when I first get there!

Positive #4 -
Delicious meal, nice gift-cards handed out as I walked in ...

Positive #5 -
The buffet was there by the door, and you went straight in, got a name tag, and sat down with your dinner ... no trying to look comfortable and "at home" during the awkward "punchbowl" time.

The perfect party for the solitary, conservative and socially awkward! Loved it!! :) If I ever get married, I've just seen how my reception will be handled. :)

the township has a new strategy this winter ...

If the current conditions in my neighborhood are any indication, it appears the township doesn't plan to salt the roads this winter.

They scraped all the snow off ... then left the ice there to entertain us.

It's a thrilling drive to work, but not in a good way!

I visited one of my neighbor's yards up close & personal, though by the tire tracks, I was neither the first nor the worst offender.

OK ... little hint to the road guys ... if you're not going to get rid of the ice, then don't peel off the snow!

one more picture of the nieces

I thought this one was adorable. :)

terrible traffic around Fort Knox!

time outs that work

If they were done this way ... maybe ...

don't try this at home

No. Actually. Don't try this anywhere.

I grabbed the wrong contact solution bottle this morning ... and squirted peroxide directly in my eye.

Not

Recommended

Ever!

progress on the old clock

Here's what we started with:

Here's what it looks like now:



Pretty big improvement!

She's been working on getting the works to function, and has bought a new face, which will need to be cut, and mounted. There's a new bezel and dial pan, which needs a hole drilled in it. I'm sure having a wonderful time watching it change!

a book-keeper for Christmas ...

The church treasurer came in yesterday and wanted to meet with me.

Gulp ... OK ... is this the "we can't afford to pay you this week" talk?

He said they were bringing on a part-time book-keeper to take over that aspect of my job.

woo hoo! This is me doing the happy dance!

I'd told them at my annual review that the workload had been getting heavier, and that eventually I would need help. I was just thinking of setting up a schedule for volunteers to handle receptionist tasks.

Instead ... they relieved me of my most-hated duty! The money stuff wasn't really part of my job as I started, but gradually got added in. Now I can pass it off to someone who's actually trained to do it properly, and loves it.

The lady who's taking it over is one who I've worked with before. She often subs for me when I'm out of town, and we work well together. She's organized, and LOVES money and numbers.

I'm just thrilled!

The poor treasurer ... he was trying to be SO careful not to hurt my feelings. I'm SO not hurt, that I can't even begin to express it. :) :)

see ... I think I COULD be in love ... if only ...

ordered my birthday present today ...

There were some news articles saying that there were a lot of folks out there buying guns, as they figure Obama will try and tax guns and ammo into oblivion when he gets in office.

So I went in to shop for my 40th birthday present a few weeks early. :) I'm glad I did, because they were sold out. It's on order. Hopefully it will be here in time for my birthday.

I'm still a bit puzzled at my interest in shooting. But I rented this same gun today and tried it out in the gun store's shooting range, and I still found myself really enjoying trying to perfect my aim.

language not often heard in church

There's a repairman doing battle with a stubborn elevator just outside my office.

He was here all day yesterday, and got here about 7:00 this morning to start again.

The frustration level is rising, and the language becoming louder and more ... well ... colorful.

I find myself stressed out, as though he's yelling at me!

Hoping that thing gets fixed quickly (preferably before any little old ladies wander into the building, as I think this might give them a stroke!)

good reminder this morning

I have a daily Bible reading sent to me from BibleGateway. (I find if I have a reminder sitting in my in-box, I remember to take a minute to read before I dive into my "to do" pile!

Todays's reading was 2 Timothy, chapter 2.

The first two verses caught my attention:

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people,
for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.

Am I praying for those in authority? I need to be. And I think it's particularly important since the upcoming president is one I didn't vote for. It would be easy to focus on the negative, instead of praying for God to use him.

It was good to note how God wants us to pray for our leaders ... we aren't to pray for economic prosperity, or for decisions to be made that we agree with. (though I'm inclined to do that occasionally!)

Rather we're to pray that government will, essentially, allow us to go about our business, living for God, without interruption.

Realistically, at least for the forseeable future, even a liberal government is very likely to do that! We're quite blessed in that regard here in the States.

But I do need to remember to pray for Obama. He's going to have an overwhelming job dumped on him very soon.

I also want to remember to pray for President Bush. In my opinion, he's been most unfairly maligned by the press. He's done a tremendous job under extremely difficult circumstances, and I'm sure he's looking forward to returning to a quiet life in Crawford!

Did I ever show you?

How the saddle turned out when I got it done, and hung up?

Can't remember ...

If not, here it is!