Monday, April 18, 2005
Updating...
For those who have followed over to this blog through my profile, I realized it looks like I've abandoned blogging altogether. Well, I haven't. I'm just tired of blogger having so many outages, so I've switched over to WordPress instead. Feel free to join me at the new URL.
Tuesday, March 29, 2005
Better and Better
I couldn't get an appointment with my own doctor until Wednesday, so I made a trip to the walk-in clinic (holy shneikies - it was a doctor I hadn't met before. I thought I knew them all, by now. Quite surprising, really. I've been going to the same doctor for almost 20 years, so over the years, I've been to the walk-in clinic a lot. But whatever), and found out my icky throat is not Strep Throat. This is good news, because I really hate taking medications (I know, I know, it sounds odd considering how many I am on already), and with it not being strep, it means I don't have to take any antibiotics. I just get to keep drinking tea, not talking, and sleeping lots. Yay.
And on the way home from the doctor's office, I was able to stop by the library to pick up the book that had been on hold for me. I mentioned it earlier (but can't find it now) that I had placed a hold on the book "Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell", at the library. Well, it finally came in. I thought I'd give it a try, since it's been touted (touted? oy vey) as Harry Potter for Adults. In a comment about that other entry, Mike said that usually means it's crap. It's still entirely possible (I haven't started reading it yet), but there's a quote on the back cover that makes me think it might be a good book after:
It certainly seems like Neil Gaiman liked it, and if there's one thing I've learned from Kitten, it's that Gaiman is a good writer, therefore I should respect his opinion on books. I'm now really looking forward to reading this book. But it's a HUGE book. 5 cm thick and 782 pages, to be specific.
With this new book to get through, plus the last test for my course, then studying for the exam, all to be done by April 19th (the book is due back by April 18th), it looks like I'm in for a busy month. Plus, I was talking with Ben about the book I've sort of been half working on writing since November, and now I'm really excited about putting it all down on paper...or computer, but you know what I mean. Plus finishing up the new look for my wordpress blog and switching over to it (because I do so lurve it), and my mom has been getting excited about painting my room, and I've been feeling like I really need to do some Celtic Knotwork because I haven't drawn a single one since December and I still really want to see how the "Fire Brothers" one works out, and I feel like a piece of me is missing when I go too long without doing at least some Celtic Knotwork.....
Whew! So much to do (a backlog, if you will LOL I'd post a link to that reference, cuz I'm like that, but it seems to have disappeared into the PDP ether). The painting of my room will be put on hold for sure, until after my exam. It looks like we'll be staying here in Oakville, afterall. Long story. I also need to decide if I'm going to take another course, to follow up the medical terminology one, and if so, what. There are a couple of certificate programs I'm considering, all of which can be done online. But I'm really just wondering if it's even worth putting more money into it, when it seems like I won't be able to get the Meditech program the hospital really wants. I'm not sure if I ever wrote about this, but I emailed the manager of recruitment and retention at the local hospital, and she said Meditech is usually trained in-house. BUT the job ads at the hospital (presumably written by this same manager) want the program BEFORE you get the job. It seems like another of those vicious circles.
Seeing this list makes things look all that much more bleak, despite the recent arrival of spring. Wait...the spring makes it worse. Why, you ask? Because it means I'm coming up on a year at home, with abso-fucking-lutely NOTHING to show for it. Except the blog and website, of course, which actually is really important to me. I'm so lame.
And on the way home from the doctor's office, I was able to stop by the library to pick up the book that had been on hold for me. I mentioned it earlier (but can't find it now) that I had placed a hold on the book "Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell", at the library. Well, it finally came in. I thought I'd give it a try, since it's been touted (touted? oy vey) as Harry Potter for Adults. In a comment about that other entry, Mike said that usually means it's crap. It's still entirely possible (I haven't started reading it yet), but there's a quote on the back cover that makes me think it might be a good book after:
'Unquestionably the finest English novel of the fantastic written in the last seventy years. It's funny, moving, scary, otherworldly, practical and magical, a journey through light and shadow - a delight to read.'
---Neil Gaiman
It certainly seems like Neil Gaiman liked it, and if there's one thing I've learned from Kitten, it's that Gaiman is a good writer, therefore I should respect his opinion on books. I'm now really looking forward to reading this book. But it's a HUGE book. 5 cm thick and 782 pages, to be specific.
With this new book to get through, plus the last test for my course, then studying for the exam, all to be done by April 19th (the book is due back by April 18th), it looks like I'm in for a busy month. Plus, I was talking with Ben about the book I've sort of been half working on writing since November, and now I'm really excited about putting it all down on paper...or computer, but you know what I mean. Plus finishing up the new look for my wordpress blog and switching over to it (because I do so lurve it), and my mom has been getting excited about painting my room, and I've been feeling like I really need to do some Celtic Knotwork because I haven't drawn a single one since December and I still really want to see how the "Fire Brothers" one works out, and I feel like a piece of me is missing when I go too long without doing at least some Celtic Knotwork.....
Whew! So much to do (a backlog, if you will LOL I'd post a link to that reference, cuz I'm like that, but it seems to have disappeared into the PDP ether). The painting of my room will be put on hold for sure, until after my exam. It looks like we'll be staying here in Oakville, afterall. Long story. I also need to decide if I'm going to take another course, to follow up the medical terminology one, and if so, what. There are a couple of certificate programs I'm considering, all of which can be done online. But I'm really just wondering if it's even worth putting more money into it, when it seems like I won't be able to get the Meditech program the hospital really wants. I'm not sure if I ever wrote about this, but I emailed the manager of recruitment and retention at the local hospital, and she said Meditech is usually trained in-house. BUT the job ads at the hospital (presumably written by this same manager) want the program BEFORE you get the job. It seems like another of those vicious circles.
Seeing this list makes things look all that much more bleak, despite the recent arrival of spring. Wait...the spring makes it worse. Why, you ask? Because it means I'm coming up on a year at home, with abso-fucking-lutely NOTHING to show for it. Except the blog and website, of course, which actually is really important to me. I'm so lame.
Sunday, March 27, 2005
ick
I was going to post a "getting to know you" type email thingy I got from Matt but Ben got to it first first, so I'm not sure if I'm going to do it or not. Ok, I prolly will, but I'm sick and now that I've gotten through a long chat with Andi, and catching up with all the other stuff that happened while I was away, I just don't feel like being online anymore. Actually, I don't really feel like being awake anymore. To not get graphic, my throat kinda feels like it's half closed and has gravel glued to it, and I'm really wiped out. I have a funny feeling it's strep throat, so as soon as this whole Easter weekend is over, I'm going to get myself a luverly little Doctor's appointment and get it looked it. I always seem to get sick on a holiday when Doctor's offices are closed, yet it is most definitely not worth a trip to Emerg.
But in good news, I finally got a really good night's worth of sleep last night -- a full 14 hours, after not being able to sleep for more than 3 hours for quite a few nights before it. And by not being able to, I mean physically, not just having to wake up at a certain time. I didn't have to be awake until 7:30 am on Friday, and I was awake at 6am. Saturday, I could sleep until I woke up, and I was awake at 6am. This morning, I was also awake at 6am. Noticing a trend? This morning, I was able to go back to sleep, so it's all good.
And while we were visiting friends in Sarnia, we made a trip across the border to do some shopping in Port Huron. I was very good and restrained while looking through Mary Maxim but that did not last when I walked into Barnes and Noble for the first time in my life. I didn't buy just one...oh no! I bought three! All Charles de Lint's too. I bought Moonheart, which is my absolute favourite, and also the first De Lint book I ever read (and it's back in print for the first time in 20 years), and also Jack of Kinrowan, and Greenmantle. That brings my 2005 De Lint purchases up to 7 books (and total count up to 12). My collection is really coming along nicely.
Depending on how I feel tomorrow, I just might get around to fixing up the wordpress page and switching over to it. Once I do that, I'll actually post about the rest of my little trip.
But in good news, I finally got a really good night's worth of sleep last night -- a full 14 hours, after not being able to sleep for more than 3 hours for quite a few nights before it. And by not being able to, I mean physically, not just having to wake up at a certain time. I didn't have to be awake until 7:30 am on Friday, and I was awake at 6am. Saturday, I could sleep until I woke up, and I was awake at 6am. This morning, I was also awake at 6am. Noticing a trend? This morning, I was able to go back to sleep, so it's all good.
And while we were visiting friends in Sarnia, we made a trip across the border to do some shopping in Port Huron. I was very good and restrained while looking through Mary Maxim but that did not last when I walked into Barnes and Noble for the first time in my life. I didn't buy just one...oh no! I bought three! All Charles de Lint's too. I bought Moonheart, which is my absolute favourite, and also the first De Lint book I ever read (and it's back in print for the first time in 20 years), and also Jack of Kinrowan, and Greenmantle. That brings my 2005 De Lint purchases up to 7 books (and total count up to 12). My collection is really coming along nicely.
Depending on how I feel tomorrow, I just might get around to fixing up the wordpress page and switching over to it. Once I do that, I'll actually post about the rest of my little trip.
Thursday, March 24, 2005
Success!!
I managed to get wordpress all uploaded and everything seems to be working ok. It's still terribly ugly, at the moment, but once I get it all prettied up and the blogger entries transferred over, I'll switch it up and totally eliminate blogger.
Yes, I'm excited. Too bad I can't do too much with it for the next couple of days, what with being away and all.
Oh - and many thanks to Ben for helping me out with the scary part.
Yes, I'm excited. Too bad I can't do too much with it for the next couple of days, what with being away and all.
Oh - and many thanks to Ben for helping me out with the scary part.
Tuesday, March 22, 2005
Mwuahahahahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
Again I say, Mwuahahahahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!! I've been laughing my ass off since hearing the news: My mom got called up for jury duty. How can I not laugh at that?
Not much else new: I haven't submitted by Test #4 yet, even though it was due yesterday (I do have the work done for it, at least, and there's no late penalties for handing in late). It's just so finicky and annoying to submit it online. Bleh. I've made the decision to go visit some old friends this coming weekend, so I'll be gone all day Friday and Saturday. I really actually want to go because I haven't seen Sam and Chrissy (daughter 2 and 3 of the family we're visiting) in almost a year. They came to see me at school, and to get a tour of the campus (Sam was thinking of going to Brock), and have actually survived my cooking. More importantly, they actually claim to have enjoyed the meal. Now THAT is a real friend! LOL Chrissy is my age, Sam is a bit younger, but she's my Mini-Me, so we get along really really well. Chrissy has been taking courses at a university/college (not sure which) in the US (Sarnians often live in Canada and go to this school in the US, apparently), and she has to make a trip to the campus for some reason while we're there, so it looks like I'll be making a trip to the States. Oooh exciting! LOL
Hmm, reminds me, I really must remember to program the VCR to tape part 2 of the Medical Investigations show that started last week, while I'm gone. Don't ask why I suddenly thought of that, or why I actually typed that I just thought of it.
One last thought; I'm really thinking I might just have to follow Ben and Vel and switch over to WordPress. It seems like every single time I want to comment, blogger won't let me. The quantity of comments I've been making has certainly gone down in number, and wordpress seems to be working well for Ben and Vel. And I like that, like blogger, it leaves you logged in, so you don't have to retype your name and stuff between comments. We'll see what happens (translation: if I get the desire to make the effort to switch things over).
Not much else new: I haven't submitted by Test #4 yet, even though it was due yesterday (I do have the work done for it, at least, and there's no late penalties for handing in late). It's just so finicky and annoying to submit it online. Bleh. I've made the decision to go visit some old friends this coming weekend, so I'll be gone all day Friday and Saturday. I really actually want to go because I haven't seen Sam and Chrissy (daughter 2 and 3 of the family we're visiting) in almost a year. They came to see me at school, and to get a tour of the campus (Sam was thinking of going to Brock), and have actually survived my cooking. More importantly, they actually claim to have enjoyed the meal. Now THAT is a real friend! LOL Chrissy is my age, Sam is a bit younger, but she's my Mini-Me, so we get along really really well. Chrissy has been taking courses at a university/college (not sure which) in the US (Sarnians often live in Canada and go to this school in the US, apparently), and she has to make a trip to the campus for some reason while we're there, so it looks like I'll be making a trip to the States. Oooh exciting! LOL
Hmm, reminds me, I really must remember to program the VCR to tape part 2 of the Medical Investigations show that started last week, while I'm gone. Don't ask why I suddenly thought of that, or why I actually typed that I just thought of it.
One last thought; I'm really thinking I might just have to follow Ben and Vel and switch over to WordPress. It seems like every single time I want to comment, blogger won't let me. The quantity of comments I've been making has certainly gone down in number, and wordpress seems to be working well for Ben and Vel. And I like that, like blogger, it leaves you logged in, so you don't have to retype your name and stuff between comments. We'll see what happens (translation: if I get the desire to make the effort to switch things over).
