Journal Entries
Off to a decent start (PC)
Posted Jan 19, 2013
The new year is off to a decent enough start - or *a* start, anyway - so I've decided it's time for another new journal entry.
December and January are rough months in accounting, at least in my area, so I've been overworked and overstressed for several weeks. So much so that I've been falling into bed well before 9PM - even on weekends sometimes! - and sometimes waking at the wee hours and then being tired all day as a result.
On a happier note, progress is being made on the settling-in-to-the-new-place front. We've found an offsite storage unit. It's a 10'X5' unit with corrugated metal walls and rolling door, concrete floor, and chicken wire ceiling, on the fourth floor of one of three buildings at a facility about a mile or so from home. They gave us 24-hour access, so K can keep all of his drum equipment there, and come and go to get it as needed for practices and gigs. This is probably a much better thing than when he used to haul them home in the car - passcode is required to enter the facility, the building's loading dock, and then into the main part of the building itself. Doesn't get much more secure than that - and there is CCTV all over the place, too. We've rented a van for tomorrow morning, and we'll haul over the rest of the storage bins with random books, recorded VHS tapes, and other things we don't need to use frequently. Then we should finally have the space to get the CD tower and record crates in.
We've got the hi-fi upgrade almost complete - just waiting for the receiver (Harmon Kardan) to be delivered early next week. We got an Audio-Technica turntable (they seem to be the Technics knockoff now that Technics has ceased production), a TEAC CD/cassette/USB deck, and a pair of Pioneer floor-standing loudspeakers. Just need a couple cables and we'll be good to go once the record and CD collections are all unloaded. 
My in-laws gave us a bed frame for Xmas. At the old place, we had to keep the box spring on the floor, as there wasn't sufficient clearance between the bed and the door for a frame as well. It's nice, having it off the floor. I got a nice new black bedspread and shams, and a pair of eyelet shams and dust ruffle. With the lovely black and colorful batik quilt K's aunt made for us a few years ago, it looks really nice. I'll have photos sometime soon, once all of the unpacking in the back room is done.
Not much else going on, really. K is well, the cats are well, parental units are all fine. Work sucks, per usual (have I mentioned how much I hate my job?), but nothing extraordinary. And someone in this building keeps their heat set SO high, ours hasn't even run for two weeks, and my gas bills are about 30% of what they used to be, if that. 
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Latest reply: Jan 19, 2013
2012 Year in Review, and a Peek Ahead (PC)
Posted Dec 20, 2012
Perhaps slightly more upbeat than a journal for whining about work...
Another year is drawing to a close, more or less. That is, if the world hasn't ended in the morning. 
It's been a reasonably pleasant one overall for me.
I've survived nearly twelve months at work, for the company which was lovely when I started the job (aside from the lousy benefits and the fact that it pays 40% less than the old one) but isn't so lovely post-merger, for a variety of reasons. April's performance appraisal was a good one, and I received a better raise than expected, which was nice. Usually it's 3%, which is not enough to keep up with inflation.
I've cut myself loose of some people who weren't good for me, having decided that I'm done with "this person is racist, homophobic, misogynist, classist, anti-atheist, or in any way otherwise bigoted, but I respect him/her anyway" and from now on I just don't have time or room in my life for such toxic garbage. Excepting, sadly, very immediate family, some of whom I just put up with and others whom I love in spite of themselves.
We've moved to a new home, as of August. Yes, we're still unpacking: before we can unload the CD and record collections, we need to purchase appropriate furniture, and before we'll have room to do so, we'll need to secure an offsite rental storage unit for several storage bins and a couple of drum sets. (We're looking at one this weekend which offers 24-hour gate access for an additional fee, thinking it would be easier for K if he could load drum equipment in and out directly before and after practice or gigs, as opposed to carting home in between).
Once we've done that, we also need to upgrade the hi-fi, as the turntable was broken during the move. I've picked out a TEAC CD/cassette player combo unit, a new Harman Kardon receiver, and Klipsch floor speakers. However, Technics has ceased production, so fixing or replacing the turntable with like would be VERY pricey. Any recommendations for high-quality analog turntables (with anti-skating tone arm) would be very helpful.
Yes, we'd been house-hunting for over two years and finally decided on another apartment. What we pay in rent is about what we'd pay for a mortgage. But the cheapest houses around that don't require thousands of dollars in renovations are about $500K. So, a 20% down payment would pretty much clean out our savings, leaving little or nothing for a "slush fund", not to mention for such important things as bookcases and hi-fi replacement.
No one else in either side of the family has died this year, thankfully. One of K's cousins had a particularly ugly baby, which we'll meet at Xmas. Oh, and loads of baby animals, several of whom are critically endangered species, have been born at our local zoos this year (sadly, a few elderly or ill animals have died, too).
My nephew's got his driver's license, and, apparently, a car. Look out, pedestrians... Even K's niece and nephew are growing like weeds (though the last time we saw them, they were both acting like toddlers).
Both Herman and Minerva cats are doing well. Herman's even gained some weight back since we moved.
And that's about it... though there are still 10 days left, so anything can happen.
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Latest reply: Dec 20, 2012
It's the most horrible time of the year (PC)
Posted Dec 19, 2012
Bet you all didn't need me to indicate whose journal this is.
It's not just the holiday, though. You all have known me long enough to know all that I dislike about the commercial aspects of it. And the insistence of certain people on trying to force their religion and me and my spouse into the same space. That's not what I'm moaning about this time.
It's work, and the special sort of hell involved in trying to shove a month's worth into two weeks, then either being bored stupid or being busy as hell for the last two, because I can't bring myself to waste what little PTO they compensate me with at this place taking off when everyone else does.
Honestly, why even bother sending notifications, and several subsequent reminders, of accelerated deadlines, if no one is going to enforce them and I'm going to have to scramble (and likely work late) tomorrow and Friday to do what should have been done Monday?
And I'm definitely considering leaving my out-of-office on next Wednesday through Friday, even if I am in fact going to be in the office.
Discuss this Journal entry [10]
Latest reply: Dec 19, 2012
On Not Reading the Comments Section (PC)
Posted Nov 29, 2012
I don't have a lot of time to read blogs, but I subscribe to some, and I also regularly read Slate and a couple of other internet news sites.
And I make a valiant effort to completely ignore and avoid the comments section.
Why, you ask?
The posters of many of these comments have told me, over the years, that it is because I can't handle "robust debate".
But what these posters are looking for isn't debate. They don't *want* to discuss the topic with various people, potentially be educated or enlightened, or even "live and let live". What they seek is a venue in which to air their (often ill-informed, delusional or downright reprehensible) opinions, and have others validate those ideas by establishing that there are perhaps two sides of the argument worth defending.
In my experience, that is seldom the case. The opposing view to a reasonable one is typically indefensible.
You can't win this kind of argument. So don't bother trying. As far as I am concerned, the best thing to do is leave the losers to talk to themselves.
Discuss this Journal entry [21]
Latest reply: Nov 29, 2012
Waiting (PC)
Posted Oct 4, 2012
While I'm not necessarily someone with the patience of a saint, I'm not particularly prone to be driven by a need for immediate gratification, either. I've been known to make the occasional impulse purchase- but I frequently purchase online, after some thought, and opt for free shipping.
Well, we recently went way out to the northwest suburbs to IKEA to shop for some bookcases. We picked the ones we like, went home, and compared the costs of ordering online and having them delivered for $100, or renting a small moving van for $50 plus mileage and gas and then hauling them upstairs ourselves. We're getting six 72" Billy bookcases and a matching TV stand.
I placed the order weeks ago and we just received notice that our shelves have shipped to the freight carrier. They should be calling within the next week to schedule a delivery date.
I'm going nuts waiting!! We've been in the new place for two months now, and still have about two-thirds of the unpacking left to do. The third bedroom is entirely filled with boxes of stuff. I can't get to my rain boots, my rice cooker or my phone book. 
And K keeps taking DVDs out of boxes and then leaving trails of them all over the house. Putting them back in alphabetical order is going to be a chore.
Is it too much for a girl to ask to be able to put her stuff away properly? 
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Latest reply: Oct 4, 2012
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