If it were a date I’d know exactly what to expect next — either not to call her back, or a gentle decline when I suggest going out again. But it wasn’t a date, it was something in which I am not familiar with failure, but yet, I am bracing for the worst. Don’t ask.
Today’s Daily Challenge
Write an imaginary movie poster about something you hope to achieve in the next twelve months.
Sometimes it’s easy to get overwhelmed when thinking about our goals, and writing them out in such a simple way forces you to tighten your focus and pick the most descriptive words to explain your plan. Making yourself the star of the show also puts you front and center – just where you belong for this challenge.
The title would be “Changed For The Better.” I’m still working on a plot summary that won’t make you toss your oatmeal.
At Least One Of Us Doesn’t Understand Meatloaf
And I’m starting to think that it’s me.
Shouldn’t a slice of meatloaf be different than a hamburger?
Yesterday I ate lunch at Sun In My Belly and ordered the meatloaf sandwich. What was presented to me was essentially a hamburger with cheese and spreads served on cheesy focaccia.
On certain days the office cafeteria makes meatloaf and that winds up being a huge chunk of beef with some tomato-based sauce atop of it.
Shouldn’t meatloaf contain other things? Onions? Carrots? Breadcrumbs? And be more complex in flavor than a hamburger?
What am I missing here?
Want To Rule The World?
Be a female at a nerd gathering.
Last night I went to Monday Night Brewing for APIs and IPAs. Sure there were women there, about twelve in a brewery full of dudes. Want to guess who were the belles of the ball?
I had an okay time at the event, though admittedly I put myself in a situation in which I rarely succeed — I went to the event alone, didn’t know anyone at the event, and didn’t feel comfortable interjecting myself into others’ conversations. However, while sitting at a table alone a couple of guys came up and sat with me and we talked, at least until I needed a beer and left the table. I exited the event around 8pm seeking something other than beer for my stomach.
Dinner was two slices of pizza at Grand Central East in my ‘hood.
ITP Flickr Pic
“The World Is Upside Down”
I tried to turn my world on its head yesterday, it’s still a work in progress.
Oh, this is one of ITP-Readers Lisa’s and Randy’s sons at LEAF a few weekends ago. He’s finally got the knack of flipping while attached to the bungie cords.
Battening Down My Hatches!
As if yesterday’s meetup didn’t make me feel insignificant enough, today I’m headed into a day-long workshop on a topic that I meant to prepare for (Core Audio), but never put in the time.
Tomorrow and Saturday will be days of multiple hour-long sessions in which I am certain that I will learn quite a bit.
On Sunday I might be ready to rest.
Today’s Personal Project
Figure out how to change my life over the next twelve months.
Stats & Goals
Daily
Current Mood – like I’m a loser
Current Music – listening to some KEXP “Music That Matters” podcast
Website Of The Day – Though I already have something planned for earlier that evening I’m hoping on attending The Happenstance at The EARL on December 7th.
Mode Of Transportation To Work – n/a
Exercise (b)Log – nothing
Morning Weigh-In – 214 pounds (November 11)
Monthly
Foot Mileage – ~7.5 miles
Wheel Mileage – 0.0 miles
Gym Visits – 0 (0 cardio)
Days Of Bed-Making – 0
Vegetarian Meals – 14
Carnivorous Meals – 21
Marta Rides To Work – 5
Bike Rides To Work – 0
November Goals
– clean my basement to the point where I could have people over
– hire a plumber, an animal ridder, and a tree person to work on the ITP Estate
– dissolve Sharpened Stone, LLC
– follow up on some critical life details
– walk no fewer than 75 miles
2013 Goals: Measurable
– Get my weight down to 190 pounds so that I can wear a 36″ waist pants comfortably
– Completely read ten books, audio books permissible
– Dissolve Sharpened Stone
– Save $500 for the sole purpose of donating to charitable organizations of my choice
– Completely run at least one 10k
– Fix all (or at least most) of the things which are wrong with the ITP Estate
2013 Goals: Unmeasurable
– Simplify, simplify, simplify
– Continue backing up all data, including the off-site storage
– Do not create a solution for something which is not a problem
– Eat smaller portions
– Start, and continue, to make my own bread using my bread machine as well as using the technique outlined in Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day: The Discovery That Revolutionizes Home Baking
– Read and discard magazines during the month in which they arrive (even digitally)
– Take two real vacations, perhaps one abroad
– Take a more proactive approach to meeting women (read “stop being such a pussy”)
Books I’ve Read/Heard In 2013
- Pages 1.7 for iPad (Timestompers Guide) — by Sean Wells
- 60 Mountain Lion Tips — by David Sparks and Brett Terpstra
- The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business — by Charles Duhigg
- The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy — by Douglas Adams
- Amazing Things Will Happen: A Real-World Guide on Achieving Success and Happiness — by CC Chapman
- So Good They Can’t Ignore You: Why Skills Trump Passion in the Quest for Work You Love — by Cal Newport
- Born Standing Up: A Comic’s Life — by Steve Martin
- Who Am I: A Memoir — by Pete Townshend
- Still Foolin’ ‘Em: Where I’ve Been, Where I’m Going, and Where the Hell Are My Keys? — by Billy Crystal
- Unstuff Your Life!: Kick the Clutter Habit and Completely Organize Your Life for Good — Andrew J. Mellen
Cheers,
Paulie [eatl/ga]
In the span of five minutes of leaving my house I saw one of the coolest and one if the saddest things I have ever seen. The coolest thing was seeing an owl fly through my backyard this morning, I thought that I had heard owls recently but could not confirm it. That might keep the squirrel population at bay. The saddest was seeing a small cat in the street, it apparently had gotten hit by car last night and is now dead.
first paragraph – way too cryptic……..
Meatloaf should be different from hamburger (I usually use ground pork, or turkey or veal as well as hamburger) – yes, I do agree. We put plenty of bread crumbs, chopped onion, but I’ve never put carrots. I did it int he crockpot the last time, 11 hours was a bit too much so it was a little dry, but with a little A1 or ketchup it was still tasty. I’ll make you some meatloaf some night, just let me know when.
Well – for the first time probably ever – I/we decided on a Christmas card picture already & I actually ordered them last night! I’m never that on the ball with this sort of thing. But, I will not be sending them out until after Thanksgiving.
and – Allan would love some owls in our yard – but I’m not sure there is a way to attract them.
We had a little excitement on East Side last night.
So there is a door from the master bedroom to the deck/back yard. Last night after I let the dogs back in, out of the corner of my eye I saw another yellow dog. “Oh, that was just Logan’s reflection”, I thought to myself…but it wasn’t, somehow we ended up with a third dog.
I had a feeling it belonged next door, so at 9pm, I knocked on the door. Much to my surprise someone answered (not even armed). As yes, that was there dog, Cher. This weekend’s project, fixing the hole in the fence. If Cher can get in than Nibbles and Logan can get out.
I went by Knott Street last night, the place is about half way gutted. I poked around a bit, looking for any damage (termites, water damage, etc.) that might raise the price of the reno. There was some, but it was all pretty much what I expected. There is some mildew on the west side and the floor was pretty rotted under the fridge (the ice maker had a leak for sometime before I noticed it). There was also some old termite and/or fire damage from before I bought the place…but that’s all coming out anyway.
I can confirm what you say, I was Queen of the Nerds at my ScrumMaster training class….
“first paragraph – way too cryptic……..”
intentional. 😉
Oh yeah, fifteen people in today’s Core Audio Workshop — one woman.
Martha – fun times! Seeing it happening is fun.
I love this cold weather, but having an amped up Farley in the house is a little overwhelming.
I sometimes put grated carrots in my meatloaf, and Steve loves the leftovers as sandwiches. No resemblance whatsoever to a hamburger patty.
Hope your nerd fest is educational and a professional boost.
I have a job interview tomorrow for the first time in at least a decade. Send good vibes please.
good vibes are being sent your way Debbie!!!! go get ’em!
Best of luck, Debbie!
Once again, I had pithy comments and didn’t get them entered before getting sidetracked.
As far as the women in your tech events, are you surprised there were so few or they were the belle of the ball? And either should not be a shock.
Tate-R-Tot tried to sleep upstairs with me last night but about 12:30 decided he wanted to play. I found this unacceptable and promptly escorted him downstairs. He was ready to go outside and enjoy the morning when I was leaving at 05:20- I hope we don’t have a kitty-cicle. Brownie thought long and hard about staying indoors after dinner last night, but he has several spots to sleep where he can make a nest- had it been really cold, we would have found a heated spot for him.
Barb, you’re killing me being so organized!
-FP
“Oh yeah, fifteen people in today’s Core Audio Workshop — one woman.”
As us ladies use to say at Purdue, “The odds are good but the goods are odd” (I’m guessing they say that at GA Tech also)
Good luck Debbie, the whole interviewing thing is part of the reason I haven’t just walked out of here at some point during the last two weeks!
I put spinach, red peppers and onions in my meatloaf, then serve it with polenta instead of mashed potatoes.
I had two owls and a hawk at Knott Street. It is pretty cool but if Nibbles was just a little smaller I might have been more nervous.
Pre-Lunch break time!
I’ve been doing this for far too long to be surprised at the lack of females in the industry and surrounds.
Christmas cards? Geez, I bought mother a Thanksgiving card yesterday (as a means for sending her a check).
So what you’re saying is screw the Christmas card list and get on you Thanksgiving card list- I’m in!!
I’m hoping to blow off most social/holiday obligations and blame it all on the move/renovation.
I was just told today, IF the company has a holiday party, I’m required to go…uh, yeah, bring on the holiday fun 🙁
I really hope they don’t have one, I can’t imagine that going over well, you know with no one getting a raise and everyone getting screwed due to the shutdown.
Paulie sends Thanksgiving cards? Interesting….. LOL
Its too damn expensive to send these cards, every year I say I’m going to make the list shorter, but then don’t. But – I enjoy getting cards from others, so I figure if I send them, then maybe I will get more!
And really, the only reason my cards are ordered is I finally took the pictures off the camera & there was one that I found acceptable. So I figured while I was in the Shutterfly website, I’d just get it taken care of.
We at the most will get a “luncheon” here at the office for a holiday party, we can’t go out anywhere after work, that might involve alcohol (which of course would not be paid for). I am pretty over most of my co-workers, so its okay, I don’t need ot socialize with them outside of work.
I will be sending my first Thanksgiving card ever this year. It will be sent to my mother as a cover for sending her some bingo money.
I put onions, spinach, broccoli, celery, and any combination thereof in my meatloaf. I do NOT use breadcrumbs, for obvious reasons. But chopping up the veggies in the food processor beforehand is key, and they add excellent flavor and moisture to the meatloaf. I also usually use Italian sausage instead of ground beef.
Keep sending pictures of the reno, Martha, I love those first ones!
Obvious reasons? You agin wheat/gluten?
I’m against refined carbohydrates. Pasta, bread, rice, sugar, etc. They spike the insulin in the body and promote fat storage. This is why some people eat 1200 calories a day and are still fat. If it’s 1200 calories of pasta or bread, the body’s going to store more of it as fat instead of using it for energy right away.
http://diagnosisdiet.com/refined-carbohydrate-list/
Gotcha. That’s why I refrain from wheat beers. LOL.