Prelude to the Weekend

My office at work has a east exposure. On days when the sun is out in all its glory, my office is very bright in the morning -- and a tad on the warmer side. Since I prefer natural sunlight to my florescent office lighting I don't mind keeping the blinds open during this period of the day. However, this does have a down side. Known to me as computer screen glare. I would wear my sunglasses until the glare has passed and move on with my day if I didn't think I would get some very strange looks from my coworkers, so I don't. Instead, I go through the same ritual...

• Morning:
  
  After arriving at the office and booting up my computer I climb onto the back portion of my desk to reach the blind rod (I'm too short to reach it otherwise) and proceed to close the half of the blinds that causes the computer glare. This prevents the culperate from preventing me from seeing what is on my screen. Then I reach for my desk fan and turn that on because my office is enviably warmer than it should be due to said prior sun exposure.
  

• Early Afternoon:
  
  My first clue that I've passed the worst of the sun exposure is my reaction to grab my sweater since I start feeling chilly. At that point it's time to reverse the actions of the morning. Fan gets turned off and I climb back onto the back of my desk to open of the previously closed blind.
  
  I'm not sure why I mention all of this, I just found myself getting a laugh out of it all yesterday - maybe because I always feel like a clumsy fool every time I have to climb on my desk. This is not the first employer I've had to do this at (I've always been too short to these blinds otherwise), but after so many years I guess it starts getting entertaining. (And, don't get me wrong, I am thankful to have an office with a window!)
  

This weekend is shaping up to be a lot different than I had first anticipated which is not necessarily a bad thing, but more interesting if at all anything. I guess you can equate this observation to life, but that means I would be getting deep and I believe that is something I don't wish to do right now.

Every morning I get the New York Times headlines e-mailed to me. Today, this is one the stories that stood out - "No Laughing Matter at the Office. It appears that the EEOC (the government agency that regulates federal discrimination laws) has a few employment practice problem of their own.


I had what I call a "360 Degree" life experience recently . . . It's the kind of experienece that takes you from your adult life back to your childhood and back to adulthood. Periodically, I will listen Top 40 songs and think "My goodness! I can't believe young kids are being exposed to such sexually suggestive lyrics." (Yes, I realize this makes me sound old and clearly I realize this has been going on for decades, but I don't always remember this in the moment.) Recently, I heard a song by Martika who was popular when I was in Jr. High. One of her popular songs is "If You're Tarzan I'm Jane." I, like many of my peers, spent countless hours dancing and singing to the song, but honestly had NO clue what it was all about. So, there I was the other day dancing and singing to the song as I had done as a kid when all the sudden it hit me like a brick. OMG! Yes, I was actually listening to the lyrics. Ok, so it's not as provocative and suggestive as lyrics today, but still. (Or, at least I don't think so.) Maybe I was just more innocent than other kids my age, but as a 30-something I get it and can't believe my mother was cool with my listening to this music. I guess parents just have to take some of it with a grain of salt and realize they can only do so much when it comes to their kids exposure to certain lyrics. I don't know... I'm not a parent. In the meantime, I will continue to enjoy Martika's music.

M's socks are coming along nicely and I anticipate their completion sometime next week. The next project on my agenda was suppose to be a cropped sweater to wear with my sun dresses this summer, but that is most likely getting placed on the back burner for a pair of knee high socks. Yes! Another pair of socks. The inspiration to knit knee highs came from a Rav group I belong to and I couldn't resist - what a great way to freshen up some old outfits! Now I will say upfront I don't think I have the best calves in the world and pulling off a pair of knee high socks may be a stretch, but I'm approaching this with a mind set that attitude is have the battle so if I think they will look great on me then they will! I am debating on which pattern to make. I "think" I've narrowed it down to four patterns:

Pattern #1: Los Pequenos Relojes de Arena by Erssie Major

Pattern #2: Bellocq by Marnie MacLean

Pattern #3: Anna Socks by Rowan

Pattern #4: Ann Marie Stockings by Erssie Major

I was leaning towards "Bellocq," but then I saw the Ann Marie Stockings (I could alter them into knee highs - right!? : D. Who knows, maybe I'll find something else that will catch my attention. Apparently I have ADD on this project.


Three Good Things

Months back, I talked about how I use to belong to this professional social networking site and we'd always have a "Three Good Things" for the week on Fridays and that with the state of the world in a mess sometimes you just need sit down and list out the good things. Here's mine for the week ending - today:

• My mom got unbelievable news this week. So good that it will make a world of difference in her life. (I can't put into words how happy I am for her.)

• I stumped "Tier 2" tech support for a system I use often. My question was so good that even the support dude I was talking to congratulated me on stumping them.

• Not only did I get my vacation time approved this week, but I may have found a traveling companion to accompany me on part of adventure. (This gives me even more motivation to make my plans happen.)

Until later . . .