Thankful Thursday

With being away for the holiday weekend and then the shortened work week, it's hard to believe it's Thursday again. But, it is, and so it's time for this week's Thankful Thursday post.

In no particular order, things I'm thankful this week include:

• My friends from Sweden arrive this afternoon. I can't wait!!
  
  
• Seeing friends over the weekend I hadn't seen since last Memorial Day.
  
  
• Sleep....after not getting much of it at all over the weekend, getting caught up on a good night's sleep is wonderful!
  
  
• Being a lot healthier this year than I was last Memorial Day weekend. This year, I was able to enjoy my weekend; last year it was more of a "survive" the weekend.
  
  
• Getting to take some master classes with world-class dancers this weekend. Soooo looking forward to it!

And how about you? What are you thankful for today?

Who Doesn't Need Free Stuff?

Tiburon from Shark Bait has another give-a-way going on. But this time, there's a catch -- she's not telling you what it is. You'll just have to be brave & take your chances. (Her previous ones have included some pretty cool stuff, so it's probably not a total 'wing and a prayer' type of situation).

Go on over & enter. Tell her I sent you.

This Really Ticks Me Off!!!

According to a study by Helen Benedict, a professor at Columbia University, more than 70 percent of the female members of the US Military have faced sexual harassment by the men with whom they serve. Nearly one-third of those same females have been sexually assaulted or raped by their fellow service members. (More info here.)

This is appalling!!! These women are out there serving their country and this is what they can look forward to?!?!?! It's not enough that they are willing to be in some deplorable conditions the same as the men are, but they have to deal with that type of behavior on a daily basis too? It's especially egregious when you consider that it's coming from the very same people they *should* be able to, and might *HAVE TO* trust with their lives!

Not that they face any better treatment once they come home. Given the constant harassment and/or assault from the people they've been serving with, it's not surprising that the women who are returning from hotspots today are exhibiting more incidences of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder than ever before. Even when the problem is acknowledged, the Dept of Veteran's Affairs is woefully more unprepared to deal with the women troops who have come home and suffer from PTSD than they are even with the men who suffer from the same problem (and we know that that's bad enough.)

Don't get me wrong. I am deeply indebted to the men who serve our country and put themselves on the line. I am ALSO indebted to the servicewomen who put themselves on the line!!! It's unfortunate that these women have to put up with second-class treatment like that s part of their daily lives. Given the preponderance of such incidences, it's pretty clear that the powers that be are turning a blind eye to it/are allowing it, or at a minimum are not doing what it takes to let it be known that it is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.

I wish I could say I was surprised; however, I have spent enough time around some military institutions to have witnessed the "Boys will be boys" attitude rear its ugly head more than once. I've even experienced it first-hand on a minor level when I was teaching at a military institution: the respect afforded to my co-teacher by some of my students was SIGNIFICANTLY more than I was afforded strictly because I am a female. The vast majority of the students were wonderful/appropriate and made the classes fun to teach; some of them were genuinely interested while others really weren't, but since it was mandatory were going to make the best of it & try to enjoy it. But there were always that minority who didn't want to be there & made that clear. Except, if it was my co-teacher teaching, they still participated albeit grudgingly & didn't give him any grief about it. If it was me teaching, however, they didn't feel the need to do so, or to hide the fact that they weren't participating. And it wasn't just the students -- the training officer (our contact/person who hired us & set up the classes) witnessed some of the disrespect, but thought it was hilarious. His only comment was, "Someone's got a crush on the teacher," as opposed to telling the student his behavior was unacceptable. Thus, I have no problem believing the numbers reported are accurate.

With incidence numbers in the 70+ percentage range, this is clearly a SYSTEMIC problem. The attitude that even a single incident is acceptable has to change before any meaningful change can take place. We are in the 21st century; if only certain parts of our society weren't stuck in the 17th!

I'm Baaa-aaack!!

The weekend was fun. Exhausting, but fun. It was great to get away, even for just a few days, and catch up with old friends.

I'll post more about it once I'm caught up on laundry, sleep, etc.

Gone, Baby, Gone!!

I'm outta here for a long weekend. I'll be in the Shenandoah mountains for 3 days of dancing, relaxing, good friends, and more.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Thankful Thursday

Yup. It's that time again. In no particular order, here are things I'm thankful for:

• Days off -- not only do we get Monday off for Memorial Day, I've taken tomorrow off, so it's a 4-day weekend for me!!
  
  
• No staff meeting -- our regularly-scheduled Thursday staff meeting has been postponed to Friday this week. But, oh wait! I'm off tomorrow (hee hee hee).
  
  
• My parents' health -- the news of Ted Kennedy's brain tumor got me thinking. I'm really lucky that both my parents are healthy, active, and fully mobile. It's a real blessing!
  
  
• Dancing -- it's not only my main activity outside of work, it's something that I love, keeps me active, helps relieve stress, provides me with a creative outlet, and at times, keeps me sane.
  
  
• Good friends -- who doesn't need those? And all too often, we forget to be truly thankful for them. Or at least I do. Today, I want to recognize those people I'm lucky enough to call my friends.

So, how about you? What are you thankful for today? Feel free to take the banner & the idea and play along.

Do You Crickle?

Ok, I admit it. I'm a puzzle junkie.

That's right. I love me a soduko or a crossword or pretty much any other puzzle that requires putting pen(cil) to paper. After a long day at work, I decompress on the subway ride home with the crossword and soduko that come in the daily freebie paper given out by the Washington Post. If all goes on schedule, it's a 26 minute ride from work station to home station & I challenge myself to see if I can complete both puzzles before I reach my home station. I can tell what kind of a day it's been or how exhausted I am on how achievable/not achievable this goal is.

But putting pen to paper isn't the only way to do puzzles. The Washington Post has a daily puzzle on it's website that I'm obsessed with. It's called the Crickler. One of the neatest things about it is that it actually employs "artificial intelligence": you have a "handicap" (as in golf) and as you do better, your handicap goes down and the puzzle gets harder. This keeps it challenging, but not frustratingly difficult. It's pretty cool!

There are actually 3 per day -- the Crickler, the Crickler Crossword, and the Vocabulary. The basic Crickler blends puzzles and daily news/information. It keeps me up on the news of the day as well as challenges me. The Crickler Crossword is more of a word-association game. The Vocabulary puzzle is just what it sounds like.

To check out (and start playing) Crickler for yourself, go to the Washington Post puzzle page and click on Crickler.....Go on. Ya know you wanna!

Bailey

This is one of the faces that greeted me yesterday afternoon...

Thankful Thursday

Wow, another week has come & gone, which means it's time for Thankful Thursday again. In no particular order, these are some of the things I'm thankful for this week:

• Sunshine -- we've had LOTS of rain. As in, LOTS AND LOTS!! (4+ inches since this Saturday). With more expected by this weekend. But for now, it's sunny and warm and just a glorious day.
  
  
• Finding time to plant 50+ tulips. It would have been a shame to let such a great score go to waste. And while I was at it, I relocated some lilies and started thinning the daffodils...Keep your fingers crossed that the rain was enough to help everything set in their new locations, but not enough to drown them, so that they'll all be quite productive next Spring.
  
  
• Today is lawn service day -- It's great to come home to a lawn that is freshly cut and looks nice. I'm thankful that I don't have to find the time to make it so.
  
  
• The lack of red tape in my day to day life -- since I work at a gubbermint agency, one would expect a certain amount of red tape. This week I dealt with a fair amount, which made me realize that on the whole, I usually deal with very little of it.
  
  
• My SO -- who handled/dealt with some idiocy that was getting me frustrated earlier this week. How nice it was to be told, "Don't worry about it; I got it covered. You just take the night off and relax." Thanks, sweetie!

So how bout you? What's happening in your world that's made you thankful? The idea and the banner both come from Tiburon at SharkBait; feel free to take them and play along on your own blog.

Act with Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson, Zach Braff & more

How cool would that be? Well, the opportunity exists...if you have the $ that is:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180240958235

I've always been a Shakespeare fan & Taming of the Shrew has been my favorite since I performed in it in 6th grade. (Well, in a watered-down version of it anyway; can't be letting hormonal adolescents have dialogue and innuendo like that, now, can we?) I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to win this auction and have this opportunity.....*sigh*

What the Guidebooks Don't Tell You, but Should!

Dear Tourists,

Welcome to Washington. We're glad you're here. No, really; we are. We appreciate your spending your vacation dollars to help our local economy!

We're sure you've planned meticulously, studied guidebooks, read websites, etc., in preparation for this trip, but there are some things the guidebooks don't tell you, but should. As someone who lives here, I thought I'd share some of the "inside secrets" that will help make your interactions with the natives more enjoyable and help you to fit in a bit more. This is the first of what is likely to be many such lessons.

Today's topic is this:
We call them ESCALATORS (ess-kah-lay-turs). I'm not sure where you are from where you don't have such things, but it's clear by the huge numbers of you who are confused by them that they must not be common sights in many places. For those of you who are new to these magical-moving-stairs, here are a few rules of what to do or not do when using them:

1. Getting onto a magical-moving-stairs ride is not hard. There is no need to stand at the top or bottom of the magical-moving-stairs and watch in mesmerized fascination as the magical-moving-stairs move. In fact, doing so will only aggravate those natives that also wish to ride said magical-moving-stairs. Treat the magical-moving-stairs as you did a sidewalk when you were younger -- you know, "don't step on a crack" and all that good stuff? If you walk right onto the magical-moving-stairs and just STAND there, as long as you are not stepping on a crack, the magical-moving-stairs will do the rest... Well, actually, it'll do the rest whether or not you are standing on a crack, but it's easier for those of you who are new to this type of ride if you don't have to worry about part of the magical-moving-stairs disappearing from under your feet.
   
   
2. Getting off the magical-moving-stairs ride is also easy. It does take a little bit of work on your part, but I'm sure you can do this. When the magical-moving-stairs have taken you to the top/bottom, you will need to step off of the magical-moving-stairs onto the metal plate that sits at the end of the magical-moving-stairs. It's one step.... C'mon..... You can do it!! ...Good job! I told you you could do it!
   
   
3. When you get off the magical-moving-stairs, DO NOT STOP at the top/bottom!!! The natives understand that you might need to get your bearings or read the map found in the guidebooks you already read (which didn't tell you any of this, so really, I don't know why you even bother to continue using them, but I digress...). The magical-moving-stairs, however, do NOT stop just because you stepped off!!! Remember all those people who also wanted to enjoy the magical-moving-stairs ride, but were too slow to get on ahead of you? They are still right behind you. The magical-moving-stairs will deposit them right on top of your hot little heels if you stop to read your map as soon as you get off the ride.....It's a MUCH better idea to walk about 5-10 feet once your turn on the magical-moving-stairs has finished and then MOVE TO ONE SIDE OR THE OTHER before trying to read your map or get your bearings.
   
   
4. Magical-moving-stairs are one-way streets. But the good news is they always come in sets of 2 or more. If you get on one going the wrong way, don't panic. And whatever you do, do NOT suddenly try to go the opposite direction of the magical-moving-staircase you are on! When you reach the top/bottom, you'll usually see the mate to the one you were just on that will take you back where you started from.
   
   
5. Magical-moving-stairs each have 2-lanes. There is both a "slow lane" and a "fast lane". If this is your first time riding a magical-moving-staircase, we suggest enjoying the ride by taking the slow lane. To do this, stand all the way to the right and then let the magical-moving-stairs do the rest. If you want to experience some of the hectic-pace that DC is known for, you can try the "fast lane" of the magical-moving-stairs. To do this, you move to the left on the magical-moving-stairs, but you MUST NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES just stand there!! Life in the fast lane means moving fast, so you MUST walk up/down the magical-moving-stairs if you are in the fast lane!! NO EXCEPTIONS!! Nothing will make the natives more restless and less enthusiastic about your visit than if you get in the "fast lane", but treat it as a "slow lane". Especially at a subway station. And that goes double if it's rush hour!!
   
   

If you follow these simple rules, I guarantee your stay with us will be a much happier one!! Tune in next time for more helpful hints about how to interact with the natives.

Pizza & rain just go together...

It's a very gray day here. The rain has finally stopped (for now), but it was pouring buckets earlier, after raining hard all night. The kind of day where you like to just curl up and stay inside. Unfortunately, it's a workday, so that wasn't completely possible, but what everyone here in the office wanted to do nonetheless.

So, I threw out the idea of ordering pizza so no one had to go out at lunch time today. 15 people agreed that sounded like a good idea. For a couple of bucks each, there was laughter, there was food and much fun was had.

Sometimes it's the little things that make an office a nice place to work. Well, that and a little pie.

Thankful Thursday

It's late in the day & I'm just now getting to this. This week, things I'm thankful for include:

• Having a job I really like. Yeah, I'm a little frustrated at this very moment by some extra hoops I'm having to jump through on a particular project, but those days are few and far between and even when that happens, it doesn't negate how much I really like what I do.
  
  
• One of my favorite events is happening this weekend. (Anyone in the DC area who might enjoy it should DEFINITELY come!!)
  
  
• Scoring tulip bulbs for free!! (See post here).
  
  
• Getting rides to the subway a couple of times this week. The bus changed schedules this week, so another rider and I have been out a bit early each morning, not being completely sure of when the bus was likely to pass by. We've had neighbors see us standing there who have stopped to pick us up and give the 2 of us rides to the subway as they headed that direction.
  
  
• Getting to see my parents in a couple of days. They are coming up to babysit 2 of my nephews while my brother & sister-in-law go away for their anniversary. They'll arrive on Sunday which means I may even get to wish my mom a happy mother's day in person. Yay!!

So how about you? What are you thankful for? The banner and the idea for these weekly posts came from Tiburon at SharkBait. Feel free to pilfer both of them and play along.

Mother's Day Bone Marrow Donor Drive

Every year, thousands of people discover they need a bone marrow transplant. In about 70% of those cases, there won't be a match within the family, so they will need to look in the national registry to hopefully find a match. In fact, on any given day, there are approximately 6000 people searching the National Marrow Donor Program registry, hoping to find a match. Obviously, if more people were in that registry, the chance of them each finding that perfect match would go up.

In case you're wondering if I put my money where my mouth is, I joined the registry about 3 years ago when they did a registration drive at my old office. In my case, they did a simple finger stick & took about 4 drops of blood. Nowadays, you don't even have to do that much -- a simple cheek swab is all it'll take. No pain. No needles. (No excuses.)

In honor of Mother's Day, the National Marrow Donor Program is suspending the fees they usually charge for someone to become part of that registry. From May 5-19, 2008, sponsors/donors will pick up the tab for the first 46,000 people to join the registry, including the first 10,000 to register online; that's right, you can click on the link below, sign up & they'll send you the kit to do the cheek swab all by yourself in the safety/security of your own home. Can't get much more convenient than that, huh?

You can get more info on how to sign up online or get a list of places where you can register in-person by going here.

I think I'd be behind this effort no matter what, but will admit it is somewhat personal now. I mentioned in a previous post that my SO battled lymphoma last year. Had the chemo & radiation not worked at the time, or if the tumor comes back, he most likely will be looking at needing a bone marrow transplant. In his case, at least at this moment, he is a good candidate for a autologous donation, meaning he could be his own donor. However, not everyone is so lucky.

You never know when you might be able to help or what that help would mean. I signed up never imagining I might someday be sitting on the side where I or someone I love would need to find a donor. It would be great if everyone who ever had to be in that same situation had an excellent chance of finding a match. Let's see if we can make each one of their odds 46,000 potential donors better!

Here's the link again in case you missed it.


PS. Feel free to cross post this far & wide. The more exposure, the better!

Score!!!

My office happens to be only a block or so away from the US Capitol. Anyone who has visited the Capitol at the right time has noticed that the grounds are covered in a wonderful, thick, blanket of tulips.

This morning, my co-worker came in carrying a large trash bag with all sorts of green things in it. Turns out the Capitol groundskeepers pull up the bulbs after the flowers have bloomed. This part I figured -- they then plant something that looks good thru the summer. What I didn't expect is that they throw out the tulip bulbs once they pull them up. My co-worker had gone over and asked if he could take some instead & they gave him the bag full.

As anyone who's been reading my Thankful Thursday posts knows, I am more of a "plant them once and let them bloom for as many years as they will" girl. And who can beat the price of free? So, another co-worker and I headed over and got us a trash bag full as well. It'll take a little bit of elbow grease, but I should have another 50-80 tulips a-bloomin' next Spring!!!

Oh, and I asked the guys -- the ones I have should be yellow, as opposed to the red ones shown in the pic.

Finally Friday!!

Yay! It's been a long-time comin' this week! Not that I've got anything all that interesting or exciting planned for this weekend, but hey, I'm not complaining about 2 days off, and a girl's gotta get laundry and other chores done sometime, right?

My internet access at home is on the fritz currently, so I'll probably be absent all weekend & will check back in here & to see what everyone's been up to on Monday.

Have a good weekend.

Thankful Thursday

It's been an incredibly hectic week, so I can't believe it's Thursday already! Here in no particular order are some of the things I'm thankful for this week:

1. Finding out that my insurance company had not submitted the expenses they were supposed to to my Flexible Spending Account BEFORE the submission deadline, so I could gather the paperwork & get them submitted. It would have been awful to find it out too late to do anything about it.

1b. Being in the electronic age so that I could log into said insurance company and download any documentation I couldn't find among my records at home.

1c. Having a wonderful SO who was willing to give me a ride home when I stayed late to get them all submitted, therefore missing the last bus home from the subway. I took the subway to his place instead and he gave me a lift from there. What a sweetie!!

2. My new digital camera. I have a fantastic film camera, but hadn't gone digital yet because the camera I really want (the Nikon D80) isn't in my budget right now. I finally broke down and got an inexpensive point-and-shoot model. Once I figure it out, I'll be able to post my own pics on the blog. Yay!

3. Sitting next to the most adorable 2-yr old girl and her daddy on the subway yesterday as they traded "Gimme 5"s. They were on their way home from her first-ever major league baseball game. My commute home is usually not nearly so entertaining.

4. Finalizing plans for 2 friends of mine from Sweden's visit. They will be here in a month!! I can't believe it's been 4 years since we've seen each other and I can't wait til they arrive!!!!!!

5. Starting the planning in earnest for a surprise that will take place in '09. This is a big deal that will take coordination from many different people from various parts of the country to pull off. It's gonna be fun!

6. Making Mindi's blurker roll. ....I've arrived!

7. Having azaleas and tulips blooming. You may wonder why I keep mentioning the various flowers -- well, it's like this: I have neither the time nor the inclination to spend a lot of time on a flower bed. I also really don't know much about what one is supposed to do. Given those 2 facts, I planted the azaleas and some perennials a while back, hoping to get flowers for most of the year. So far, it seems to be working. I had daffodils in March. Tulips in March/April. Azaleas in April/May. And the lilies I planted are pushing through as are the gladioli, so hopefully I'll have lilies in June/July and glads in July/August. Not bad for someone who has no skillz in this area!

8. Having my male dog *play*....this might not sound like much, but he's a Hurricane Katrina evacuee & in the 2+ years I've had him, he's never really played before. My 2 females romp and wrestle and chase one another, but he's stayed more aloof about it all. He's very cute and endearing and does silly things, but had never chased a ball or played with a toy or anything like that. My one girl loves to be chased more than anything in the world, and she has continued to work on him; over the past 2-3 months, there have been some signs that he was "getting" it, but it was more like they spoke different dialects of the same language & just couldn't quite communicate. We had a break thru the other night -- he caught a ball and pounced on it when I rolled it to him. He play bowed. He intentionally played!!

So, that's what's been happening in my world. What are you thankful for?