Redneck's Wife
Friday, July 22, 2005
I need a vacation
I feel like my head is going to explode. I've spent the last couple weeks at work wading through a class that is supposed to teach us how to write better documentation. Now, this is a worthy goal, since so much of our documentation (and there is A LOT) is poorly organized crap.
The class is conducted completely online, so all of the "talking" is done through discussion groups.
Here is my problem. Most of the teacher's writing is absolutely chock-full of spelling and grammatical errors (possesive s's when none are required, missing words, incomplete sentences), and many of the instructions for our assignments are vague and confusing.
Also, we're supposed to be giving each other feedback on our work, but the extent of the feedback has so far been "You did a really good job!". Everyone is afraid to be "mean", but that just means no one will improve.
And this is supposed to be a class that helps us write better. Auuughhhh!!!!
I guess I'm more bugged by this than most since ripping apart documents and looking for minor grammar and spelling errors and formatting inconsistencies is part of my job (as a tech writer).
I've been pointing out the problems with the assignment instructions, but being mostly silent about the grammar stuff. Still bugs me though. Does no one learn this in school anymore? Am I prematurely becoming a curmudgeon? ¶ 3:22 PM 3 comments
I feel like my head is going to explode. I've spent the last couple weeks at work wading through a class that is supposed to teach us how to write better documentation. Now, this is a worthy goal, since so much of our documentation (and there is A LOT) is poorly organized crap.
The class is conducted completely online, so all of the "talking" is done through discussion groups.
Here is my problem. Most of the teacher's writing is absolutely chock-full of spelling and grammatical errors (possesive s's when none are required, missing words, incomplete sentences), and many of the instructions for our assignments are vague and confusing.
Also, we're supposed to be giving each other feedback on our work, but the extent of the feedback has so far been "You did a really good job!". Everyone is afraid to be "mean", but that just means no one will improve.
And this is supposed to be a class that helps us write better. Auuughhhh!!!!
I guess I'm more bugged by this than most since ripping apart documents and looking for minor grammar and spelling errors and formatting inconsistencies is part of my job (as a tech writer).
I've been pointing out the problems with the assignment instructions, but being mostly silent about the grammar stuff. Still bugs me though. Does no one learn this in school anymore? Am I prematurely becoming a curmudgeon? ¶ 3:22 PM 3 comments
Thursday, July 21, 2005
Valerie Plame
I've been hearing a lot lately about the Valerie Plame/Karl Rove scandal, and I admit, I never really got what the big deal was.
On the left, it seems a foregone conclusion that Karl Rove is guilty, and that this is just part of the Bush conspiracy to go to war in Iraq.
On the right, the view is that this is no big deal and is being hyped by the media to hurt the Bush administration.
I found Andrew McCarthy's article about the situation to be very clear and informative in explaining the background of the scandal. He also provides several great links to pertinent information. ¶ 1:12 PM 0 comments
I've been hearing a lot lately about the Valerie Plame/Karl Rove scandal, and I admit, I never really got what the big deal was.
On the left, it seems a foregone conclusion that Karl Rove is guilty, and that this is just part of the Bush conspiracy to go to war in Iraq.
On the right, the view is that this is no big deal and is being hyped by the media to hurt the Bush administration.
I found Andrew McCarthy's article about the situation to be very clear and informative in explaining the background of the scandal. He also provides several great links to pertinent information. ¶ 1:12 PM 0 comments
Wednesday, July 20, 2005
The new male cleavage?
Yes, that's what the New York Times is calling the phenomena of men wearing dress shoes without socks. Me? I just call it gross.
I find it strange that all of a sudden it's considered sexy and risque for a man to show his ankles. It makes me think of the Victorian era where women covered up their legs and showing an ankle was a big deal. I don't know that I want to see some guy's hairy ankles, and think of all the sweat slopping around inside those black leather shoes. Ick ick ick!
Yes, that's what the New York Times is calling the phenomena of men wearing dress shoes without socks. Me? I just call it gross.
I find it strange that all of a sudden it's considered sexy and risque for a man to show his ankles. It makes me think of the Victorian era where women covered up their legs and showing an ankle was a big deal. I don't know that I want to see some guy's hairy ankles, and think of all the sweat slopping around inside those black leather shoes. Ick ick ick!
And also, at first glance, would you not think that picture was of a girl? Are his legs shaved?
This is not attractive.
Link via the Manolo
Tuesday, July 19, 2005
Abigail
Birgit has posted a dramatization of the story of Abigail (from 1 Samuel 25) over at her blog. And, wow! Great dialouge, great writing, great story! I highly recommend it. She has now posted all 4 installments. So even if you don't think you'd be interested in a "bible story", go check it out.
And keep it up, Birgit. I can't wait to see the next one. ¶ 3:50 PM 2 comments
Birgit has posted a dramatization of the story of Abigail (from 1 Samuel 25) over at her blog. And, wow! Great dialouge, great writing, great story! I highly recommend it. She has now posted all 4 installments. So even if you don't think you'd be interested in a "bible story", go check it out.
And keep it up, Birgit. I can't wait to see the next one. ¶ 3:50 PM 2 comments
Chocolate is a good thing
I've seen these stories before, but here is another one about chocolate helping to lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart disease.
They are, of course, very careful to point out that it's only dark chocolate (my favorite anyway), and that chocolate has a lot of fat and calories so you shouldn't overdo it, yada yada.
Still, it makes me feel much better about the dark chocolate covered chocolate cookie I just ate! ¶ 1:50 PM 1 comments
I've seen these stories before, but here is another one about chocolate helping to lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart disease.
They are, of course, very careful to point out that it's only dark chocolate (my favorite anyway), and that chocolate has a lot of fat and calories so you shouldn't overdo it, yada yada.
Still, it makes me feel much better about the dark chocolate covered chocolate cookie I just ate! ¶ 1:50 PM 1 comments
Monday, July 18, 2005
Pens
Last week (or no, I guess it was the week before), I went to leave my coworker a note in his cube. I hadn't brought my pen with me, so I looked around on his desk for one. Normal people usually have a cup or some type of receptacle containing a variety of writing implements. But no, there was nothing! So I looked in one of his drawers (I didn't think he'd care, and he didn't). Still nothing. ??????
I ended up going into the cube next to him, which is now vacant, but sure enough, even though no one uses that cube anymore, there was the obligatory cup with a whole bunch of pens.
So what gives? When I asked him about it later, he asked me, "So can you write with two pens at once?"
Well, no, but... "Then why do you need a bunch of pens?"
Good question. The problem is, I remember using one pen all last week and now I have no idea what happened to it. And now I'm looking through my cache of pens, and can't find one that I like.
If you ask Erick, he'll tell you that I'm always taking the pen he uses to update the checkbook out of the desk drawer. From there it goes to the kitchen drawer, by the phone. From there it goes into my purse. Since I have multiple purses, that one pen may not surface again for months, if at all.
The same happens with the ones we keep in the car. They diminish slowly, then I find a whole bunch of them in the bottom of my purse.
I'm not sure what happens to the ones I use at work.
So, is this a guy/girl thing? ¶ 1:31 PM 1 comments
Last week (or no, I guess it was the week before), I went to leave my coworker a note in his cube. I hadn't brought my pen with me, so I looked around on his desk for one. Normal people usually have a cup or some type of receptacle containing a variety of writing implements. But no, there was nothing! So I looked in one of his drawers (I didn't think he'd care, and he didn't). Still nothing. ??????
I ended up going into the cube next to him, which is now vacant, but sure enough, even though no one uses that cube anymore, there was the obligatory cup with a whole bunch of pens.
So what gives? When I asked him about it later, he asked me, "So can you write with two pens at once?"
Well, no, but... "Then why do you need a bunch of pens?"
Good question. The problem is, I remember using one pen all last week and now I have no idea what happened to it. And now I'm looking through my cache of pens, and can't find one that I like.
If you ask Erick, he'll tell you that I'm always taking the pen he uses to update the checkbook out of the desk drawer. From there it goes to the kitchen drawer, by the phone. From there it goes into my purse. Since I have multiple purses, that one pen may not surface again for months, if at all.
The same happens with the ones we keep in the car. They diminish slowly, then I find a whole bunch of them in the bottom of my purse.
I'm not sure what happens to the ones I use at work.
So, is this a guy/girl thing? ¶ 1:31 PM 1 comments
Work, Hormones, and Harry Potter
It's been a little while since I last wrote, so here's a status report.
I had a great week last week at work, doing a Kaizen event improving the HR staffing process. I think we really made some good changes in the process, and I always enjoy working with the team I'm on. For those of you who may not remember, this is the same team I spent a week with in Georgia earlier this year. I think partly because of the fact we were locked in a room together for a week at that plant in Georgia, we always work well together, and have a lot of fun. I really wish my job was normally as interesting, but anyway, can't have everything.
I'm feeling the baby move a lot, and actually seeing little bumps on my belly when s/he moves. I tried to show these to Erick, but he was kind of freaked out by it. I guess it seemed like an alien or something. When I tried to reassure him that it's just a baby, he said "but how do we know?"
I've been really tired, and my emotions have been all over the map. I go from irritation to anger to tears, all within a few hours (sometimes minutes). This has been challenging, not just for me, but for those who are around me a lot. Erick and I have been getting along great, he's been really supportive and understanding.
My mother-in-law, with whom I usually get along quite well, has told me that my personality has completely changed, and that I should talk to my doctor about getting some medication. Of course, if my personality really had completely changed, I would think my husband would notice, and he says he thinks I'm doing fine. In his words, "You just take less crap now."
Hmm. Well, I'm trying to control my reactions better. Mom-in-law is a world class worrier, and that has been getting on my nerves, so I think she's gotten the brunt of my hormonal impatience lately.
I could be wrong, but I really don't think it's so unusual for pregnant women to be more emotional, and I don't think it's time to start popping Prozac.
So anyway, this weekend I did hardly anything. I slept a lot, and since the new Harry Potter book came on Saturday, and Erick played a wedding in San Francisco on Sunday, I spent most of the day reading. I finished the book Sunday night about 6.
Yep, all 652 pages.
I really liked the book, though it was a bit of a cliffhanger, and now I have to wait another year(maybe?) to find out what happens in the end. I won't go into too much detail, since I don't want to spoil it for anyone. If you liked the previous books, you'll like this one, and the ending will surprise you.
Well, that's all for now. Back to work. ¶ 9:14 AM 2 comments
It's been a little while since I last wrote, so here's a status report.
I had a great week last week at work, doing a Kaizen event improving the HR staffing process. I think we really made some good changes in the process, and I always enjoy working with the team I'm on. For those of you who may not remember, this is the same team I spent a week with in Georgia earlier this year. I think partly because of the fact we were locked in a room together for a week at that plant in Georgia, we always work well together, and have a lot of fun. I really wish my job was normally as interesting, but anyway, can't have everything.
I'm feeling the baby move a lot, and actually seeing little bumps on my belly when s/he moves. I tried to show these to Erick, but he was kind of freaked out by it. I guess it seemed like an alien or something. When I tried to reassure him that it's just a baby, he said "but how do we know?"
I've been really tired, and my emotions have been all over the map. I go from irritation to anger to tears, all within a few hours (sometimes minutes). This has been challenging, not just for me, but for those who are around me a lot. Erick and I have been getting along great, he's been really supportive and understanding.
My mother-in-law, with whom I usually get along quite well, has told me that my personality has completely changed, and that I should talk to my doctor about getting some medication. Of course, if my personality really had completely changed, I would think my husband would notice, and he says he thinks I'm doing fine. In his words, "You just take less crap now."
Hmm. Well, I'm trying to control my reactions better. Mom-in-law is a world class worrier, and that has been getting on my nerves, so I think she's gotten the brunt of my hormonal impatience lately.
I could be wrong, but I really don't think it's so unusual for pregnant women to be more emotional, and I don't think it's time to start popping Prozac.
So anyway, this weekend I did hardly anything. I slept a lot, and since the new Harry Potter book came on Saturday, and Erick played a wedding in San Francisco on Sunday, I spent most of the day reading. I finished the book Sunday night about 6.
Yep, all 652 pages.
I really liked the book, though it was a bit of a cliffhanger, and now I have to wait another year(maybe?) to find out what happens in the end. I won't go into too much detail, since I don't want to spoil it for anyone. If you liked the previous books, you'll like this one, and the ending will surprise you.
Well, that's all for now. Back to work. ¶ 9:14 AM 2 comments
