....Blogger isn't doing it for me either. Upon recommendation and research, I'm moving on up to Wordpress. You can now see me here: http://dihasstories.wordpress.com/
C'mon...go there.
(Well, at least set up your RSS feed...nothing new is there yet. I'm moving all the archives and stuff over...)
Friday, May 18, 2007
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Avoidance of Real Work with a Quiz
| Your EQ is 140 |
 50 or less: Thanks for answering honestly. Now get yourself a shrink, quick! 51-70: When it comes to understanding human emotions, you'd have better luck understanding Chinese. 71-90: You've got more emotional intelligence than the average frat boy. Barely. 91-110: You're average. It's easy to predict how you'll react to things. But anyone could have guessed that. 111-130: You usually have it going on emotionally, but roadblocks tend to land you on your butt. 131-150: You are remarkable when it comes to relating with others. Only the biggest losers get under your skin. 150+: Two possibilities - you've either out "Dr. Phil-ed" Dr. Phil... or you're a dirty liar. |
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Monday, May 14, 2007
More questions from my Fluffy Ruffles, Sarah
1) Airline carryon regulations being what they are, let's imagine that in the not-too-distant future, you aren't allowed to carry any luggage on board - only that which can fit in your pockets or on your person. You win a trip to
Luckily, I have lots of room on my person, and things with pockets (or that would shortly have pockets should this become an issue). First and foremost: video iPod for movies, songs, and the last month of This American Life. A mass-market-sized book. A small knitting project. Lip balm. Hey, that’s about all I take on a plane anyway!
2) Pickles or olives, and why?
I don’t see any particular reason to discriminate against either. I am apparently one of the very few people that loves both. Give me green olives to eat on their own, black on a pizza, and pickles under almost any circumstances.
3) Do you remember your first @yahoo/@hotmail/etc. address? If so, what was it? Do you remember when you got it, and why you picked that name?
It was “linnehan” – my first email address at 
4) Describe the outfit you are least proud of being photographed in. (bonus points if the photograph still exists. You win if you can post that photo on your blog).
There are so many bad photographs of me that exist that I can’t really begin to name them all. This one, though, is way up on the list of Horrible…I’m not sure what possessed me to think that way too big pink dress, with pink stockings, and black shoes was a good idea. I may look like hell most of the time, but at least I’ve learned not to do this again. (PS: I win)
5) After reeling about in anarchy for an undisclosed amount of time, your close friends and allies establish the new world order of government in your country. They ask you to take a governmental leadership role. Which role do they ask you to take, and why?
Fucking A! It’s about time we were in charge of the world! I’d have to say that my job would be Chief Kvetcher. I don’t really want to work that hard, but I’m sure gonna bitch about everything!
Questions from the Lovely Jana
1. suppose, for totally moral but still illegal reasons, you've killed a man. where do you hide the body?
It kinda depends on how I’ve killed him, and what marks it’s left. If I’ve been smart, and made it look like a natural death (what with all the access I have to do things like that), I’d leave him at home, looking like he croaked in front of the TV or in bed. If I’ve done some damage, then I’m gonna want him somewhere that he’s going to rot soon…maybe the woods, with a bit of acid for good measure, a la the Romanovs?
2. if you were only allowed 3 pairs of shoes for the rest of your life, what shoes would they be and why?
Frankly, I hate shoes, and pretty much only have three pair anyway. This is easy! One pair of squishy comfortable sandals, one pair of squishy comfortable boots (probably knee-high so I can wear them with both pants and skirts, since they are my only winter pair) and one pair of black dress shoes.
3. if, instead of going to work next monday, you had to relive a day from your childhood, what would it be?
The day that my parents announced that they were getting divorced, and asked who I wanted to live with. I totally should have gone with my dad. Ah, well.
4. suppose that through a combination of apocalyptic disaster and spontaneous collective memory loss, the human race no longer has the means or knowledge to brew beer. what do you drink when you get home from work?
Although I enjoy a good beer, my tummy doesn’t like it s’much, so as long as we are still creating wine and Bailey’s, I’ll be all good.
5. the perfect chocolate chip cookie: chewy or crunchy?
The perfect chocolate chip cookie is made by the recipe I got from my mother, which is basically a bunch of chocolate chips and nuts held together by a bit of sugar and butter. They are neither chewy or crispy, but that perfect in-between consistency. Mmmm…..
Want your own list of five questions? Drop me a comment and ask for them!
Wednesday, May 09, 2007
40 Questions
I got this from Blog Blah Blah, and it said it was forty questions…but I only got 39…I think someone edited along the way! 
Oh, Yeah. That's MY Sister!
U of M team wins college quiz bowl again
For the third time in four years, a team from the University of Minnesota has won the national college quiz bowl title.
For the third time in four years, a team from the University of Minnesota has won the national college quiz bowl title.
In a tense back-and-forth final, the U's five-student team beat the University of Southern California in the College Bowl National Championships in Los Angeles over the weekend. Southern Cal was one of three teams the U lost to earlier in the 16-team round-robin tournament.
The U's new trophy joins awards won for national championships in 1984, 1987, 1989, 2004 and 2005.
This year's quiz bowl captain was Andrew Bockover, a senior history and political science major from Rapid City, S.D. Other team members were: Robert Carson, a freshman from Chaska who is studying computer science; Andrew Hart, a freshman from Chanhassen; Meredith Johnson, a junior linguistics major from Edina, and Ezra Lyon, a graduate student in ecology, evolution and behavior from Illinois. He was named to the tournament's all-star team.
College bowl is an extracurricular activity at the U. The question-and-answer game tests general knowledge and quick recall of topics ranging from current events to sports and popular culture.
MARY JANE SMETANKA
© 2007 Star Tribune. All rights reserved.
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
Blargh
This weekend was supposed to be all full of relaxing and just hanging out with my sweetie, but as usual, it just didn’t work out that way. We ran all over doing errands, and then Jeff slept most of Saturday because his sleep schedule has been so screwed up due to all the showing and other stuff interrupting his regular times. Sunday he slept until about two (see above reason, plus he had to work Sunday night), and then we went to his parents’ for a while. I like them just fine, but it’s not exactly a relaxing, quality time thing.
Yesterday I had the day off work because I was going to Mayo to get my test results, and was able to schedule the interview for My Dream Job that afternoon. I woke up at the usual time, drove down to
…nothing. The blood tests didn’t come out as we were hoping, which means that I can’t get into any clinical studies to get the good drugs now. I also worry, since my “official” diagnosis isn’t matching up with what we think is wrong anecdotally, that I may not be able to get the good stuff when it comes out later this year/beginning of next.
I know it’s whiney, and there are lots more people that have worse things wrong with them, but I’m tired of being sick, tired of knowing what will work for me, and not being able to get it. And the fact that it’s so close at hand, and I may still not be able to get it makes me want to drink heavily.
So, on the way home from hearing that good news, I called Jeff and he had just found out that Hackey McSnorey’s apartment is up for sale again…for only four grand more than our asking price, and the re-done inside is (and I quote the lovely Sarah), fucking gorgeous.
I hate Hackey McSnorey.
So, on to more strategizing with the realtor. Boo.
And, something else came up, but it’s not my story to share, so I’m not going to. But let’s just say that when my friends suffer, I ache with them. My heart is a bit broken today.
The only good thing for yesterday was that I had an interview for My Dream Job, and I think it went well. I was a bit headachy and tired (oh, yeah, I’m not sleeping again), so I hope I did ok. They are interviewing one more person, and then will bring the finalists back for a second round, and a decision will be made at the end of next week. Keep all fingers and toes crossed for me!!!
Commando
Today, for the first day in my adult life, I am so covered in hives that I had to go commando, as I have hives in the place elastic should be. I know that some women do this all the time, but I have to say I DON’T LIKE IT.
This Chunk of Time's Blog Dump
Life, What the hell is going on?: More from the Bloody Stupid Files
It is things like these that make me weep for the future of the human race.
Citizen of the Month » Lillies of the Valley
Lillies of the Valley are my very favorite flower, and I was excited to see a song all about them!
Boing Boing: Petition to restore habeas corpus
Life, What the hell is going on?: Legal System = Broken
It is things like these that make me weep for the future of the human race.
Citizen of the Month » Lillies of the Valley
Lillies of the Valley are my very favorite flower, and I was excited to see a song all about them!
Boing Boing: Petition to restore habeas corpus
Life, What the hell is going on?: Legal System = Broken
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May 8th is the BEST DAY EVER
From Does Today Suck?
1886 - Coca-Cola is sold for the first time. - COOL
Interesting Side Note: Only 8 bottles of the soda was sold for the first 8 months.
So, so sad that I again gave up Coke for a few weeks on my journey to break up with my gut. I'd hoist one in celebration!
1886 - Coca-Cola is sold for the first time. - COOL
Interesting Side Note: Only 8 bottles of the soda was sold for the first 8 months.
So, so sad that I again gave up Coke for a few weeks on my journey to break up with my gut. I'd hoist one in celebration!
Best Conversation of the Day
Sarah: I need to wander over to
Di: I'm up for a walk, but started the diet today, so I brought lunch. Me and my gut are breaking up. :)
Sarah: word. I always thought your gut was kind of a selfish whore anyway. ;)
Friday, May 04, 2007
Room
Last night, my beloved and I had a marital tiff. I’m not going air my laundry here (although I did actually do some real laundry last night, so that was good. You can feel free to breathe the air around me now), and will only say that things are fine between us.
However, it did some to light that Jeff is concerned about how my previous marriage affects ours. We were talking about limits, and how I need him to tell me where his are, and not to be passive aggressive about his needs. He, in return, told me that he usually lets me do whatever I want to do because (a) he doesn’t have a problem with it, and I have better ideas to keep us occupied than he does, and (b) he is always mindful of the fact that FW did limit and control me, and that we’ve discussed how much it frustrates me.
Later last night, I was waiting for the end of my laundry to dry (have I mentioned lately that I can’t wait to have my own laundry machines, so that I don’t have to wait for the neighbors to quit hogging the dryers, and so that I can do laundry any damn time I please?), so sat down to have a little KOL time, and listen to some This American Life.
I was listening to the episode called The Missing Parents Bureau, and was intrigued by this story:
Case Two. Tell it to the Void. We hear a series of letters that originally appeared on the brief-lived, little-known, but well-loved webzine Open Letters. They're written by a woman who signs her name as \"X\" and are addressed to the father of her adolescent son. X has no idea where to send the letters ... but she keeps writing. Since the letters' original publication on the Internet, X has decided to reveal her identity. Her name is Miriam Toews, and her book is called Swing Low, A Life. Her letters were read for us by Alexa Junge. (17 minutes)
Yes, it was interesting because, well, everything Ira does is interesting. And it tapped into my memories of not really knowing where my father was for 22 years, and whether my mother had any regret or feelings about that like this woman did. But what really grabbed me was this line:
You take up a lot of room for a guy who's not here.
yes
Yes
YES!
FW and I have been apart for more than three years. We had a terrible marriage. We had a fairly nasty divorce. And yet I am still learning from and trying not to repeat the mistakes that I made with him. I constantly have to remind myself that Jeff is NOT FW, will not treat me like FW, and even when he’s being a (very occasional) dick, it’s not for the same reasons. This man loves me and respects me and is committed to me, forever. He is not capable of doing the things to me that FW did.
I was fully aware of my own issues regarding my previous marriage, and they have resurfaced a bit as I am now married again. What I didn’t know was the Jeff was always conscious of that as well, and that HE is trying not to be the kind of husband that he thinks I had before.
I’ve heard that, in Christian crowds, one believes that the marriage is made up of three: you, him, and Jesus. I don’t want any deities in my bedroom, thankyouverymuch, but it never occurred to me that this trinity idea was absolutely correct – except that our third is my ex-husband.
I’m lucky in that Jeff has no prior long term relationships, and therefore comes to our marriage relatively baggage-free. We could have a crowd of folks in our bedroom, but instead it’s just the three of us.
When do I get to let this go? When will our marriage be just the two of us? How is it that someone I no longer know, don’t have communication with, and have been away from for years still takes up so much room in my life?
Spring Has Sprung!
In the last few days, the leaves and flowers have really been popping around town. This is one of my favorite times of year...I love walking home after work with the smell of lilacs and honeysuckle in the air.
Welcome, Spring!
Welcome, Spring!
Thursday, May 03, 2007
Welcome Back to Third Grade
I was just talking to some co-workers about one of the girl’s recent trip to Germany (she just got back) and our supervisor came over and told us to break it up, unless we were all taking our breaks, in which case they were about over.
Over the last few months, we have been noticing more and more that we are back in third grade. Even though I am one of the highest performers in the department, I have gotten in “trouble” for “socializing” with my co-workers. Does it affect my volume of work? No – even though I have more assigned to me than anyone else, I can usually get everything done in about two hours. I am literally paid to sit here, and do nothing (that’s why you’ve been getting so many long, long blog posts lately, gentle reader).
Frankly, being able to see other people is one of the main reasons that I work outside the home, instead of having a home-based job. I did that for a while, and I got lonely. I’m an extrovert – I like to have people around me. But the corporate culture that we are in is making it harder and harder to have even casual relationships at work…”socializing” is stealing from the company, and not to be tolerated.
(That being said, because my supervisor is a really nice guy, he just sent us all an email apologizing for breaking up our chat, and that he only came over because someone complained. Seriously? First, get the fuck over yourself. Second, if you have an issue with noise, then stand up and tell us to shut up yourselves. Don’t go running to Daddy to take care of it. I’m not only in third grade, but in third grade in Edina.)
Considering that Organization For Which I Work prides itself on being an organization that “builds relationships” with our members, the very fact that we are not allowed to build relationships with each other is confusing. This is a company of about 200 people, and I can probably only name about 50 of the people that I’d run into in the halls. The departments do not intermingle, and fraternization is not encouraged. In fact, a new policy just took effect that you if you get married to another employee, one of you has to quit. Married people or relatives are not allowed to work here…even in entirely different departments, different roles, with no supervision over the other. So, even though I work with customer service, my husband could not work in the mailroom, and my dad can’t be the corporate trainer.
Is this normal? Are other companies simply expecting you to sit in your cubicle, never talk to you co-workers, and yet build “relationships” with the members? How can I be the best friend of the member in
Give me your thoughts on this!
Chuck Norris
I don't know why this Chuck Norris thing strikes me as so funny, but it surely does.
To read a bunch more about Chuck Norris, go here.
To read a bunch more about Chuck Norris, go here.
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
GreenDimes
Hey folks! Check this out!
I discovered a really cool website about a man and his family trying to make a zero net impact on the earth for one year, and found GreenDimes through a comment on how to get rid of junk mail. Sign up here. For only $36 per year, you can eliminate up to 90% of your junk mail, and they plant one tree a month for you. Awesome!
I discovered a really cool website about a man and his family trying to make a zero net impact on the earth for one year, and found GreenDimes through a comment on how to get rid of junk mail. Sign up here. For only $36 per year, you can eliminate up to 90% of your junk mail, and they plant one tree a month for you. Awesome!
Seek Not…And Ye Shall Find
All you single girls out there know this line….Stop looking. As soon as you stop looking, you’ll find him/her. During my stints as a single gal, looking for the Love of My Life, I heard that a million times.
To tell the truth, I thought it was complete shit. I have always been more of a Chance favors the prepared mind sort of girl.
Well, Karma, you’ve shown me who’s boss again.
As we all know, I hate my job. And then I got a call from Kelli, regarding a recruiter position. While I was updating my resume for that, I got a call for my Dream Job: internal benefits with other HR stuff, part time, flexible. While I was at home the afternoon I was supposed to be interviewing (I got rescheduled because the lady I was supposed to talk to is barfing…I’ll see her Friday), I got a call on another job – the same thing I did before here, but for $20K more. I always told Tim I was underpaid.
Oh, did I mention that I have not applied for any jobs in months, nor have I even bothered to update my resume?
While I was busy not looking for a job, we were working on selling the condo. That wasn’t going terribly well, so we decided to try another realtor. We told our old realtor about that on Thursday, and we were supposed to be off the market the next day.
Then, on Monday, I got two requests for showings.
Turns out, we didn’t go off the market until yesterday, and we were getting this interest because another condo in the building went on the market. We were thinking about keeping ours off until that one sold, but OH! It rented this morning, and will not be on the market until at least September. And Hackey McSnorey’s is still undergoing renovation, so he’s off too. We’re the only game in…well, that building, unless you want to spend sixty grand more for an extra bedroom.
And, just to sweeten the deal, we won some sort of drawing with our mortgage broker. Presents!
So, there you go. I decided to hang out at my job for a while, and have three on the table. We take our condo off the market, and get two showings.
I’ll take luck wherever I can get it!
To tell the truth, I thought it was complete shit. I have always been more of a Chance favors the prepared mind sort of girl.
Well, Karma, you’ve shown me who’s boss again.
As we all know, I hate my job. And then I got a call from Kelli, regarding a recruiter position. While I was updating my resume for that, I got a call for my Dream Job: internal benefits with other HR stuff, part time, flexible. While I was at home the afternoon I was supposed to be interviewing (I got rescheduled because the lady I was supposed to talk to is barfing…I’ll see her Friday), I got a call on another job – the same thing I did before here, but for $20K more. I always told Tim I was underpaid.
Oh, did I mention that I have not applied for any jobs in months, nor have I even bothered to update my resume?
While I was busy not looking for a job, we were working on selling the condo. That wasn’t going terribly well, so we decided to try another realtor. We told our old realtor about that on Thursday, and we were supposed to be off the market the next day.
Then, on Monday, I got two requests for showings.
Turns out, we didn’t go off the market until yesterday, and we were getting this interest because another condo in the building went on the market. We were thinking about keeping ours off until that one sold, but OH! It rented this morning, and will not be on the market until at least September. And Hackey McSnorey’s is still undergoing renovation, so he’s off too. We’re the only game in…well, that building, unless you want to spend sixty grand more for an extra bedroom.
And, just to sweeten the deal, we won some sort of drawing with our mortgage broker. Presents!
So, there you go. I decided to hang out at my job for a while, and have three on the table. We take our condo off the market, and get two showings.
I’ll take luck wherever I can get it!
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