You'll love this one...!! A book club & more discussion
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Watcha Doing? Version 2015.5
We do a lot of driving. My husband drives 45 minutes one way for his job and I drive 20. We also drive from Georgia to Minnesota (20 hour drive) about once a year to visit family. We have flown a few times, but plane tickets for a family of 5 is outrageous most of the time.I officially start my new job tomorrow and am so excited. We had a party this weekend with some friends to celebrate and officially retired my hospital scrubs by burning them in the fire pit. It was a lot of fun!!
What a lovely way to celebrate! That's the kind of thing that would appeal to me. (firepit burning)
Good luck, Amanda! Have a great start!
Yay for the ceremonial fire, Amanda, good luck to you. Hope you enjoy your new job.I prefer driving to flying when I can. I just love seeing what's out there, because there's so much there.
I can't imagine SD to Town 20 times! I've actually made that trip twice visiting friends at Pendleton. San Fran is one of my favorite cities. I'm from the Bay Area: born in Vallejo, and grew up in Vacaville. SF was always the big city and as a kid I was memorized by the sky scrapers.
My ultimate dream is to drive the Trans American Hwy, but I will need some funding. I'm thinking of applying for some art grants to help w/ I90. 101 is a testing ground for what I want to do.
Have a great first day, Mandy!
Best wishes on your new job, Amanda.My girls are trying to convince me that we need to do a road trip, cross country from Portland to Tennessee next summer. I will be taking my 5th sabbatical from work (8 weeks every 7 years). I have streatched it to 10 weeks with vacation and hollidays the last two times. I always wanted to go on the train, cross country but never worked out. I have taken the Coast Starlight to San Jose, CA a couple of times to see my daughter.
I have a manual transmission truck that I taught my daughters to drive. My first car was an automatic and my current car is, but all the rest have been manuals. My favorite was my 1969 VW Bus but I still love my 1992 Ford Ranger the best.
Good luck tomorrow Mandy!I'm crashing after a whirlwind afternoon of politics. Some times it's exhausting living in the capital when most people work for the Gov, directly or indirectly. Leadership challenge at 4pm, PM calls vote tonight instead of the morning, new Prime Minister by 10pm. pheewww....
But about bloody time!
Night!
@Cherie, what sort of job do you have that you get sabbatical?Sounds lovely!
Rusalka wrote: "Good luck tomorrow Mandy!I'm crashing after a whirlwind afternoon of politics. Some times it's exhausting living in the capital when most people work for the Gov, directly or indirectly. Leadersh..."
Saw something on the news about your PM being booted.
I do not enjoy driving, but unfortunately I have a commute just shy of an hour one way. I put about 500 miles per week on my car if I only go to work and back. My husband on the other hand loves to drive. He took a little road trip Saturday by himself just to clear his mind. When he got back he told me it is amazing what a good drive and good music can do for his mood.
Kandice wrote: "@Cherie, what sort of job do you have that you get sabbatical?Sounds lovely!"
Not tied to the job, Kandice, it is company wide for US employees. Two years ago they gave a 2nd option. 4 weeks every 4 years. I could have opted for it, but I was too close to the 7 year mark and who knows if I will be around for a 2nd 4 year or even another 7 year one.
Back to work today. I think I could have used two more days off. I didn't really get too much downtime, but that's a small price to pay for exploring.My first vehicle was an 86 Ranger, just a littel 2 liter 5-speed, but until I got my Mini Cooper, I think it was my favorite car. I drove manual for the longest time, but as my life became grounded in Seattle traffic, I switched to automatic. I love Pepper (the Mini), she's just so fun to drive!
Rusalka, you have my sympathy...politics always exhausts me, and it sounds like you were in the midst of an upheaval.
Janice wrote: "Saw something on the news about your PM being booted. "He's besties with yours, so there were a lot of calls on my Facebook last night from my Canadian connections warning Harper to watch his back, in case the same happens over there.
Hehe thanks Lynda. I quite enjoy it, especially when it's looking like people I don't like are getting their comeuppance. But it was an exhausting day, just watching the tv commentators talk for 5 hours straight (there was a lot of swaying at the end).
Today the old PM buggered off in the PM's car for a bit, no one could find him, he still hadn't fronted the media and hadn't resigned as yet. New one couldn't be sworn in until old one resigns. A news channel sent a helicopter to follow his car as it drove rather aimlessly around town. Smelt very strongly like someone was sulking.
I know everyone needs a good sulk now and again, but that's a pretty public sulk! I try to keep mine private...O_o
Rusalka wrote: "Smelt very strongly like someone was sulking."That sounds like a pretty big sulk! Politicians eh? Where would we be without them?!
Kandice wrote: "I know everyone needs a good sulk now and again, but that's a pretty public sulk! I try to keep mine private...O_o"I suppose is the price to pay for being a public person. It has its pros and cons. I definitively prefer a quieter life.
I know! I mean the man could have stayed in his house and sulked. No idea.He also didn't show back at work this afternoon after he conceded. Last two times a PM has been dumped (yes, bit of a thing in Aussie politics at the moment. We keep on having morons as leaders of the parties, or morons destablising others.) both of them fronted up to work in the afternoon and sat and did their job for the rest of the day. This guy ran off with the car in the morning, turned up at lunch, then wagged (= "played hookie") for the afternoon shift.
Bit of a sore loser from a bloke who spends all his spare time playing sports.
And we'll all forget about it by tomorrow no doubt. Some new crisis will happen, no doubt...
Rusalka wrote: "He's besties with yours, so there were a lot of calls on my Facebook last night from my Canadian connections warning Harper to watch his back, in case the same happens over there."We have an election coming up next month, and he's on shaky ground. It will be interesting to see if he and his Australian colleague will be hanging out, maybe playing a round of golf together after October.
There is a giveaway for
going on now. I'm not entering bc I'm next in line at the library but if anyone is interested...https://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/sh...
Oooh!! I entered too :) it was such a great book!
I can't find the thread for challenge ideas and suggestions. I thought it would be a good challenge to read a book by an author who shares his/her first name with you.
I'll post it properly when I finally find the thread. :)
Sandra wrote: "I can't find the thread for challenge ideas and suggestions. I thought it would be a good challenge to read a book by an author who shares his/her first name with you.
I'll post it properly when I..."
Here is the link to the thread for you Sandra :)
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
I just got to pet a Bernese mountain dog puppy!! My day is officially made :-) he is so soft and fluffy and cute! His name is Bruno and he belongs to our top floor neighbors :)Puppy breath is the best <3
Oh! There it is! Thank you, Lisa!!
Stephanie wrote: "I just got to pet a Bernese mountain dog puppy!! My day is officially made :-) he is so soft and fluffy and cute! His name is Bruno and he belongs to our top floor neighbors :)Puppy breath is the ..."
Aw, they are gorgeous and I bet the puppy was even more adorable! Lucky girl. :)
Oh, yay!, Stephanie...a puppy! There are few things sweeter and more life affirming than baby animals. Rusalka, I'd comment on what an odd thing for the ousted PM to do, but much of what politicians do stupefy me.
Sandra wrote: "I can't find the thread for challenge ideas and suggestions. I thought it would be a good challenge to read a book by an author who shares his/her first name with you.
I'll post it properly when I..."
Just for future reference... it's a sticky thread in the Monthly Challenges folder. It usually shows as the third thread, underneath the current month and reporting thread.
I needed a graphic designer to design the cover of my dissertation, and my sister said her boyfriend's brother (who I've met twice at birthdays) has his own design company, he wasn't too expensive, and I thought it would be nice to have it designed by someone I know so that they can also earn a bit of extra money. He just sent me his first design and I don't like it at all. I even find it kind of ugly. It's in the lines of what we talked about but not really, and not at all what I thought it would be. And I find it very very hard to be honest and tell him... and now I worry about what it will look like in the end, and what if I never like it or I have just impossible expectations :/
Ooh peggy you should say something before any further designing ! My sisters do few designs as well "not as a business though" and if someone ask them they don't mind any criticism .. And since you're paying for it then it should be as you want it.
~
It's been a long week, I had an ICDL course and the exam is next Monday, I had to do a lot of driving, went to the pool but it was dusty the day before so the water was .. Odd .. And I have a job nomination, and yet no one called me! I guess I should make the call !!
And I just made spaghetti for lunch :D LOVE spaghetti so much <3
I agree Peggy, I think you should speak to him about it. Don't settle for something you are not completely happy with just because you know him. Treat it like you would if he were a stranger who was doing a job for you. You may find it a bit hard to talk to him about it initially but it will be worth it in the end.
It's just seems not so nice and a bit hard telling someone who put effort in something for you that you don't like it. But indeed, I pay him for it and it's an assignment for him, and I guess in his job he's used to people wanting something different. He sent the design by email and said he would like to hear what I thought of it, even if I didn't like it at all. I now sent an email with the things I liked but also named the things I thought would be different. I'm just thinking way ahead and wonder what if I'm never happy with something and I really want the cover to be beautiful, but I probably shouldn't worry about things that might not even happen :)
What is ICDL? Good luck with the job! (although I'm not sure what a job nomination is... are you in the running for getting a new job?)
Peggy, I always like the aporoach, this is what I like, this doesnt work. I work with graphic designers all the time, and do some low-end design work myself. I don't think I've ever really liked anything out of the gate. It's always a process of going back and forth, and saying, "hmm...I was thinking something more like this". If he's a professional, he will expect it. My advice is to be as specific as possible. You don't need to feel bad, because your not critiquing his work, you conveying your expectations. I'd say if after the third pass it's still well beyond what your looking for, then you can find another artist. It's subjective and maybe his style is too far beyond your needs, and that's okay.
Thanks Lynda! Good to hear that this is how it's supposed to work :)
I agree with the ladies here, Peggy. Think that if he will be benefited too if his work catches the attention of the people who will read your thesis.
ICDL stands for International Computer Driving Licences .. I registered in it with the ministry of labor, if you are a graduator and you don't have a job you just need to register with them and they search for a suitable job .. They're like a link between job seekers and the work field - now I feel like i'm a dictionary LOL - At the same time you can register with courses they provide like English course, Computer, Business ethics, six-wheels "aka heavy vehicles" driving and so on .. They mentioned a vacancy in some type of an organization or something "not sure what is it exactly" And they gave me a paper to hand it to them when I go for the interview, I just called the "work place" and no answer !
I should mention this the next appointment at the ministry !
Unemployment sucks
Long live the books for filling in all the free time I have
I concur, unemployment does suck, and looking for a job is the worst.
Lexx is a graphic designer. He says that you have to have client feedback, and personally for him, the blunter the better. Say what you don't like and Lexx says if you can provide examples (google for a bit) of what you are after it's incredibly helpful. For example "I'd like it blue and squigly over here" can be interpreted in so many ways, so show pictures/examples of what you are thinking.He's all keen and said that if you want to forward me the brief, information, and even the image you've received back, he's got some down time tomorrow so can have a look and see if he can help/provide suggestions.
Lexx has said it sounds like this guy is open to feedback though, so say what you need to say and hopefully you get some progress overnight!
Ahw, that's so sweet of him Rusalka! Thank Lexx for me!I might even take him up on his offer (I have so little experience with this and suggestions would be very helpful), but only if he has time and is not giving up doing more fun things.
Seriously, he says that it doesn't look like he has much to do at work tomorrow although he has to be there for 8 hours. So send it through. He says he reserves the right to be a ridiculous flake (his words) in case something comes up at work he doesn't anticipate.
Thiscover always reminds me of you, Janice. :0)
Today I'm taking my oldest son to college, he is only going to be a couple hours away, but I'm having very mixed feelings, proud of him, but a little well let's say emotional :-) :-( I'm all over the place
Rusalka wrote: "Seriously, he says that it doesn't look like he has much to do at work tomorrow although he has to be there for 8 hours. So send it through. He says he reserves the right to be a ridiculous flake (..."That is so sweet!!
Berit wrote: "Today I'm taking my oldest son to college, he is only going to be a couple hours away, but I'm having very mixed feelings, proud of him, but a little well let's say emotional :-) :-( I'm all over t..."Aw, good luck. :)
Berit wrote: "Today I'm taking my oldest son to college, he is only going to be a couple hours away, but I'm having very mixed feelings, proud of him, but a little well let's say emotional :-) :-( I'm all over t..."My daughter is only a Junior, but is absolutely going to college on the East coast (we are West) and it hurts my heart to even read your post!
(((Berit)))
Peggy, I'm sure what I do at work is nothing as complicated as what you need, but I do banners, bugs, flyers, etc. for events and everyone is right. Almost NEVER does our Programming Director like my first attempt. It's always a bit of back and forth. Honestly and bluntness is your best course. It's hard, but it gets easier! Promise. ;)
Good luck Berit! Will he visit often?Thanks Kandice! I feel much better after all your experiences and advise :)
At most of the UC schools you can't have your car your freshman year, so we will see, I kind of want him to get the full college experience, and I also want him to be smart about it ;-)
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You'll love this one...!! A book club & more
Books mentioned in this topic
It Starts with Food: Discover the Whole30 and Change Your Life in Unexpected Ways (other topics)The Whole 30: The Official 30-day Guide To Total Health And Food Freedom (other topics)
Fortunately, the Milk (other topics)
Fortunately, the Milk (other topics)
Where the Sidewalk Ends (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Gillian Flynn (other topics)Fiona Wood (other topics)
Jay Feldman (other topics)
Kevin Hearne (other topics)
Cherie Currie (other topics)
My mother had wanderlust when I was a child so I have also driven cross country, California to West Virginia/Georgia/North Carolina many, many times.