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Tuesday Kaffeeklatsch 12/18/23 - Downunder Time!
I’m ‘ready’ for the holidays as in ‘desperate’ lol. But organised? Not enough. One foot in front of another until I finish work Friday lunchtime. I’m then off until 15 January (long summer holiday), but I’m on call over the break in case of major privacy breaches or similar disasters. Hackers don’t seem to observe holidays. Very unreasonable of them.
I’m adopting a cat straight after Christmas (Wilbur, a beautiful smoochy ginger boy, 8 years old, whose family is relocating to Australia and can’t take him). He will be a lovely addition to the household. And I have a LOT of certificate stitching to catch up on.
I am pretty much ready for Christmas, except for packing. I will head "home" for the first time in 5 years! I stayed put because of Io, my cat with kidney disease, which he had for 4.5 years; he hadn't done well in the hospital when first diagnosed, so I didn't think he'd last long! ha! Anyway, for reading/challenges, because I'm on holidays all month, I thought I'd do well, but I'm stuck on an almost-700 page Stephen King book, which isn't going as "quickly" as I'd thought! Not sure if I'll get everything else read I want to or not (especially with being with family this year). Hopefully the other books are shorter/faster to read.
I have yet to organize next year's challenges, though. That will come after I'm back.
Kate, congrats on Wilbur!! And good for you for bringing home an "older" cat. I have had my newly adopted (9-year old) cat for 4 weeks today. Unfortunately, she is mostly still in her own room. My cats are really good with new cats, but she's having a bit of trouble with them. Oh, her name is Gretel.
I’d like to announce formally that I did in fact just finish the 39 final papers, and submitted the grades literally two hours before they were due. I finished the last one at 11:45, just before midnight last night! I care so much about these students that I took an hour to an hour and a half for each one, so I was pretty much missing the entire weekend. So today is a very big catch up day. I’m leaving in three days on vacation and I have a lot of stuff to do for my patients, and just in general in life. I think I’ve pretty much wrapped up the challenges for the year. Just this moment, I rolled off the porter board, and submitted my top 10. I am excited that I have a singing thing tomorrow night and I’m actually planning to spend tomorrow afternoon getting my nails and toes done. My first and only free Tuesday. I imagine everyone is very busy getting ready for the holidays. I do want to wish everyone an incredible holiday season and new year. Sharing it with you guys has been a highlight as usual. Just simply sending love and blessings to everyone.
Just briefly, I am in Australia, and it is 16C and wet today. No need to wish to be here!
Apple, we have missed you. Northeast USA not so hot today either, and the blustery winds have fallen trees everywhere. Hope you have a warmer and safe Christmas and New Year!
Amy wrote: "I’d like to announce formally that I did in fact just finish the 39 final papers, and submitted the grades literally two hours before they were due. I finished the last one at 11:45, just before mi..."Hooray, Amy! I bet those students will never forget you, unlike the average professor who barely registers after while.
I have finished my yearly challenges. I decided in November that I was far enough in Subdue (66 books) so I let that go. I might read one more but I'll still be on the same loop.
I did some shopping today, but it's a bit dull with no children in the immediate family. All the adults already have too much stuff, so many presents will be food - or books! We used to have people at our house to sing carols but canceled it the last 3 years because of covid. We plan a small gathering this Thursday. I have so much cleaning to do! I used to joke that if nobody came over, I would never clean my house, and that was sort of proved true during the pandemic! We have a small house so we need to clear things out and rearrange furniture. My husband did come through on moving his stuff out of the place we wanted to put the tree, and we got that up. I don't do a lot of decorating, unlike my sister-in-law with 3 trees or my other sister-in-law with 7 Christmas villages. I think I already posted that our son was able to get 4 days off in a row, which is unusual and we are looking forward to seeing him.
Amy wrote: "I’d like to announce formally that I did in fact just finish the 39 final papers, and submitted the grades literally two hours before they were due. I finished the last one at 11:45, just before mi..."Congrats on finishing!
I have done absolutely nothing for the holidays yet. I wait longer and longer each year because to be honest I'm not that excited about them--I suspect I'll get more excited about them again if I ever become a grandmother and we get to see our grandchildren enjoy them. Well, we did buy our son a very early Christmas gift in October when he needed something really badly, and I did order 5 puzzles on spec for Christmas gifts, so I guess I have done something!
I haven't taken our Christmas tree down for two years (I can't believe it either, since normally I only have patience to have it up for 2 weeks) but my husband will take it down this year if I don't, so I will. He has no idea how to put the decorations away. I'd heard that some people keep them up year round and it does look pretty.
I sent off the last package today. I'm usually much better organized, but the wedding just threw my usual schedule for a loop. The rest of my family is similarly behind. We're all texting each day to say, "here's the tracking number" for a package being shipped. We got one package today.
As became our tradition during pandemic, we'll zoom on Christmas Eve. Or if packages are seriously delayed ... maybe we'll put it off until New Year's Eve.
Hubby and I will be staying home by ourselves. We're invited to my friend's house for a Xmas Day brunch, but that involves getting dressed and driving an hour ... so maybe we'll just stay home in jammies. Hubby came home from wedding with a terrible ear infection ... which is now a full-blown sinus infection / upper respiratory infection. (COVID test negative) He's pretty miserable and we are trying to live on opposite sides of the house so I don't catch his germs. So far this is working, but I do miss dinner at the table each night with conversation and laughter.
I've at least got all the gifts ordered and shipped. Tree is up and half decorated. Continuing the sucky streak I've had going on since late October my dog got sick with vomiting and diarrhea over the weekend. Fortunately the vet could get her in this morning. Unfortunately due to digestive issues she developed an abscess on her rear that popped before we could get to the vet so now she's wearing doggie diapers until the abscess stops draining goo. The vet hooked her up with multiple medicines and fluids. She is acting more normal but still is glued to me so mostly I'm sitting with her and getting nothing done around the house. I'm hoping 2024 is better than the last few months.@Amy congratulations on finishing all those papers!
@Kate Congrats on the new kitty.
Thanks Amy! Just been busy with work, lots of new clients, and as the most senior admin I get to work on them all until we decide who will be capable, as well as trying to manage my own, taxi a 17 year old to her new holiday/after school job, and now look after an 11 week old kitten! Still getting my head around the challenges for next year before working out what I can manage 😉
Come down to Sydney, Apple - it was a disgustingly humid 37C today :/I went for a walk with my boys around 9am and came home drenched in sweat, ugh
My brain has literally checked out for the year... still got 3 more workdays to get through, oops!
FYI JenK lost her dad Saturday. She was there with him at the end. She may need extra support from us
Oh No!!! Thanks for telling us Nancy! I'm really sad to hear that.
Jen< I am so sorry to hear about your loss. Sending hugs your way.
KateNZ wrote: "I’m ‘ready’ for the holidays as in ‘desperate’ lol. But organised? Not enough. One foot in front of another until I finish work Friday lunchtime. I’m then off until 15 January (long summer holida..."
Sounds like Flo will have a new playmate, what fun!
Amy wrote: "I’d like to announce formally that I did in fact just finish the 39 final papers, and submitted the grades literally two hours before they were due. I finished the last one at 11:45, just before mi..."Your students were fortunate to have you! They took a large part of their life to write these papers and deserved someone like you spending time grading them! Have a great nail beautification day 💅💅💅
Oh geez, I planned a few hours of shopping and my husband was out the door first, so I can’t leave. Then my mom’s PT knocked on door for our appt. I had the wrong date. She was sound asleep. Someone else agreed to take him early so he’ll be back soon. I wish I could qualify for home pt, we could do it together. I’m freakishly turning into my mother already.
Tien, you mean up to Sydney! I live in the wonderful 4-seasons-in-a-day Melbourne! And I had heard from clients that Sydney was a tad warm! Definitely glad not to be up north with the floods, just ridiculous the amount of flooding that has occurred the last 2 years ...
Work has finished, but the big boss asked me to go in today for a couple of hours to act as his PA, yay for me!
Hooray for Wilbur and Gretel's adoptions! We have two ginger boys already, both adoptions, and so settled on a Tiny girl called Topaz, who slept in my room last night and was an absolute angel. She growls and hisses at the big boys whenever she sees them, tough little cookie!
Just found out the last item I was waiting for for my husband won't be delivered until January 12th! So I need to cover that, and get one of my nephews a Manga, wrap and I am done! Not feeling Christmassy this year, and it might just be the 3 of us at home as my daughter might have to work Christmas day. I am fine with it, a quiet day would suit me this year.
@JenK I'm sorry to hear about your father.
Apple wrote: "Hooray for Wilbur and Gretel's adoptions! We have two ginger boys already, both adoptions, and so settled on a Tiny girl called Topaz, who slept in my room last night and was an absolute angel. She growls and hisses at the big boys whenever she sees them, tough little cookie!.."And congrats to you on Topaz!
@JenK - my deepest sympathies and condolences on your loss. It's tough to go through, but you know he will always be in your heart.
Amy - congratulatoins on finishing on time and with the quality of commentary on each paper that you wanted to share. Enjoy your pamper day and time in Aspen!
I made some Christmas progress. Got just about everything wrapped and shipped -- and all but one box will arrive before Christmas. The box that won't arrive before Christmas was shipped media mail - books are heavy and I was not paying to ship anything else to Colorado from NYC. Once you ship west of the Mississippi, costs jump and time is added on I've found over the years. Still have 2 family members to ship to - but they are getting Open Table Gift Cards to use. Also a friend in Canada is getting a Lunar New Year present instead this year.
Still have a few things to wrap -- for a friend I'm seeing on Saturday, and another whose birthday (and it's a birthday present) is next week. Cards yet to do but I'm looking forward to sitting down with those.
Decorating... not so sure what I'll do.
Oh, and year end work is progressing slowly.
BUT I feel as if I'm less behind!
I finally put up the little mini tree in our office today. That'll be the background for our family zoom session so I felt compelled to get it done. Packages are starting to arrive, and I'm tracking the ones I sent out ... one, in particular looks like it may not make it by Xmas Eve. I turned it in at the shipping company first thing Saturday morning, and as of today it is still in Milwaukee at the "sorting facility." It has to get to the Seattle area and I'm just not optimistic. At least one of the other gifts I sent this same person has already arrived, so they won't be completely empty-handed.
Note to self: finish shopping by Labor Day; Ship before Thanksgiving.
Oh ... media mail. I always give my sis-in-law a book for her birthday, which is the week after Christmas. I purposely wrap it in B-day paper and attach a B-day card. Anyway, that little rascal hid under the table when I was packing up the box to go to Texas and we didn't notice it until the larger package was already taped up and addressed. So ... I took it to the post office in a little padded envelope. The postal worker said, "This feels like a book. Do you want to send it media mail?" I asked how long it would take to get there, and she said about 6 days. Perfect.
I checked the tracking today ... should be delivered by Thursday!
I have a Progress on DNF'ing Announcement. I didn't know where to put it. I have actually DNF'd two books! (Before landing on a stay.). Me, the never DNF~er, and they weren't even all that bad. Not remotely bad. I almost never do that. You guys are going to be surprised..... Maybe...First, I picked up the No-Show, for Holiday, which could maybe be cute in Audio and stars Valentines Day as the holiday. But.... I just wasn't into it. I really felt like I couldn't care. So I threw it back to the library. Next, I had the Overnight Guest, a little easy mystery, which I had meant to read for Winter, thinking it would be a winter fall flurry and I could get it off my list. But I felt cold, and there were many timelines and a lot of murder, and it was just freezing to read. By the time the mystery child was involved and there were new deaths, I said done. I know people have just raved about the book, but I gave both 20% before ditch. Figured, if I could ditch it, then I should because I never ever do. Can't say never anymore.....
Ready for the shock? Who will be surprised I wonder? I am now 10% in to Fourth Wing. But definitely engaged.
On the life front - Half of the holiday cards are out. Working 10-7 today straight with no break, and then both of my boys will be home and one of them will pick me up with dinner, as we are all going to our youngest's basketball game at 7:30. Then its the Survivor Finale when we get home. I am trying desperately to finish up notes and billing, holiday gifts, some Northeastern stuff, clinical invoices and two clinical letters, and then pack us all for Colorado. Only the books are ready to go. 7 books for seven days, right? Even though Fourth Wing is a chunkster. But I am into it, so it should go quick. We leave Friday and I have like 14 patients before two tomorrow. So somehwere in there I will post the 2024 Trim tonight, and still need to figure out the Steeplechase Rules. Otherwise, all is well here. There is a lot to in CO around my parents, so it may not be entirely relaxing, but I will have another birthday under my belt.
Much love to everyone. Sending everyone blessings....
Amy, I am so impressed with the work you did with your students papers and you are always on the go, juggling with so many balls in the air. The last thing you need to worry about is rules for the steeplechase, as everyone will get a spin and the only thing you will need to do is choose a book that fits the tag of the space you land on.Hubby and I like a quiet life with our cats Rosie and Roxie. We have just a few decorations which we put up every year. This year we did add a small tree, which Roxie adores. We haven't decided on the menu. We always like to eat as much Dungeness Crab as we can during the season, but the season has not opened yet in California, because of whale migration.
No large scale decorating here, this year. Natalie came by on Saturday and hung our stocking's and set out about 1/3 of my Santa Collection. Besides hanging 2 wreaths on the porch, that is all that will get done this year. Christmas day will be a lazy. stay in the pj's eat, watch movies and eat again Perfection in my mindHappiest Season to you all
We are in a rental this year (a first in a very long time) after moving so not able to do our usual level of decorating. I've done a little decorating inside, and we have hung one lonely strand of lights out front. To top it off, our new kitten could not leave the Xmas tree alone, so we had to take it down. We now have a tiny tree on a high ledge where she can't reach it. At the end of last year and in spring of this year, after our 19 and 20-year-old cats passed, we adopted two cats, both from the Humane Society. One is a 5-year-old tortoise shell (Misty), and the other a 1-year-old dilute calico (Zephyr, who is still very much a kitten). We will have fun with them at home on Christmas day, having done our traveling to see the family in Florida at Thanksgiving (I left the gifts so that task was out of the way). It will be pretty low-key holiday season for us, and that's fine with me since I normally find this time of year very stressful.
Weird book-related question - In so many mysteries and thrillers, a person is hit over the head and knocked unconscious. It even happens when a lightweight person hits someone with a vase or candlestick, and when that person has never done such a thing before. Or they even kill them that way. Is it really that easy?? (I have never tried it myself!) It seems to me that a lot of the time, the person who is hit would be in a lot of pain or dazed for a moment, but not out for hours, after which they wake up in a locked warehouse or whatever. Just seems like a convenient trope for a lazy writer.
Robin P wrote: "Weird book-related question - In so many mysteries and thrillers, a person is hit over the head and knocked unconscious. It even happens when a lightweight person hits someone with a vase or candle..."Depends on where - if they hit the temple - that can be fatal so I understand and remember from case law reading actually. There is also something called an eggshell skull - skull is so thin that a light blow will be fatal -- again this is from case law reading in law school. But that is rare. Just the top of the head or the forehead? Probably little effect unless a truly blunt instrucment like a pipe or a 2x4.
If you have done any reading in recent years on concussions from hitting your head -- usually the person is fine after a moment -- or seems so. Hours later they can suddenly collapse - delayed trauma. Natasha Richardson's death was one of those. There have been a few football players and boxers ...
In the mysteries, I think most writers don't do their research.
Oh, yes, research. I remember reading one book where a person had a through-and-through bullet wound in the thigh, but sustained NO injury to any tissues, bones, blood vessels, nerve, etc. I even asked our trauma surgeons if this was remotely possible. NOPE. I think the author was thinking of "a flesh wound", where it goes through and through a section of muscle without breaking bones or doing any major blood vessel or nerve injury. BUT the muscle is still damaged and requires repair. The only way there is "nothing damaged" if it's just a graze (and even then you have skin injury). Details, Details.As for head wounds. I know a man who was a medic during Vietnam. In a heavy firefight he was hit in the HEAD. The bullet did not penetrate his skull but did hit an artery and was bleeding profusely. He was NOT knocked unconscious at all. He treated himself before continuing to treat his fellow team members. (No, this is not my husband, whose wounds were from stepping on a land mine.)
Ooh I’ve just heard my first cicada of the summer! It’s chirping away in one of the trees beside my deck!
I have yet to hear that seasonal sound of the snow plow passing by ....
Gee Theresa, snow plow sounds started in my neck of the woods a week ago. At 5:00 am.
Holly R W wrote: "Gee Theresa, snow plow sounds started in my neck of the woods a week ago. At 5:00 am."🤣
NYC has not had snow in over a year. Broke historic records several times over. And politicians claim there is no global warming.
Neurosurgeons say that dying after you hit your head (not saying being hit) is rare, but tragically a professor my son knew at Carnegie Mellon did just that this fall after he fell on his stairs while carrying something; he died from his head injury several days later. I don't know the details. My mother in law died of a brain bleed after a fall but she was nearly 98 and refused treatment because she had been mentally ready to go for a couple of years.I would think that if someone was able to hit with enough force to crush the skull it would be more likely, but that's harder to do than people think, especially someone small.
Theresa wrote: "Robin P wrote: "Weird book-related question - In so many mysteries and thrillers, a person is hit over the head and knocked unconscious. It even happens when a lightweight person hits someone with ..."When I had my accident (with a concussion and whip lash) I thought I was totally fine, until the next night. It wasn't nearly serious enough to kill me, but I haven't been quite the same since. I was addicted to TV for most of my life (it was on as soon as I got home), and suddenly I couldn't stand the sound of it. I still can't watch very much before a headache sends me into another room. Aphasia sucks, but ending a TV addiction was a very good change.
So when I read the Dead Zone a few years ago, I was less skeptical about the idea that an injury could have a lasting neurological change.
Actually, a friend of mine some years ago (15 or more - before US started paying serious attention to repeated head injuries in football players) was the independent supervisor for an extended medical research study on the long term effects of concussions - from mild to severe. It was quite interesting not just because they do exist, but that the long term effects can vary from just inability to sleep properly to complete change of personality, increased sensitivities, frequent headaches. Often the long term symptoms did not appear for a while after the concussion, in some cases years. That research was in Europe with the primary study located in Mulhouse, France but I think it was a German research project.
I was particularly interested in that study because a client of mine fell, hit her head, had a mild concussion, and her entire personality changed - she became moody, subdued, and all her vitality was was gone and never returned. She was young - in her 20s and it was such a shock.
Bottom line is that far too many crime fiction writers do not do proper research or don't care.
Doctors probably get incensed about medical issues done wrong in books, and Theresa, I bet you see incidents and behaviors in books that no lawyer would do! As a language person, I get annoyed when a character has fluent conversations in a country they recently moved to or after brief study.
Robin P wrote: "Weird book-related question - In so many mysteries and thrillers, a person is hit over the head and knocked unconscious. It even happens when a lightweight person hits someone with a vase or candle..."Don't know how easy it is, what I do know, from all my medical friends, your head will bleed a lot, even if the injury is not life threatening to begin with-can however lead to massive loss of blood. I think this is because of so many blood vessels in the head.
NancyJ wrote: "Theresa wrote: "Robin P wrote: "Weird book-related question - In so many mysteries and thrillers, a person is hit over the head and knocked unconscious. It even happens when a lightweight person hi..."Head injuries are in a different category than sprains since for what I have as long as I don't use it and elevate it it can be checked Tuesday, but many head injuries should be treated ASAP. And the bleeding thing is true, so if the bleeding doesn't stop soon, to the ER you go.
Theresa wrote: "Actually, a friend of mine some years ago (15 or more - before US started paying serious attention to repeated head injuries in football players) was the independent supervisor for an extended medi..."Yes, and there was a lot of ignorance in this area everywhere--much research has been done on this. During Poll Book Tally one of the auto racing books I had was a memoir by a driver who had a serious concussion and it was very interesting to read about his experience. Apparently if you are in a sport or occupation where head injuries are common, you should have the right tests done before injury in order to better assess concussions when they happen.
Even soccer players should wear head protection because they can get whacked really hard. My sister had some sort of eye injury (I had remembered what it was incorrectly) and had to spend a week or 10 days (it's been about 25 years now) lying down with no reading, only TV because she wasn't supposed to move her eyes. She could only get up to use the bathroom.
Although KateNZ would have beaten me by a couple of hours, it is Christmas morning here, so Merry Christmas to all! I have a couple of hours reading until we start - husband home from work at 10, 17 yo daughter up around then so she can be ready for her 12.30 shift, so just enough time for presents, and then an afternoon of reading ;) A very different Christmas for us this year, even the kitties have woken up fairly mellow!
Hope you all have a wonderful day!
Wishing Everyone a beautiful soulful meaningful Christmas and New Year. My experience has been that things are often quiet around GR and PBT at this time. But there are a few of us about. I can hold up the social front, along with a few others - we know who we are. We have a houseguest with us here in Aspen for Christmas, so we will try to show him a good time, since he is not with his parents. We have four ideas. 1) Skiing, 2) Christmas Music, 3) S'mores in the Fireplace, and 4) a homecooked feast.
I have plenty of updates ALREADY, but I am holding them all back in deference to the holidays being meaningful and beautiful for everyone. But... I will share this tidbit. Just came back from having a coffee and sliders with my Dad at the Little Nell CoffeeBar, and we were able to connect on a number of supremely important things. I am not coming home from Aspen without a plan, some paperwork, and some important and much needed numbers and info. He is on board for a lot of things, most importantly durable power of attorney, and making sure I have a copy of the health care proxy, and that my Dad secretly shifts his health care proxy to me as the primary. My mother is quite jolly and we are all having a lovely time.
Everything is a lot of work for Scott, who I must say is a total saint. This is not a vacation for him. He is shuttling four kids and my parents around, and managing everyone and their needs in this house plus my mother. I could not be more blessed with a partner who is doing everything it takes to make sure everyone else is OK. I hope he gets a moment or two in there for himself.
Is everyone ready for the holidays? Nope, not me. I am even wondering if a tree will get put up. I am closing my office from Saturday until January 2, except for critical items or emergencies. This week people are already starting to take off allowing me to work on neglected matters, year end collections and invoicing, etc.
I still have shopping and shipping - actually taking time this afternoon to work on that.
How is everyone faring with completing challenges? I've still got some reading to get in before year end but generally light reads. My annual holiday reading binge is delayed -- and might end up only a couple of Christmas reads.
Then of course there are new challenges to organize and start...
As always seems to happen, December is so tense with work that my Christmas spirit and yearnings, which burn brightly every August and September, are ashes and all I want to do is hide in my blanket fort.
Don't worry though, once I start wrapping and packing for shipping the presents, it will magically appear again and I'll start pulling out more than just my advent calendars (some of which are in use) as decorations.
Oh and it's a rainy dark gloomy day here in NYC -- perfect for staying in and dealing with presents.