Watcha Doin'? 2024

[Janice, Moderator]

I'm so sorry for the devastation in your family, Peggy. Please know that we offer our support and love. Be gentle with yourself.

[Lilisa]

So sorry to hear Peggy. Your mom sounds like she is a courageous woman. Sending good thoughts and strength your way as you go through this very difficult time. Take care of yourself.

[Rusalka, Moderator]

Oh Peggy, how sudden and quick. Your Mum sounds like a wonderfully strong and brave woman who is deeply loved with people all around her. Thinking of you all over the next little while. Make sure you all look after yourselves and each other as well as your Mum. And please reach out if there is anything at all you need, even just a chat with someone about something completely different for 15 mins. Xx

[Saar The Book owl]

I'm so sorry for this terrible news, Peggy, I can't imagine how you must feel at this moment. I wish you and your family all the strength in the world and the comfort that is needed in these difficult times to come. We are here if you want support, some digital cups of tea and cookies, hugs...We are there for you.

[Peggy]

Thanks for all your super kind words everyone. You really are the best bunch of people on the internet!

[Sarah]

I am so sorry to hear this Peggy. What an awful shock for you and your family. Thinking of you. As already said, do look after yourself and give us a shout on here or via DM if you want to talk, happy to talk about random stuff any day. Sending a virtual hug x

[Sarah]

My friend had a baby last week and I went to see her today and to meet the little chappy. He is so cute. I got a couple of little cuddles in between feeds.

The weather her is unexpectedly warm at the moment. Feels strange in conjunction with the darker nights. Not going to complain though. The sun and warmth is very welcome.

Tomorrow, I start on my ADHD medication. I have waited so long for it and the titration process is lengthy and rigorous. So all in all, this feels like a big thing for me and I'm feeling both nervous and excited. Especially as I need to start eating breakfast which I've never been very good at. So I bought a load of things this afternoon to make some batch wraps and muffins etc so I can easily grab something. That feels daunting in and of itself.

[Peggy]

It's warm here too, 25 C! Last week I was wearing long sleeves and crawled under a blanket watching tv, now I'm wearing dresses again.

Good luck with the meds Sarah!

[Kristie, Moderator]

Aww, congrats to your friend, Sarah. How nice that you got to visit and meet the little guy. Baby snuggles are a lovely way to brighten a mood.

Good luck with your meds and breakfast plans. I hope they work well for you. Maybe eating breakfast will become easier once you are on the meds and in the habit of it.

Peggy, any update on your mum? I've been thinking about you both.

[Peggy]

Go for something easy Sarah. My breakfast is just Greek yoghurt with granola. I can't do something that takes a lot of time to make, and I'm usually not super hungry in the morning so there are only a couple of things I would eat (the other is bread).

@Kristie: thanks for asking. My mom passed away on Saturday. Still a few days sooner than we had expected, but in the final days it couldn't go fast enough for her, so in that sense I'm glad for her that she didn't have to suffer for another 4 days or so. So it's been another intense week, and everyone is saying how bizarre and unreal this time has been.

[Sarah]

Same, I was freezing last week. I never know what to wear at the moment.

Thanks Peggy. I'm sure it will all be fine.

[Kristie, Moderator]

I'm so sorry for your loss, Peggy. I understand being grateful that she passed a few days earlier than expected for her sake. I'm sure it seems a bit surreal for you all with everything happening so quickly. Hugs to you.

Sarah, as Peggy mentioned, try having things you can grab easily. I also tend to grab a yogurt or fruit or something like that most days. Anything that you can have prepared and ready to go will be easiest to ease you into the habit.

[Janice, Moderator]

I'm so sorry for your loss, Peggy.

We have set the date for my parent's internment at the cemetery. Dad had kept Mom's urn all these years so we bought a niche to hold both. It feels so strange. The house is sold and there's nothing there any more. I guess I'll be staying a a hotel. And this is so final. My brother, sister. and I will have to find ways to connect now .

The weather here is cooling, but it's that awkward time when office buildings and restaurants still have the AC on full bore. I thought I'd freeze at the lab today. Time for hoodies and sweaters, I think.

[Sandra, Moderator]

I'm sorry, Peggy. Huge hug.

[Roz]

Peggy, I'm sorry to hear about your loss. It's difficult to see a loved one decline and know there's nothing we can do. Fortunately, you were able to spend her final days with her at home. She sounds like a very strong woman.

[Peggy]

Thanks all :)

@Janice: I can imagine that it feels very strange and final. Do you plan to have set family reunions once or twice a year with your brother and sister? I know your dad lived quite far away from you.. are your brother and sister far away too?

[Saar The Book owl]

@Sarah: it has been warm here too, after a couple of weeks of heavy rain. I've now got a sunflower that grew from a little seed between the terras tiles into a huge plant form half a meter. I wonder if he"ll bloom. Good luck with the meds. I hope they can help you.

@Peggy: I'm so sorry for your loss, Peggy. I can understand that it feels weird after her passing.

@Janice: it feels like a new chapter for you and your sisters and brothers has begon. I hope you will find a way to keep coming together. Maybe it will go awkard in the beginning, but then it can go easily too.

[Sandra, Moderator]

Janice, I agree with Saar. You will find new ways and new reasons to get together, but of course is weird after so many years when your parents and their home was the center.

[Sarah]

I am sorry for your loss, Peggy. Sending love to you and your family. I bet it does feel really unreal.

That will feel very strange Janice, I hope the internment goes well. Not having a central point to meet will make things harder but I'm sure you will all find ways to connect. I can't imagine living so far away from family. We're back to the country size comparison thing again. Amazing how everyong gets spread out.

Keeping things simple, breakfast wise seems like a plan, although I get bored easily, not keen on sweet stuff and it needs to be reasonably substantial in case the appetite supressing effect means I don't eat much lunch. I had a good breakfast this morning, not sure I can keep that up though, although, as you say Kristie, maybe the meds will make prepping and making breakfast easier.

[Janice, Moderator]

Peggy wrote: "Thanks all :)

@Janice: I can imagine that it feels very strange and final. Do you plan to have set family reunions once or twice a year with your brother and sister? I know your dad lived quite fa..."

We talked about it briefly, about getting together for an annual get away. Dad & I went to stay at a resort (with mountain cabins) every year in Jasper. Maybe we'll reprise that. My brother is in Calgary, about 9 hours drive. My sister is in Hawaii. She wants every 3rd year to be there, but I think my travelling days are over. My mobility makes for a nightmare of a trip.

[Janice, Moderator]

Saar The Book owl wrote: "after a couple of weeks of heavy rain. I've now got a sunflower that grew from a little seed between the terras tiles into a huge plant form half a meter."

My friend bought a packet of pink sunflower seeds. She gave me a bedding out plant. When it bloomed, it was yellow. So was hers. Maybe we needed to change the ph of the soil

[Jayme, Moderator]

Finally getting caught up on the threads after vacation...

@Peggy - I am so sorry for your loss. Thinking of you as you and your family honor and cherish your mom.

@Janice - It is hard when family is spread around the country, but I think and hope you will find new ways to connect. My brother who lives across the country sends me a "dad" joke text every morning. His wacky way of saying hi. It starts my day with a smile.

[Janice, Moderator]

That's a lovely idea Jayme.

[Kristie, Moderator]

That's so sweet, Jayme. Sounds like your brother found a cute way to keep in touch. Starting your day with a joke sets you up to start the day with a good mood too.

[Sarah]

Thats really nice, Jayme.

[Peggy]

That's so lovely Jayme!

[Margo]

Peggy wrote: "Go for something easy Sarah. My breakfast is just Greek yoghurt with granola. I can't do something that takes a lot of time to make, and I'm usually not super hungry in the morning so there are onl..."

Peggy, I'm so sorry to read this. I haven't checked this thread in nearly 2 weeks so your mothers illness is news to me. It sounds like she made her own decision that it was time to go. She sounds like a strong, brave woman and I'm sure you all feel her loss intensely. Big hugs.

[Christine]

IT’S FALL!

[Janice, Moderator]

I'm so annoyed. One Drive, Microsoft's Cloud storage that comes with Microsoft 365 is perhaps the most useless system. I have a spreadsheet where I track all my books. What I've purchased, and when; details to assist in selecting books for challenges; date I've read & rating. I store it on One Drive rather than on my laptop so that I can access it anywhere.

This morning I bought a new book and went to record it only to discover that the last purchases were July. Not hardly. So I had to search for back up copies to try to find a more recent copy. An hour later, I think I have it all sorted.

[Rusalka, Moderator]

I just logged on after a long weekend, and I'm sorry to hear about your Mum, Peggy. Huge hugs coming your way. I am glad she passed quickly in a place she loved with you all. Sounds like she was very special. I completely understand that unreal feeling. Make sure you look after you and know we are all here if you need. *hugs*

[Peggy]

Ugh, how annoying. I can get extremely infuriated by these kinds of technology issues.

I use One Note on my phone (also Microsoft) for storing notes, it's annoying me like crazy lately too. It synchronizes only half the time, it often does not save my latest additions, and the whole way I had it structured has somehow completely changed, with the sam note showing 6 times in a row. I'm very much considering changing apps.

[Peggy]

And thank you, Margo and Rusalka :)

[Kristie, Moderator]

That's so frustrating, Janice! I'm not very tech savvy and I don't really trust technology for saving things, too many crashes and failed backups where I've lost info. Glad you were able to recover your info and get it sorted.

[Sarah]

That's so frustrating, Janice. And Peggy. How things sync seems to vary so much. I have a laptop for uni and then one for my business/personal. My cat chewed through the charging cable for my uni one so I'm awaiting a replacement through insurance. I wanted to crack on with my essay and had some notes on that laptop that i couldn't access. My boyfriend told me i was able to access it from my other laptop, as i have one drive on the uni one, so just logged in and got access to it so i don't have to wait for the charger before getting started. Phew. I guess im not as tech savvy as i thought i was lol. My charger should arrive this week though.

[Sarah]

I've been feeling pretty rubbish since friday with the adhd meds. It has eased as my body has got used to it but ive not had much sleep since starting them. Im hoping that each day just gets easier and easier. My boyfriend went to Spain yesterday, so on my own :-( I wasnt able to shift the start date as they are quite strict about it all. At least i have a quiet week coming so i can rest and adjust. I am noticing some improvements though, when im not being distracted by the side effects. Like, ive been reading most of this afternoon and staying focused :-) so that's positive.

[Janice, Moderator]

I use Evernote and have tried One Note (didn't like it). Over the last year, Evernote has been trying to have everything, and it's getting real frustrating. I just want to list the books I'm going to read each month and track my progress. I don't want to sync it with my calendar, I don't want to share it with anyone, I don't want it as a to-do list, or get reminders. I want single space when I hit return (like it used to) and not double space. I don't want predictive typing or being told to hit / for a list of commands.

I used to be tech savvy. I was the go to girl for anything technical. Now, everything changes so fast I can't keep up and I don't want to keep up. I really hate changes in software, websites, etc. Just leave it alone.

Good grief! I'm cranky this morning. Better get that shower and a cup of coffee. Then go play WOW.

[Rusalka, Moderator]

That's super frustrating, Janice. I hate things that are supposed to back up and keep track of data entry trying to be too clever, and just losing the data you want it to track in the process. I had a massive issue with my work laptop dying at the beginning of the year and it loosing my (begrudgingly made as work software pushed it on me) One Note doc that had all my tips and tricks and guides copied from 4 years of emails and teams messages, and copied down from phone convos, on how to make our HR and Finance system work. Everything else was backed up and saved and copied. It? Just poof!

Definitely a WoW morning. You playing the new expansion?

Hope the med side effects mellow, Sarah. Sounds promising! Just need those to die down a bit for you, fingers crossed.

[Peggy]

Making mental note to myself not to switch to Evernote.

@Sarah: I can imagine it takes a while to get used to meds like these. Hope you'll feel a bit better every day!

I told Rob that for the past few days I've been craving to go to a bookstore and treat myself to some books, just to treat and comfort myself after all that has happened lately. He looked at me like I was crazy and said: 'normal people turn to food, or drink or clothing when they feel like that. But you go for books.. you really are kind of a nerd!' I'll just take that as a compliment ;-)

[Kristie, Moderator]

Sarah - I hope you adjust to your new meds quickly. The transition period with meds can be rough, but it's a good sign that you're seeing improvement in your concentration already.

Peggy - That sounds like a lovely way to comfort yourself. I can definitely relate. Besides, it's much healthier than turning to food or drink!

[Peggy]

Exactly! I knew people here would understand!

[Sarah]

Thanks guys.

Sounds perfect to me, Peggy.

[Sandra, Moderator]

Sarah wrote: "I've been feeling pretty rubbish since friday with the adhd meds. It has eased as my body has got used to it but ive not had much sleep since starting them. Im hoping that each day just gets easier..."

All very normal, Sarah. Hang in there. You will feel better. Sometimes some adjustment in the dose, etc. might be needed, but it is great that you already see the difference when reading.

[Sandra, Moderator]

Janice wrote: "I use Evernote and have tried One Note (didn't like it). Over the last year, Evernote has been trying to have everything, and it's getting real frustrating. I just want to list the books I'm going ..."

All tech things are getting very annoying. I hate to have to create accounts and download apps for everything. I tired of notifications (which I select not to receive but for some reason after updates or whatever I start getting again). It's insufferable. One app I uninstalled ages ago is Duolingo. I used to love it and used it a lot during its first years, but it has become incredibly insistent. It is worse than a toxic ex-boyfriend. Lol.

Last week I was looking for a good app for notes, and couldn't decide on any. Reviews and comments are so mixed. What I want is something like the old note-card file but in my computer. Not for studying (like quizlet, that is more like flashcards) but just for keeping endless definitions, notes on authors, books, topics, etc. I don't plan to use them as flashcards to study, but want to have this info together where I can come look for it. It can't be so difficult...

[Sandra, Moderator]

Rusalka wrote: "I had a massive issue with my work laptop dying at the beginning of the year and it loosing my (begrudgingly made as work software pushed it on me) One Note doc that had all my tips and tricks and guides copied from 4 years of emails and teams messages, and copied down from phone convos, on how to make our HR and Finance system work."

This sounds like a nightmare...

[Peggy]

That's exactly the kind of thing I'm looking for too Sandra. Let me know if you find anything good!

[Janice, Moderator]

Rusalka wrote: "Definitely a WoW morning. You playing the new expansion?"

Yes.

but a friend of mine has not been playing WOW in about a year,. She just resumed and is lost, so I've offered to play with her to get her reacquainted with the game and introduce her to the new expansion. I had to level up a toon today to even out the playing field.

Are you playing the new expansion?

[Saar The Book owl]

About the tech - things: I used to be very technical, but now with the cloud and One Note and Academic Software...My hair is turning more gray!
I used to play WoW to, but years ago.

[Saar The Book owl]

Peggy wrote: "Making mental note to myself not to switch to Evernote.

@Sarah: I can imagine it takes a while to get used to meds like these. Hope you'll feel a bit better every day!

I told Rob that for the pas..."

That's my cup of tea too! Whenever I feel bad or need a reward for achieving something great (like pulling a tooth at the dentriest last week!) I treat myself with a book. It's the perfect gift!

[Saar The Book owl]

I don't know if anyone has heard of Bookfunnel? Apparently this is an app where you can get the books that are on it, to be put on your Kindle. I've recieved a free book and istalled the app, but don't really now how to transfer the book to my Kindle or Kindle app. I've tried, but I think I might do something wrong.

[Sandra, Moderator]

Peggy wrote: "That's exactly the kind of thing I'm looking for too Sandra. Let me know if you find anything good!"

I will! I don't know if this info is useful for you, but what I am using specifically for the books I read for my college courses is Zotero. It is working great. But it is for books, no notes in general (although you can do notes about the books).