Below are the 20 most recent journal entries recorded in isle_of_woman's LiveJournal:

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Tuesday, March 31st, 2009
3:48 pm	What I've been up to ... Now that things are getting back to normal, I figure it's time to post for a change. :) As some of you may already know, work mandated that I take a five-day furlough as part of a way of reducing expenses. I just wrapped up my five days (sandwiched between two weekends) today. My house has not been so clean in quite a while - even though I nearly killed myself cleaning the shower (looong story). It was really nice to be away from work for nine days! I knew this was coming and was able to make plans to make the best use of the time. ( What I did (longish) ) Current Mood: blah Current Music: scanner chatter (6 Comments |Comment on this)
Tuesday, January 20th, 2009
8:25 pm	What a day! This morning, we got up early to watch the inauguration as a family unit. We involved H. in the voting process and wanted him to be a part of this historic event, too. So we are all piled in bed together, watching it, and we're describing various aspects of what's happening and at one point someone is discussing the theme of hope. H. chimes in with, "Help me, Obama, you're my only hope!" And later on described Cheney as a Sith lord. Yeah, my kid wins. Current Mood: cheerful (6 Comments |Comment on this)
Thursday, December 18th, 2008
9:24 pm	The happy day 8 * Having H. call me for no particular reason. Seeing him go off to school wearing his giant, red backpack. * When the exective editor uses the words "breast fungus", "jock itch" and "Monistat vaginal cream" in the news meeting. He thought you were supposed to *drink* Listerine to get rid said problem. Um, no. We pretty much all died of laughter. * I have the best co-workers. Even though things are crappy around the office and in the industry as a whole and expected to only get worse, we can all still go out for coffee and have great conversations and enjoy a good laugh together. I hope too many of us don't get laid off after the holidays. I may also get back to doing some writing/reporting again. We shall see. Current Mood: dorky Current Music: Steve Miller Band (Comment on this)
12:29 am	The happy, days 6 and 7 Day 6 * Seeing the kitchen progress. Goony, I know. It's taking shape faster than I thought it would. * Having a thoughtful J. bring me scones and coffee when I woke up. * Having a leisurely lunch w/ J. at El Cholo. Pomegranate margarita! :) * Browsing in the overpriced Xmas boutique. It was pricey, but oh-so-sparkly. * Listening to my grandpa talk about his college days with some emotion. Seeing him hold grandma's hand. * Chocolate-raspberry cake. Day 7 * Drinking warm chocolate-mint coffee on a cold, rainy morning. * Getting to work in the middle of a party. We didn't get any work started until 5, but who cares? * Secret Santa extravanganza with the co-workers and all the goodies we could handle. OK, maybe too many goodies. * Getting to chat with a dear friend. ;) I realized that I like focusing on the positives for a change and maybe will continue this for a few more days. Current Mood: sleepy (5 Comments |Comment on this)
Monday, December 15th, 2008
10:31 pm	The happy, day 6  Lots of good ones today: * Falling asleep and waking up to rain - and lots of it. It made it a morning for my fuzzy robe, which always cheers me up. * A package in the mail. I don't know why getting a parcel in the mail is so happy-making, but there it is. * An especially pleasant dinner with a good friend I don't get to see often enough. * Playing Munchkin Bites with H. (He's a gamer geek in training, apparently.) We each won one. * Geekitude in general. * Vanilla-scented candles and the weather in which to use them. * Hugs! And Mexican chocolate. Current Mood: content Current Music: Chasing Cars (1 Comment |Comment on this)
12:17 am	The happy, day 5 The view driving up and down the Vincent Thomas bridge. Making H. laugh and having him jump into my arms and give me a million kisses. Being told I am loved and that I'm lovable (by two different people). A double chocolate cookie! Seeing the full moon behind clouds and feeling the cold wind blowing in and smelling the wet earth, figs and damp mulberry leaves. Current Mood: awake (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Sunday, December 14th, 2008
12:17 am	The happy, day 4  This one's easy: A delicious dinner with good friends. My boy and his lovey ways. I'm really lucky. Current Mood: happy (8 Comments |Comment on this)
Saturday, December 13th, 2008
5:16 am	The happy, day 3 There were a lot today, but here's one: Seeing H all bouncy and happy because he got to take his "friend" — his Venus flytrap — to school for Sharing. When he got home, he was excited because Trapper was deemed cool enough to get put on the Science Table and left there *all day.* It was also discovered that it had finally eaten a few flies. We could tell because one little fly head was still sticking out .... Also, he got a letter from Santa in the mail. :) Current Mood: Awake, sorta Current Music: the heater (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Thursday, December 11th, 2008
7:00 pm	The happy, day 2 Well, my day's not over yet by a long shot, but here's a happy moment so far: J & I went to See's to pick up a little holiday something-something and got it and stood in line. Meanwhile, the happy employees gave us a free sample. And then another. And then another. They were just shoving chocolate down our collective gullets! For free! By the time we left, we had a handful of the good stuff to cart home. I guess the saying is true, give and you shall recieve - a lot of free candy! More from "The Random Stuff My Kid Says That I Find Hilarious, Even Though You Probably Don't Dept." So the other morning, H. comes in and as usual comes into the room. He locks the door behind him and climbs into bed with me. He's bugged about something and I ask him what's wrong. He won't say, then finally I get from him, "I'm mad." Why, I ask. He replies, "Let's just leave it at mad." Then, last night, James was making him dinner and was using the big, burrito-sized tortillas, which apparently we don't buy that often because H. kept questioning J., "Are those for real?" and "Do people really eat those?" and finally deciding, "Those should be on 'Man vs. Food'!" Current Mood: happy (5 Comments |Comment on this)
Wednesday, December 10th, 2008
8:52 pm	Stolen from Okoshun Because it's a sweet idea! For eight days, post something that made you happy that day. Going to the candle store to shop for Christmas loot. I love smelling the food-scented offerings. Plus, J. got busted for lighting one of the displays. Hee hee! Current Mood: silly Current Music: The best of Pandora (5 Comments |Comment on this)
Thursday, November 6th, 2008
1:28 am	History in process It's been a crazy 24 hours and I think I am still processing it all. Overall, happy and sad. Mostly happy. We took Hunter out of school so he could come and vote with us. I think it was the right decision, getting him some idea of what the process is like so that he can understand its import and value. He did go to a No on 8 rally with James on Sunday. On both days, he seemed to have fun. It was also nice to spend the morning with him for a change. I voted in my old elementary school (as I'm still registered at my parent's address), which was interesting to see again, with my child in tow. It looks so small now, but so much the same. Voting mission accomplished, I headed to the newsroom for my third presidential election as a journalist. It's been an interesting place to be on election night. It's changed a little each time, with the Internet playing more and more of a role in results, as is to be expected. In my opinion, it's still the place I'd most like to be on this particular night, the feeling of anticipation, the debates and talk among the co-workers, watching, wanting to be a part while still getting what needs to get done on the shrinking deadline. Answering the phones from the public (and excited co-workers off-site) while reading a story, IMing with the other newsroom, figuring out photos/headlines with the bosses, making sure photogs got images in and reporters got stories done on time, (Facebooking,) and watching CNN. It's crazy, but a good crazy. I was at work until after 1 a.m., but on that night, eating chewy pizza, cookies and cokes, it seemed right, somehow. I found myself a bit emotional watching the candidates give their respective speeches. (I wasn't alone in that, either.) I just kept thinking about Martin Luther King's dream and how his children and grandchildren were watching it happen. About those who fought so long for the right even to vote and how it was their moment. The jubilation of a people, a country, who had put aside race for a moment and picked the president based on the content of his character. No, he's not as liberal as I'd like, but I picked Obama because I think he's a decent, intelligent, principled man who wants to do good for the country. Maybe I will be proven wrong, but I sure hope not. At least there is not a Republican about to take office. I can't imagine that. I was, however, very disappointed in California's approval of the ban on gay marriages. I couldn't believe it and kept checking tallies all night. I didn't realize we were so backward. The legal challenges have already begun, so perhaps there is something to hope for. I know I don't want H. to grow up in a place that has rights for some, but not all. The religious right is really scaring me. It's like we haven't learned our lessons from history and continue to repeat bad, intolerant patterns based on ignorance and fear. So many people just didn't see past - didn't care to see past - the weak arguments supporters had for this. At least it was close in L.A. County. My co-worker said it made her want to apologize to her friends who are gay. I agree. *Hugs to you all - We're not all close-minded haters!* All in all, whatever their views, it was incredible to see so many people care so much about politics and getting involved in the election process, many for the first time. It's democracy! In L.A. County, the turnout of registered voters was slightly above 82 percent, which was high, but not a record. Wow. We can honestly say the people have spoken. And then today, I could not find a newspaper anywhere. Nor could anyone else, apparently. We sold out of our paper in three hours today and had people calling the newsroom all day and all night looking for today's paper. It was the same with many other papers today, at least that's what the wires said. After our public office closed, I kept taking copies down to the lobby. I gave away my last two papers at 10:30 p.m. as I was headed home. Sure, it would have been easier to tell people we were out - but hey, they are interested and reading our paper! My work - at least for one day - will be a part of their history. And that's kind of awesome. Current Mood: happy! (5 Comments |Comment on this)
Sunday, October 26th, 2008
8:15 pm	Content, shmontent! Or, "Facts Are Fun!" WIKI MEME Look up the date of your birthday in Wikipedia. From the date page, pick three interesting historical events, births and deaths that occurred on that date. Events 1707 - Last recorded eruption of Mount Fuji in Japan. 1773 - American Revolution: Boston Tea Party - Members of the Sons of Liberty disguised as Mohawks dump crates of tea into Boston harbor as a protest against the Tea Act. 1965 - Vietnam War: General William Westmoreland sends U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara a request for 243,000 more men by the end of 1966. Births 1485 - Catherine of Aragon, Queen of England (d. 1536) 1770 - Ludwig van Beethoven, German composer (d. 1827) 1775 - Jane Austen, English writer (d. 1817) (Oooh, and... 1866 - Wassily Kandinsky, Russian-born French abstract painter (d. 1944) 1917 - Sir Arthur C. Clarke, English writer (d. 2008) 1928 - Philip K. Dick, American writer (d. 1982)) Deaths 1859 - Wilhelm Grimm, German writer and folklorist (b. 1786) 1921 - Camille Saint-Saëns, French composer (b. 1835) 1980 - Colonel Sanders, American fast food entrepreneur (b. 1890) Current Mood: full (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Wednesday, October 15th, 2008
8:45 pm	All the meme-age ever ... Catching up on memes put out by my lovely LJ pals bigevil , apricotica  and professor_booty : PIECES OF YOU MeMe 1. Put your iTunes/Ruckus/Napster/etc on shuffle. 2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer. 3. You must write down the song it says, no matter how silly. IF SOMEONE SAYS "IS THIS OKAY?" YOU SAY? The Mountains Win Again - Blues Traveler WHAT WOULD BEST DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONALITY? A Shoulder to the Wheel - Bel Canto WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL? Centerfold - J Giels Band HOW DO YOU FEEL TODAY? You're Pretty Good Looking - The White Stripes WHAT IS YOUR LIFE'S PURPOSE? Wild World - Cat Stevens WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO? People are People - Depeche Mode WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU? Upside Down - Jack Johnson WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR PARENTS? Parents Just Don't Understand - DJ Jazzy Jeff (OK, creepy!) WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN? Your Body is a Wonderland - John Mayer WHAT IS 2+2? Canon in D for Strings and Continuo - Pachelbel WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND? Yes - Coldplay WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PERSON YOU LIKE? Breathe Me - Sia WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY? Unwritten - Natasha Bedingfield WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP? My Boyfriend's Back - The Raveonettes WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE? No More Sweet Music - Hooverphonic WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU? Portions for Foxes - Rilo Kiley WHAT WILL YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING? Life in a Northern Town - The Dream Academy WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL? Try and Love Again - The Eagles WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST? Biscuit - Portishead WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET? Imperial March (Rage March) - Star Wars: Force Commander WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS? It's True That We Love One Another - The White Stripes WHAT'S THE WORST THING THAT COULD HAPPEN? Breakdown - Michael Brook HOW WILL YOU DIE? A Message - Coldplay WHAT IS THE ONE THING YOU REGRET? A Sorta Fairytale - Tori Amos WHAT MAKES YOU LAUGH? Love Fool - The Cardigans WHAT MAKES YOU CRY? Destroy Everything You Touch - Ladytron WILL YOU EVER GET MARRIED? Already Gone - The Eagles WHAT SCARES YOU THE MOST? All the Young Dudes - Mott the Hoople DOES ANYONE LIKE YOU? Humanity - A Guy Called Gerald IF YOU COULD GO BACK IN TIME, WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE? Friend is a Four-Letter Word - Cake WHAT HURTS RIGHT NOW? Breakfast Blues - Trout Fishing in America WHAT WILL YOU POST FOR THIS ENTRY? Boom Boom Ba - Metisse Comment and I will.... a) Tell you why I friended you. b) Associate you with something -- a fandom, song, color, photo, etc. c) Tell you something I like about you. d) Tell you a memory I have of you. e) Ask you something I've wanted to know about you. f) Tell you my favorite userpic from your list. g) In return, you need to post this on your own LJ. Random Quizzage First name: Summarize me in one sentence: Where did we meet? Take a stab at my middle name? How long have you known me? When is the last time that we saw each other? Do I drink? Do I smoke? Do I do drugs? Am I happy? Am I a good person? What was your first impression of upon meeting me/seeing me? What's one of my favorite things to do? What do I love more than anything? Am I funny? Have you ever made me smile ... if so when? What's my favorite type of music? Have you ever seen me cry? Can I sing? What is the best feature about me? Am I shy or outgoing? Am I a rebel or do I follow the rules? Do I have any special talents? What is a word that describes my personality? Have you ever hugged me? Kissed me? What is my favorite food? Am I a good cook? Am I dating anyone? If there was one good nickname for me, what would it be? What's your favorite memory of me? What is my worst habit? Do I like corn dogs? Have you ever had a dream about me? If you and I were stranded on a desert island, what is the one thing I would bring? Are we friends? What's my religion? Am I family oriented? Who is my best friend? Current Mood: chipper Current Music: The debate on repeat (4 Comments |Comment on this)
Tuesday, September 30th, 2008
11:03 am	Pic me! They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Post a picture in my comments of what you think describes me when you think about what/who I am. Give no written explanation, though. Just an image. And if you're new to this gig, the code is: [img src="url here"] except with greater than/less than signs, not brackets. Current Mood: awake (9 Comments |Comment on this)
Wednesday, August 6th, 2008
3:27 pm	Marcy So, Marcy had her surgery and it turned out to be laproscopic, which is good news! She was just getting out of the surgery about 1 p.m. and was going to be in recovery for a while when we headed out so I could go to work. But things look good. I'm sure there will be other updates from her, John or others soon! Current Mood: happy (3 Comments |Comment on this)
Friday, July 25th, 2008
1:12 am	Love it or hate it I really can't decide! That Port has a sense of humor, though... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_QAPjtO2cA Current Mood: amused (4 Comments |Comment on this)
Tuesday, June 24th, 2008
10:47 pm	Books! Book Meme 1) Look at the list and bold those you have read. 2) Italicize those you intend to read. 3) Underline the books you LOVE. 4) Reprint this list in your own LJ so we can try and track down these people who've read 6 and force books upon them ( Read more... ) Current Mood: amused (3 Comments |Comment on this)
Sunday, June 15th, 2008
3:05 am	Is awake again Can't sleep. Again. This is becoming quite the issue. Ugh. It's a vicious cycle, insomnia. Tips? Heavy, sleep-inducing bricks to chuck at my head? All welcome. P.S. - I even had some boozes. They didn't help, either. Current Mood: awake Current Music: mushaboom - feist (9 Comments |Comment on this)
Monday, June 9th, 2008
8:57 pm	Oooohhh! Ok, so I saw this on clanhanna's post and now lord_colin I want to go: http://www.labyrinthmasquerade.com/ Even as fun as it sounds, it would be even better with a group. And I have both cool friends and cool friends with costumes! What say you? Anyone up for it? I would rather do the Saturday one, just so people have time to get out there instead of trying to rush out after work. I am going to get tickets rather soon, as they may sell out. Let me know if this interests you. xoxox Current Mood: satisfied Current Music: CNN (9 Comments |Comment on this)
2:43 am	Feeling sheep-ish The Sensitive Doer The sensitive doer is a gentle, modest and reserved person. He copes well with everyday life and likes his privacy. With his quiet, optimistic nature, he is also a good, sought-after listener and other people feel well in his company. All in all, this type is the most likeable and friendliest of all personality types. Tolerance and his regard for others distinguish his personality. He is very caring, generous and always willing to help. He is open to and interested in everything that is new or unknown to him. However, if his inner value system or his sense of justice is hurt, the sensitive doer can suddenly and surprisingly become forceful and assertive. The sensitive doer enjoys the comforts life offers to the full. He is very happy in everyday life. This type is often a gifted artist or a very good craftsman. Creativity, imagination and an especially keen perception are just a few of his strong points. The sensitive doer is very presence-oriented; long-term planning and preparations do not appeal to him. He takes life as it comes and reacts flexibly to daily demands. He does not like too much routine and predictability. His talents come more to the fore when work processes are variable and there are not so many rules. The sensitive doer likes to work alone; if he is part of a team, he does not get involved in competitive or power games and prefers living and working together harmoniously and openly. The sensitive doer is completely satisfied with a small, close circle of friends as his need for social contacts is not very marked. Here, too, he avoids conflicts - quarrels and disputes put considerable strain on him. The sensitive doer is often very fond of animals and is very good with small children. As partner, this type is loyal and reliable and is willing to invest a lot in a relationship. Mutual respect and tolerance are very important to him. His love of pleasure makes him a pleasant companion with whom one can experience intensive moments. He likes to look after his partner with attentiveness and small gifts and is very sensitive to the partner’s needs - often more than to his own. However, should he meet the wrong person, he runs the risk of being taken advantage of. He is then deeply disappointed. Current Mood: silly Current Music: the edge of the ocean - ivy (2 Comments |Comment on this)