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| Monday, May 4th, 2009 | | 6:18 pm |
It's true...
An American decided to write a book about famous churches around the world. So he bought a plane ticket and took a trip to Orlando, thinking that he would start by working his way across the USA from South to North, then into Canada and on to the rest of the world. On his first day he was inside a church taking photographs when he noticed a golden telephone mounted on the wall with a sign that read '$10,000 per call'. The American, being intrigued, asked a priest who was strolling by what the telephone was used for. The priest replied that it was a direct line to heaven and that for $10,000 you could talk to God. The American thanked the priest and went along his way. Next stop was in Atlanta. There, at a very large cathedral, he saw the same golden telephone with the same sign under it. He wondered if this was the same kind of telephone he saw in Orlando and he asked a nearby nun what its purpose was. She told him that it was a direct line to heaven and that for $10,000 he could talk to God. 'O.K., thank you,' said the American. He then travelled all across America, Europe, England, Japan, Australia. In every church he saw the same golden telephone with the same '$US10,000 per call' sign under it. The American, decided to travel to New Zealand to see if Kiwis had the same phone. He arrived in South Otago in N.Z. And again, in the first church he entered, there was the same golden telephone, but this time the sign under it read '40 cents per call.' The American was surprised so he asked the priest about the sign. 'Father, I've travelled all over the world and I've seen this same golden telephone in many churches. I'm told that it is a direct line to Heaven, but in all of them price was $10,000 per call. Why is it so cheap here?' The priest smiled and answered, 'You're in New Zealand now son - it's a local call'. | | Tuesday, February 24th, 2009 | | 10:09 am |
NZ!
I'm going home again! The bonus is a definite and I just booked flights for the last two weeks of May to visit my second home! Yahoo! | | Wednesday, February 11th, 2009 | | 8:34 pm |
I've just been reading a fascinating book: Creative Recycling in Embroidery by Val Holmes. The book is almost making me drool. Particularly interesting are the "papers" made from silk (silk paper bowls) and wool (very thin felted papers) and lace (lace on vanishing fabrics) but there are other wonderful techniques for various fabric enhancements. I wish I owned it but I got it from the library. I'll probably take a lot of notes and play with some projects later this spring when I finish one or two other projects I'm working on now. The most important project at the moment is a jacket for my friend's daughter's wedding in October and I'm thinking I want to make it playing with the concepts of some the clothes I saw in a fantastic shop in Portsmouth NH. I may have to go back there sometime in the next few weeks to refresh my memory about techniques and ideas. Now I'm thinking that I could probably incorporate a few things from this book in the jacket. I have a preliminary vision but want to take my time before I actually get started. It will be complicated and very interesting. Fun! | | Tuesday, February 10th, 2009 | | 10:12 am |
Airfares to NZ have come down to one half of what they were last fall. I really want to go in April but can't let myself book the ticket until I know exactly what my bonus is going to be. So I'm holding my breath a little bit and swinging back and forth between :) and :( !!! | | Tuesday, January 20th, 2009 | | 1:25 pm |
The CEO of the company I work for invited us all to the large conference room today to watch the inauguration - salad, pizza and cookies were served (strictly "non partisan and optional"). When the live stream on NECN was freezing and jumping, we tried several other websites. Someone suggested that we try Al Jazeera :) but we ended up with the BBC. The views of the mall filled with people were amazing, I wasn't impressed by Michelle's outfit, but Aretha Franklin's hat? I absolutely loved it! It takes a woman with personal power and presence to carry off something like that hat and Aretha has it all! I just tried to look for it online but couldn't find it. I'll check again later. I hope I can find a knockoff of it somewhere! | | Thursday, January 8th, 2009 | | 9:37 pm |
I went to IKEA after work tonight - saw the sale advertised on TV, haven't been in over a year so I thought I'd check it out. The good news is that it's less than 15 minutes from where I'm working so it was an easy drive. The bad news is that I was so disappointed. I first discovered IKEA when I was working in the Netherlands and absolutely fell in love with the place. The innovative style and colors were amazing. At the time (2001) you couldn't get that kind of low cost European design anywhere in New England - the nearest IKEA was in NJ and being New England, all you could find was country and Victorian design. But now IKEA seems boring - no style just functionality - and not much different than many chain stores. There's no flair anymore. And these days when I see something for 2.99 when similar products are 9.99 in WalMart or Target I wonder who is making it in what sweatshop or other nightmare factory. I know that IKEA claims that volumn is much of the reason for their low prices but... | | Thursday, December 25th, 2008 | | 6:02 pm |
From my brand new 365-day Maxine calendar: If I had a nickel for every time I've misplaced my keys, there'd be a jarful of money that I'd also have to look for. | | 8:50 am |
One down, one to go. James's favorite gift last night was the plastic animal scissors. He kept cutting the cardboard on all the rest of his toys. Yes he liked the Leapster, the Spiderman pj's, the Batman boxers, the SpongeBob slippers, the remote control Spiderman riding a four-wheeler, the toy guitar (Gram got the clothes; Auntie Katie got the toys except for the Leapster), etc. etc. etc. but he kept coming back again and again to the scissors. For a while James, Mark and my brother Bobby watched part of the James Bond movie marathon. Bobby was telling James all about who JB is (ever try to explain to a three-and-a-half-year-old what a spy is?), with Mark adding info here and there. It was an important male-bonding moment. Today is my sister's celebration. Where ours last night was low-key, relaxed, and quiet, today will be over the top noisy - a madhouse. Back to work on Friday! | | Tuesday, December 23rd, 2008 | | 10:27 pm |
It has been a long time since I could afford to buy my family much of anything for Christmas. Early this fall I made a very practical list, intending to once again make just about all my gifts. Then I saw one thing for Katie that I wanted to buy, then another for Jess, and then another for James. And another and another and another... I just got home from a five-hour shopping marathon (much of it driving from Dedham to Douglas to Northbridge and back to Framingham) and had to make four trips up to the third floor from the car. Most of what I got was groceries for the family dinner tomorrow night and desserts for my sister's dinner for 14 on Thursday, but I still ended up buying several more things. Jess was with me for some of it and it gave me the greatest pleasure to buy cold medicine for her and James (not Christmas gifts!), something she couldn't afford. I've had a wonderful time this season and am really looking forward to giving everything to my kids tomorrow night. AND I paid cash for everything. I figure I've done more than my share in helping the economy. I heard a terrible story on NPR this morning about how the paper recycling industry has collapsed because the Asian businesses that have been buying it all to remake it into boxes for all the manufactured goods that Americans usually buy aren't able to afford to pay for it at the moment. Recycling businesses in this country are in serious financial trouble as a result. So I've done my bit for that industry as well! A lot of what I bought for Jess and Katie were practical things that they need and cannot afford like mittens and a winter jacket and stuff for Katie's new apartment and even a waterproof mattress pad for Jess's bed because James is in the final stages of toilet training. James will open eight pairs of Spiderman, Batman, Sponge Bob, etc. boxers tomorrow night - he now owns one pair that he never wants to take off so this will help the mother-son relationship! And he's getting a Leapster from Gram - it's his favorite toy at daycare. But I bought a few special things as well - still practical but a bit on the luxurious side like a Patriots fleece throw for Katie's living room instead of a cheap one - she keeps her heat set to 60 to save money - and Biolage products for Jess instead of the Suave that's in her budget. And I did something for Mark that I've been wanting to do for several years but couldn't afford - I bought him one share of Google stock. He likes everything about the way that Google does business so I'm happy to help him be a part of it. I can't wait until he opens his gift tomorrow night. All my joy in the Christmas season is in the giving so this is a really special year for me. Unfortunately I had a tough upper respiratory infection for most of the month of December - missed a week and a half of work - so I missed the deadline for Toys for Tots but I did send them a check a few days ago. It wasn't really the same - I just love spending the time looking at all the toys and filling a carriage, going through the register and then putting them all in the bin by the door. But there's always next year and I'm sure the check will be put to good use. One thing I've learned as a volunteer over the years is that everyone wants to do the fun stuff but nobody wants to help out with the boring stuff like administrative expenses. I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and joyous and prosperous New Year. 2008 was a good year for me personally, and here's hoping that 2009 will be a good year for everyone else - especially those in need - that list is soooo long and so frightening. I am truly thankful and aware just how lucky I am. | | Sunday, November 30th, 2008 | | 11:50 pm |
Christmas is coming
I just finished remaking my garland, string lights and coat hanger Christmas tree. Originally I used heavy wire coat hangers and it really needed thin wire. The second time around I wrapped the shiny white garland tighter to make it more fluffy and of course ran out of garland three quarters of the way down so I added a short glittery silver garland for the bottom. I've never done that before but the two colors look great together and with the white lights it looks just right. When I started making these many years ago when the world was young, garland was thicker and longer but the trees I've made the last two Christmases require two garlands. I'm bringing it to the office for my desk tomorrow. The CEO brought me in the coat hangers (they're the kind that come from the cleaners) so he's been asking what I made with them. He has the same (marvelous) tacky taste that I do so I know he'll enjoy it. Actually at any software company there are a great many people with interesting taste... I'll try to post a photo here later. | | Saturday, November 29th, 2008 | | 5:43 pm |
wonderful book
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society - just read it for book group Monday night. | | Sunday, November 16th, 2008 | | 1:11 am |
| | Friday, November 14th, 2008 | | 2:24 pm |
It feels like it's been raining for days. All I can think about is my trip to New Zealand that got postponed until spring. I should have been there right now :( And today is People's day at the Christchurch annual show (like our state fairs). It's warm there and sunny and I'm here. Bummer. | | Tuesday, November 11th, 2008 | | 2:34 pm |
My fortune cookie says, "Your mind can make your body rich." What's the definition of a rich body? | | Thursday, November 6th, 2008 | | 8:05 pm |
I have a sinus infection, and since it is highly contagious I am out of work until Monday. I have that Z antibiotic that you take two of the first day and one a day for four more days - much better than three or four pills a day for ten days! And a generic form of Flo-Naze (sp?). I wasn't too excited about spraying something up my nose but it was a gentle puff rather than an assault so I'm okay with it now. The ice pick in my ear is mostly gone, as is the sore throat, but I don't have much energy. I feel fine as long as I stay on the couch but when I get restless and want to get up to do something I have to sit back down again. I hate being sick. | | 12:17 pm |
I think I have strep. The knives in my throat seem directly connected to the ice pick in my right ear. I was awake all night coughing, and whenever I swallow either my ear throbs or my throat burns. The bones around my right eye socket are throbbing. I just want to lay down and sleep but first I have to go to the doctor in 20 minutes. The thing is I have done nothing but work since Monday morning - 12-hour days and no going out and seeing anyone after work. And I don't know anyone at work who is sick. I always wonder where this stuff comes from. | | Wednesday, October 8th, 2008 | | 9:22 am |
Was it just me or did anyone else notice that last night after the debate, Obama, Michelle and McCain were shaking the hands of just about everyone in the crowd but Cindy just walked by McCain's side and smiled? | | Saturday, September 13th, 2008 | | 10:31 pm |
I had a great birthday. Although my birthday is today, it started Wednesday night when Louisa and John and I had dinner at Blue Ginger in Wellesley. The food was to die for, and if it was in my price range (this outing was primarily funded by an extremely generous gift certificate that one of my tutoring students gave me) I would go there often! I had organic New Zealand rack of lamb and it was fabulous. Thursday night I had dinner at Amarin (Thai) in Wellesley with another good friend. Also great food and conversation! Friday night was my surprise birthday party that I've known about for a week. It was great - lots of friends and family. Jess was a star because she brought the food - people loved sandwich platters from Subway - something to remember for the future! Several of my cousins told Jess that if she is my honorary daughter then she must be their honorary cousin, which made her grin. James was at his most charming, bestowing his time and attention among the guests, honoring each with conversation and play, always coming back to give me a birthday hug. At one point he discovered the tiny umbrellas decorating something on the food table and had a wonderful time with my cousin Martin, opening them all as they adorned each other's shirts and ears and pockets with them. Wonderful people that my friends and family are, I got lovely gifts - among them, three gift certificates to Barnes & Noble, a gorgeous pair of gold earrings in a pre-Columbian design that a friend brought back from a trip to Columbia last week, and Katie and Jess got me three lovely boxes of stationery with interesting patterns on gorgeous paper that I can either write on with a fancy pen or run through my printer. Mark renewed my membership to the MFA for another year - one of my favorite places! After the party I was invited back to my cousins' Bonnie and Martin's place for another Scotch taste-testing event, and we taste-tested Martin's Scotch collection until 2:40 am while we solved several national and global problems, redesigned democracy to our satisfaction and then moved on to designing the perfect corporate culture. I spent the night, and they took me out for breakfast this morning, during which time their 12-year-old daughter Becky and I explained to them how embarrassing and boring parents are when you're 12. They looked suitable chastened but I don't know how long that will last - probably as long as their hangover... Then Katie and I started our ghost photography class this afternoon - I listened and learned and wandered around a cool cemetery (I was a little hung over and a lot sleep deprived!) and Katie took a memory card full of photos. We were looking at them on the way home, and she might have captured a couple of orbs and some "sparkles." She has several sets of photos taken back to back where an unexplained light is red in the first shot and blue in the second (or was it vice versa?). It was a truly great way to end an excellent four-day birthday celebration, but boy am I tired! | | Friday, August 29th, 2008 | | 10:06 pm |
From the CEO of the company I work at (mid 40s, gay, extremely successful, highly respected in the Boston area business community and the software industry): "John McCain doesn't realize that women aren't stupid - they won't vote for a candidate just because she's female. And men ARE stupid - they won't vote for a candidate BECAUSE she's female." | | Thursday, August 28th, 2008 | | 11:13 pm |
He's got my vote
I would have voted for John Edwards if he had still been in the running in the Massachusetts primary (even if I had known about his affair). When he dropped out I looked at the other candidates and decided on Hilary. She grew on me, and when she lost I was devastated. I thought her speech Tuesday night was amazing but she spoke more to the women in her audience, which made me feel good but didn't impress several of my male coworkers who had voted for her. At the end of Tuesday night I still wasn't planning on voting for Obama. Several of my friends and I have talked about writing in Hilary's name in November. Obama's speech tonight was very good - I can recognize brilliance when I hear it - but overall he didn't convince me that he is right for the job. My ongoing impression of him is that he talks a good talk but will he walk the good walk? What convinced me was when he said that this isn't about him - it's about what America needs now. Hilary said the same thing Tuesday night. I'll vote for him, not because he said the same thing (which he probably should have attributed to her) but because he's right. Four years of a man who promises the world but may or may not deliver is better than four years of a man who doesn't believe we should bring the troops home or that the US is in an economic crisis. |
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