Ow, My Hangover, Or How We Became Catholic: An MMP

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
221

Ha! I made a funny in our negotiating session, that I need to share.

So, during these sessions, I have the computer open, because I’m taking notes. The union gave us a written document concerning an issue, and the three of us on our side of the table asked for 3 minutes to caucus. During our talk, we came up with three issues with their proposal, then talked a minute more, and despite the fact that it was all of 2 minutes since we talked about it - not one of the three of us could remember the THIRD item.

So, in my notes to myself, it came out like this:

Which, of course I thought was hilarious myself. But then, after the meeting, I e-mailed my notes to the other two guys there, and I got two “WTF - ‘Hi Opal?’” responses.

Which tells me neither of them are closet Dopers at least, right?

222

All this talk about has got me to thinking about the leftover roast beast in the fridge. I’ve never made hash from scratch - how hard can it be? I’ve got N.O.T. and onions and assorted spices. I think I just figgered out dinner. Yay!

Talked to my daughter and she’s planning to spend 2 weeks in July with us - YAY!

And after a rainy night and dreary morning, it’s all sunny and nice outside. It won’t last, but I’ll enjoy the open windows while I can. YAY!

That’s all I’ve got for now. Off to find beef hash recipes…
*(post *FCD ** phone call) … or not. He doesn’t want supper tonight. So much for that…

223

Or they don’t want to blow their cover…

I am back from foraging for food–the cover charge at Jewel is getting high–I couldn’t get away under $165. I think kids should eat every other day.
Off to read a trashy book and enjoy myself!

224

Just reporting in to say I have been productive. I did some job stuff and put new blades on the edger and push mower. I’ve got new blades for the ridin’ mower but I need help to do that cause it’s big. Guess I’ll be showin’ some big “appreciation” for gettin’ ol’ y’all know who to assist me. :smiley:

I took the meatloaf outta the fridge a few minutes ago to take the chill off of it before baking. MMMMMMMM… meatloaf. I may need to find sump’n outside to do for a bit while it bakes cause the smell just makes me so hungry! Although I do have to make mac & cheese, steam cabbage and make cornbread, which actually will be cornbread muffins cause I like makin’ those little crunchy muffins that are like two bites of crunchy goodness.

The new cable converter box is makin’ me kinda nuts. Everytime I turn the tv on, there’s this little envelop thing in the upper right hand corner tellin’ me I have a message. These messages all extol the virtues of “On Demand” tv. If’n I have a hankerin’ to order a movie I will do so, ok? Quit naggin’ me cable converter box! :mad:

225

I am TAHRED. And I haven’t started the taxes yet. But I’ve learned an important fact:

The necessity of doing my taxes before the day is out is the best motivator to do housework I’ve found in many years.

I finished my transcript, then started doing housework. After scrubbing both bathrooms and the kitchen, sweeping up all the dog hair off the hard floors (I haven’t vacuumed the carpets yet), changing the cat box, doing two loads of laundry, taking out two bags of assorted trash, prepared a packing list on my computer (in nice table format so I can put in check marks as I put stuff in my bag – doesn’t everyone keep their packing lists on their computer?), and many other small jobs, I find that the house is looking much better; it’s always nice to come home to a clean(er) house.

But I still haven’t started the taxes. Sigh.

But hey, I’m having a well-deserved rest right now to drink a cuppa joe; maybe that’ll motivate me?

Oh, I also got online and printed our boarding passes for our flights tomorrow. I’ve never flown Air Tran before (and wouldn’t have this time except all the cheap tickets were gone on Southwest), but discovered to my annoyance that although I wasn’t allowed to select seats until 24 hours before the flight, when I got online exactly 24 hours before the flight we’d already been assigned seats – and there were no aisle seats left. I cannot sit for two hours in a middle or window seat – my knee smiply won’t take it. But since I’ve already done the online checkin? I’m stuck with the seat assignments we have till I get to the airport tomorrow. So it looks like it’ll be time to raise hell with the gate agent. I’ll just show 'em my scar. Heck, I can always fall down on my knee again and lie there screaming in pain to persuade them, right? :smiley:

And speaking of airports, Lapin Blanc had to fly on a newly-expired driver’s license because she’d had to order a new copy of her birth certificate from the state of Ohio, which took its sweet time sending it to her. It finally arrived today, of course. But apparently at the airport she got sent through the “extra security” line as a result – and to her delight, there was only one person in front of her in that line whereas the regular line was 45 minutes long. So she’s hoping she gets pulled out for the extra security check again on the way home. :smiley:

Okay, time to do something. Finish my coffee, that’s the ticket. And maybe knit. Yeah, that would be good. Get myself nice and relaxed before I have to face taxes.

226

If you do end up making hash one of these nights, it benefits greatly from a bit of Worcestershire sauce, ~2 Tbsp for 1lb of meat.

My day just turned sucky. I found out I’ve been skipping a pretty vital step in a sample verification process and that a big project went out with major errors because of that. This is something that could cost the company a considerable amount of money. :frowning: I only watched someone do the verification process once and they didn’t watch me do it the first time to make sure I was doing it right. (That’s our usual M.O. for someone taking over a job: watch the other person do it once or twice, then they watch you do it once or twice.) It’s not the end of the world, but it’s not a good thing either, and it’s just making me feel bad because I’m usually really careful about these things. I don’t want people to think I’m lazy/sloppy. I just didn’t get the whole process down the first time and then I did it wrong from then on out. :frowning:

227

either that, or they don’t want you to know they are, but now that they know you are, they can read your posts surreptitiously.

It rained all morning while I was out running errands. And it always seemed to rain harder when I was going from car to building (or vice versa) than when I was in one shelter or t’other. :rolleyes:. But the rain has mostly stopped - there’s just a light spray misting the air. (or a light mist spraying the air - your pick)

My taxes are done (woo AND hoo) and will be mailed Monday morning. (btw - what holiday is Monday that we have til Tuesday to get them postmarked?)

Oh, and I’m getting a very pretty refund. :smiley:

That is all - I have to go back out (for another shiva call) and to run two more errands (to places that stay open late) so catch y’all later.

228

Sheesh. Morning was busy. Afternoon was even busier. Thank Og it’s Friday tomorrow!

Chili for dinner tonight. Can’t be arsed to do anything more elaborate.

My shipment of body spray arrived today. It smells niiiiice. The tins are cute, too. I’ma gonna take a bunch to work so as to fend off the smellies, should they threaten at any point during my [del]slavery[/del] work day.

Swampus - Thanks, I’ll make a note of those pointers for next time some motivation is needed ‘round here. I can’t promise Tony Robbins – I mean, look at the size of that man’s head![sup]*[/sup] – but maybe a little Tony Montana. :slight_smile: Good that you got productive though. I find that when I’m out of work it’s just way too easy to settle into those lazy ways that make returning to work so much harder, so keepin’ up with a routine of sorts keeps the momentum going.

[sub]* I’m not kidding, it’s like an orange on a toothpick! That’s a huge noggin. That’s a virtual planetoid. Has its own weather system.[/sub]

229

Monday is Patriot’s Day, so everyone in states served by the processing center in Massachusetts get a one-day delay. (Details in the link.)

I love hash. I make my own corned beef hash periodically and have made it with other meats as well. Salmon sounds yum, too.

Had chicken and potato for dinner. Now I want something with chocolate in it.

Am shredding stuff again. I want to get everything shreddable out of the way (yes, I’ve been procrastinating for quite some time). It would be more fun with a hamster-powered shredder.

So maybe you need to change your name, MBG, in case your coworkers are secret Dopers. How about NothingBus-RelatedToSeeHere?

Back later after I’ve accomplished stuff…

GT

230

I thought “Patriot’s Day” was moved to September 11th after 2001.
Or does all of New England get a day off in honor of the NFL team? :dubious:
Besides, I live in NY, and my stuff goes to either PA or VA (I don’t remember which, and it’s not right in front of me)

231

Now, young lady, if you would read the document linked to, you would find out that you get a bye, regardless of where your return actually goes, just because other people in your state send their returns to Massachusetts. So, there! :stuck_out_tongue: :smiley:

GT

232

BioTigs, young lady, have you got those taxes done yet? No? Well march right back in there and get started. Don’t you dare come out of that room until you are all finished. If you have time to go frolickin’ in N’awlins, you have time to do your taxes! Now get busy! Don’t look at me like that! Your face is going to freeze that way! Yes it will, young lady! No lip from you! Go. Get. Busy. I mean, NOW!

Sigh It’s just a constant struggle. I don’t know what I ever did to deserve this! Sigh
That last sentence was just some extra guilt I had left over and didn’t want to go to waste. :smiley:

233

Hey! We had meatloaf for dinner tonight (along with mashed N.O.T.s) and it was delicious, truly. Also had steamed asparagus, which I can’t explain why I like it, but I’ve liked it since I was a kid, believe it or not. :wink:

Nava, I started using the Tarragon Tarragonia persona online a number of years ago - I added the Tarragonia part on certain sites that wanted a last name, when I didn’t feel comfortable giving my RL name. Not very interesting, but that’s where it comes from. So it was nice to know that there is an actual place named Tarragona! And just in case anyone is interested, it’s my favorite herb/spice - I use it in a lot of dishes. :slight_smile:

In case no-one else has noticed, tomorrow is Friday the 13th. Dum - dum - DUM! Not that I’m superstitious or anything (excuse me while I sneak in a few knocks on wood …), but I for one will be a bit more cautious tomorrow. What about you? :slight_smile:

234

Wow, the MMP is quiet tonight. People must be doing their taxes. ::Looks pointedly at BioTigs::

13 has always (so far, at any rate, she said, knocking on wood) been lucky for me. Started working at the place that later became my employer (I started as a temp) on a Friday the 13th. I’m always afraid that that trend will come to an end (lovely rhyme :rolleyes: ), but it’s just an undercurrent of fear, not anything big and overwhelming.

Shredded more stuff. At this rate, there won’t be any paper left in my house by next week. :smiley:

Off to bed.

Do we have a volunteer up for next Monday yet? (Speak up, or we’ll volunteer you!!! Just ask LiLi.)

GT

235

HEY! Only my mom gets to call me that! :stuck_out_tongue:

:smiley:

236

Okay, okay, I’ve been working on my taxes since late afternoon! (Although I did take a break for Jeopardy!, My Name Is Earl, and Survivor – by that point I needed a break!) I’m not done yet, but I’m making excellent progress. Thank heaven for electronic filing; I just send it off and don’t have to worry about printing out and fastening all those papers in just the right order, with all the W-2s and whatnot.

Have I mentioned how much I hate doing taxes?

But other than finishing the taxes, I’m in good shape. I haven’t packed yet, but I’ve got a thorough list so I can get it all together in short order, and my laundry is all done and put away so I can find what I need to pull out to pack. And it does help that we’ll have a car there, and will also know where to go to get cheap stuff. Remember that Wal-Mart that the cops were looting immediately post-Katrina? It’s about five minutes from where we’ll be staying. :smiley: But I don’t think we’ll be taking out shopping carts of “free” DVDs. :eek:

Off to drool over the food I’ll be eating this weekend. We’ll be munching our way through the best selection of festival food in the known (and probably the unknown as well) universe. And the portions you get for that $3 or $4 or $5? Is about three times what you’d get anywhere else. Tujague’s shrimp and crabmeat stuffed mirliton with creole sauce…oh man, the drool will be running down my chin by Saturday!

Okay. Back to finishing the taxes so I can go to bed. If I don’t talk to you all again till I get home, everybody behave (as best you can – I realize that with the Ursine one around, misbehavior is easier than anything else) and don’t have too much fun without me!

237

Sorry, gt, I was watching hockey. Time for bed, I have to be at work at 6a.m.

238

Hello everyone.

It’s been a busy couple of days.

I still watch Jericho and Lost too. Lost is kind of getting on my nerves though. I actually like Jericho better now than than when it aired in the fall. At least now it isn’t ending each show with some damn potluck or picnic. Lets face it, if something that awful ever happened IRL, it would be total anarchy here.

I’m not a big fan of corned beef hash; salmon hash just sounds um…not tasty. On the other hand, I rarely eat salmon anymore because I grew up eating it ALL. THE. TIME. At least once a friggin; week. I got damn sick and tired of it. I do enjoy the copper river salmon though and can’t wait until it appears here in the May/June timeframe. I like to put a fillet on the grill with just a some butter, dill, pepper and a tad bit of salt. That’s all it needs.

Tonight’s dinner consisted of huge, honkin’ ribeyes from the butcher shop and twice baked 'taters. Hubby picked all the stuff up AND cooked it up on the grill. I got to come home and sit down to dinner. It was very nice.

My friend got some bad news yesterday. Her husband is one of the soldiers serving in Iraq and was informed yesterday that his brigade’s tour has been extended for another three months. He was supposed to come home in June. She was very upset and didn’t know how she was going to break it to her kids. But, the kids took it better than she did. I feel badly for her. Her husband was very unhappy too. He’s been gone since last June and is sooooo very ready to come home.

That’s pretty all that’s going on in Taterland. My 14 year old nephew is being dropped off tomorrow night and will spend the weekend here. Mr. Taters is going to take my son, the nephew and my son’s friend paintballing on Saturday. We may go to a movie on Saturday night.

Finally, the weather here is pretty “bleh”. I guess we’re fortunate in that we don’t have snow or tornados happening, but I sure am ready for more than one day of 75 to 80 degree warmth and sun.

I guess I’ll watch some TV now.

Ta for now and smooches and hugs to all.

239

In Hispanic countries the unlucky day is Tuesday the 13. Number of Mars, day of the week of Mars; I’m told it used to be a faustus day for battles but infaustus for weddings. We say “trece y martes, ni te cases ni te embarques” (13 on a tuesday, don’t get married or sail out).

Having been born on a Wednesday the 13th of March, at 12:47 (yes Mr Gyne, I hate you too, stop whining, it’s only been a 24h delivery and it’s your fault anyway), I really don’t see what the frak everybody’s problem is. I’m absolutely pacific. Totally. Yep. Juuuuust like the Pacific Ocean, that’s me.

The only hash I know is hash browns, which I don’t like. I’m sure there’s somebody out there who can make them be more reminiscent of food and not so akin to concrete. But the ones I’ve had so far… Portland made 'em.

Fridays I only work 4 hours. I’m supposed to train 3 people. Last week, 2 were MIA for unexplained reasons. This week, the same 2 are on vacation. Maybe I could convince the third to drop the training and go have lunch or something :stuck_out_tongue:

240

Morning all! Just another exciting day at work. I did my taxes in February. :stuck_out_tongue:

Nava, if you want goood has browns, you gotta go to a Waffle House.