There are things I wish would have been better, like the temperature in each room, but the lunch was incredible and the view from our table was fantastic. We learned a thing or two and had a good time.
The view from our table at Pier 66.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Worth it
Six of my staff and I attended an SPJ conference in Seattle last week. It was a beautiful day, worth the drive and definitely a nice location to spend a Saturday.
There are things I wish would have been better, like the temperature in each room, but the lunch was incredible and the view from our table was fantastic. We learned a thing or two and had a good time.
There are things I wish would have been better, like the temperature in each room, but the lunch was incredible and the view from our table was fantastic. We learned a thing or two and had a good time.
Quiet Easter
Saturday before Easter was a busy day, and we didn't even do our egg coloring until pretty late in the evening. I've always enjoyed coloring eggs, though it gets messy.
Way back sometime when the grown kids were little we discovered that writing on the eggs with a crayon before dipping them in the dye creates a nice effect. The coloring shows through well if you use the right color combination. You can draw images, write messages, etc.
Sean had one ready to go with some crayon designs, then it fell to the floor.
Way back sometime when the grown kids were little we discovered that writing on the eggs with a crayon before dipping them in the dye creates a nice effect. The coloring shows through well if you use the right color combination. You can draw images, write messages, etc.
Sean had one ready to go with some crayon designs, then it fell to the floor.
One casualty
We colored about a dozen and he would have kept going, but I knew we were just wasting them. No way we could eat that many eggs.
Easter morning we found the Easter Bunny had left us a basket. We went to church and did an indoor egg hunt since it was quite cold and rainy. The hand bell choir played that day, always a treat for us.
Though we didn't have a big meal with all of the family around, we enjoyed a nice dinner with Grandma.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Pay it Forward
Saturday I worked in the yard. As I was raking, I was approached by a man coming from my next door neighbor's yard. I was puzzled. I didn't recognize him, but it turns out he was the neighbor's dad visiting from Montana.
So he stood there talking to me, and we talked about yards and homes and financial stuff and I said I was hoping to get some repairs on the house this year.
He asked what I wanted done and I said my first concern was the front porch. We had a ramp sort of installed when my mother was in a wheel chair, but it was never finished and just sat there looking ugly.
His name is Clay. He took a look at it and said he thought he and his son could help me with it the next day. I told him I would be at church Sunday morning but home around noonish. I invited he and his family to come along. To my surprise he said, "We might just do that."
Later that day Clay and his son came over and dismantled the ramp.
Clay and his wife rode to church with me Sunday morning, and it was a little cooler and rainy that day.
Monday it snowed here--first time all winter-- and everyone stayed inside. But yesterday Clay and his wife came over and installed the rails on my porch and put it all back the way it was prior to the ramp being installed.
I tried to pay them and they wouldn't accept it.
This was such a huge help to me. I can't adequately convey how much it means to me.
I know this is going to sound cliche, but we do hear a lot of the bad things that people do. This gave me a little hope that there is still a little bit of good out there.
I can't do major home repairs, but I know I can help people in need.
So I'm waiting for God to put someone in my path that I can help in some meaningful way.
So he stood there talking to me, and we talked about yards and homes and financial stuff and I said I was hoping to get some repairs on the house this year.
He asked what I wanted done and I said my first concern was the front porch. We had a ramp sort of installed when my mother was in a wheel chair, but it was never finished and just sat there looking ugly.
His name is Clay. He took a look at it and said he thought he and his son could help me with it the next day. I told him I would be at church Sunday morning but home around noonish. I invited he and his family to come along. To my surprise he said, "We might just do that."
Later that day Clay and his son came over and dismantled the ramp.
Clay and his wife rode to church with me Sunday morning, and it was a little cooler and rainy that day.
Monday it snowed here--first time all winter-- and everyone stayed inside. But yesterday Clay and his wife came over and installed the rails on my porch and put it all back the way it was prior to the ramp being installed.
I tried to pay them and they wouldn't accept it.
This was such a huge help to me. I can't adequately convey how much it means to me.
I know this is going to sound cliche, but we do hear a lot of the bad things that people do. This gave me a little hope that there is still a little bit of good out there.
I can't do major home repairs, but I know I can help people in need.
So I'm waiting for God to put someone in my path that I can help in some meaningful way.
Saturday, February 27, 2010
A day of Wow
We made our trip to the library on deadline last week, as usual. Well, lately there have been a lot of late fees, so we've missed deadline a few times in the past few months.
Point is, we took some stuff back on time, and while we were there Sean wanted to check out one of his favorite snake books. The library had shuffled some sections around, so we had to ask Aunt Bennie (who works there) for some help to find it. While he had her attention, Sean asked her to show him the airplane section. We came out with a stack of books on flight, helicopters and airplanes. He dove into them and within an afternoon was recognizing airplanes by name.
Because Sean is so interested in fight, I thought it would be a nice treat to take a field trip.
The Museum of Flight in Seattle is within driving distance, so we took a road trip today to immerse ourselves in airplanes and flight memorabilia.
We walked into the museum and he recognized the first plane he saw. We constantly were saying, "Wow, look at that one." They were all over the place. There were planes suspended above us, planes parked on the floors that you could walk under and peer into, and there were a couple of them set up for people to sit in, and an audio gave information about the cockpit.
The museum is very comprehensive, and includes an area devoted to space exploration, and there are neat screens set up to play old commercials and intros to shows from the 1950s and 1960s that related to Sputnik and the nation's focus on space exploration.
There are three floors, I believe, and it really is quite astounding. I could have stayed longer, but Sean was getting tired and hungry. The only thing we didn't see was the top floor that had the WWI stuff. Next time.
I'm interested in old stuff, history, antiques, etc., so the glass display cases with the old flight log books from WWII and flight suits, dog tags and all of that was very appealing to me.
Sean's favorite things were the jet fighters, and an old WWII plane that had teeth painted on the front. He could tell me the names of them, but I don't remember that kind of stuff very well.
There are a couple of opportunities to go into flight simulators, but that was a bit pricey for our budget.
I could have stayed all day, and there's even a cafe, but Sean wanted to leave. We've both been fighting a cold that won't go away.
It was a fun day, and I'm glad I thought to go. Wish David could have been with us, because he and Sean could have had a great time together there.
Point is, we took some stuff back on time, and while we were there Sean wanted to check out one of his favorite snake books. The library had shuffled some sections around, so we had to ask Aunt Bennie (who works there) for some help to find it. While he had her attention, Sean asked her to show him the airplane section. We came out with a stack of books on flight, helicopters and airplanes. He dove into them and within an afternoon was recognizing airplanes by name.
Because Sean is so interested in fight, I thought it would be a nice treat to take a field trip.
The Museum of Flight in Seattle is within driving distance, so we took a road trip today to immerse ourselves in airplanes and flight memorabilia.
We walked into the museum and he recognized the first plane he saw. We constantly were saying, "Wow, look at that one." They were all over the place. There were planes suspended above us, planes parked on the floors that you could walk under and peer into, and there were a couple of them set up for people to sit in, and an audio gave information about the cockpit.
The museum is very comprehensive, and includes an area devoted to space exploration, and there are neat screens set up to play old commercials and intros to shows from the 1950s and 1960s that related to Sputnik and the nation's focus on space exploration.
There are three floors, I believe, and it really is quite astounding. I could have stayed longer, but Sean was getting tired and hungry. The only thing we didn't see was the top floor that had the WWI stuff. Next time.
I'm interested in old stuff, history, antiques, etc., so the glass display cases with the old flight log books from WWII and flight suits, dog tags and all of that was very appealing to me.
Sean's favorite things were the jet fighters, and an old WWII plane that had teeth painted on the front. He could tell me the names of them, but I don't remember that kind of stuff very well.
There are a couple of opportunities to go into flight simulators, but that was a bit pricey for our budget.
I could have stayed all day, and there's even a cafe, but Sean wanted to leave. We've both been fighting a cold that won't go away.
It was a fun day, and I'm glad I thought to go. Wish David could have been with us, because he and Sean could have had a great time together there.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
recap
I have been sick for what feels like a very long time. Once one illness subsided, another took hold--some kind of sinus thing that I was afraid would become a full-on sinus infection. They usually do for me.
I'm still recovering, but today I began to see a glimmer of recovery.
Even with the short month and tight deadlines, this month went smoother than usual with work. I was aware that my stress level was lower and wondered if I was just too sick to freak out or if I really felt more calm and in control.
My attention was fully on my boy today. The house has suffered along with me through my lack of energy and motivation. We cleaned up a bit, then we got down to business. He chose to study about leeches for a while as I answered some work emails, then we pulled out some old books to make room for his cool new books his brother sent. They totally qualify as work, with subjects such as Volcanoes, Focus on Wind, Airborne, etc. so they are on a special shelf for his work books near his Montessori shelf. We did some Spanish work, and just relaxed today.
We were almost blinded this week by that huge ball of glowing yellow in the sky. It is a big event for us when the sun comes out this time of year. I always forget how blue the sky is during the winter months.
Our temperatures are very mild, and Spring is on the way. It makes me want to do a bunch of home improvement projects that we really, really need.
I missed two meetings for our Lenten study. Last week Sean was sick and I couldn't take him with, nor leave him. This week I was sick. Maybe next week.
Yesterday Sean wanted to play a game. He dug out some flash cards called Bible Heroes that I bought at the Dollar Tree as a stocking stuffer this year. I was amazed at how much he knows about the Bible.
I'm part of a few Yahoo groups, and today I saw two posts that strengthened my faith and illustrated how God works in wonderful ways. A person who reached out to ask for prayer a few weeks ago recently provided information that could help many children who are misunderstood because of a disorder called Sensory Processing Disorder. Two Montessori teachers responded about children in their classrooms who exhibit some of those symptoms.
I'm still recovering, but today I began to see a glimmer of recovery.
Even with the short month and tight deadlines, this month went smoother than usual with work. I was aware that my stress level was lower and wondered if I was just too sick to freak out or if I really felt more calm and in control.
My attention was fully on my boy today. The house has suffered along with me through my lack of energy and motivation. We cleaned up a bit, then we got down to business. He chose to study about leeches for a while as I answered some work emails, then we pulled out some old books to make room for his cool new books his brother sent. They totally qualify as work, with subjects such as Volcanoes, Focus on Wind, Airborne, etc. so they are on a special shelf for his work books near his Montessori shelf. We did some Spanish work, and just relaxed today.
We were almost blinded this week by that huge ball of glowing yellow in the sky. It is a big event for us when the sun comes out this time of year. I always forget how blue the sky is during the winter months.
Our temperatures are very mild, and Spring is on the way. It makes me want to do a bunch of home improvement projects that we really, really need.
I missed two meetings for our Lenten study. Last week Sean was sick and I couldn't take him with, nor leave him. This week I was sick. Maybe next week.
Yesterday Sean wanted to play a game. He dug out some flash cards called Bible Heroes that I bought at the Dollar Tree as a stocking stuffer this year. I was amazed at how much he knows about the Bible.
I'm part of a few Yahoo groups, and today I saw two posts that strengthened my faith and illustrated how God works in wonderful ways. A person who reached out to ask for prayer a few weeks ago recently provided information that could help many children who are misunderstood because of a disorder called Sensory Processing Disorder. Two Montessori teachers responded about children in their classrooms who exhibit some of those symptoms.
Friday, January 29, 2010
News is a tough business
It has been a very rough month. Starting the end of December it seemed there were things going on almost every week that needed to be covered for the newspaper. I felt like I was working at a daily and I was the only reporter. I only have a couple of people who can cover news, and they had already been given assignments. I took the brunt of the work and was doing some of it with up-to-the-minute updates on our Facebook page. (We're going to redo our Web site this year. It doesn't allow for quick updates.)
While I admit I am a huge news nerd, and I usually live for this kind of stuff-- a kidnapping, a pharmacy burglary, post office mailbox thefts (two of them, the huge blue boxes) and a beached dead whale( very sad) and a trash truck that barreled down a hill with no brakes and landed in the water (driver was OK)-- after a few weeks of this, plus all of my regular duties, I was tired.
I'm still tired. And I'm fighting a sinus infection and some other strange symptoms, and trying to carry on like nothing is wrong with me.
The blessing is that I get to work from home. It allows me to take breaks when I need to go rest, and I can work late if I need to.
I'm handling a lot of things I never dreamed I'd be handling, ever. I always said I would never become an editor. To me it seemed like a boring job and people hate editors. I never imagined being in charge, because it just wasn't something I ever thought I could do.
Now I'm an Executive editor, not just editor. I not only get to edit, I get to handle all of the business transactions, make those really tough decisions that aren't popular, and deal with things I never knew were brewing out there.
It has taught me so much and I understand a little bit about some of the past bosses I've had. I can see where they were right, and I can also see where they were wrong. I think about the good ones and how they handled things, and I try hard to emulate them.
Grace under pressure in this position is sometimes very difficult. I pray a lot, and I read what I can about management when I have a moment.
I've learned more about hiring procedures, firing procedures, non-profit status, how to delegate, how to recognize a person's strengths and weaknesses when it comes to their talents, and how to try to give them the tools to become great at what they do.
I still have SO MUCH to learn.
I'm learning a lot about myself. My weaknesses especially. I am trying to find ways to strengthen myself too.
This job doesn't pay a lot, but it's enough to keep us sheltered and fed. And I love being home with Sean. And with everything that has happened with layoffs and newspapers shutting down, I'm very thankful to have this job. I get to do what I love, and get paid to do it.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Plugging in again
Months have gone by, and we haven't been plugged in to the world. When the switch to analog went into effect our television reception was reduced to about 5 channels of garbage that I would never watch. On top of that, it was not reliable reception. We no longer got any of the channels we watched, like PBS and our local CBS, ABC or NBC channels - nothing. I truly got better reception and more channels before the switch. I unhooked our converter boxes and said, "forget it." We live in a mountainous area, and I've been told the analog signal doesn't work well with mountains.
I was not happy about this switch, and I know that puts me in a minority. I just felt like it was something forced on us as a population, and while they offered the converter boxes, no one I've talked to who has them, except one couple who lives within a straight shot of the tower, likes them. Most gave up and got cable or satellite. So for those whose budget was already stretched, they also had to pay for television.
I was against it on principal. I figured we could get by without it. I've known a lot of people who got rid of their TVs. Remember the "Kill your Television" bumper stickers?
While this was a nice experiment, going without television, I found myself missing it at certain moments when I really needed to just be fed something entertaining without doing a lot of work to get it. My job is stressful, and when crunch time comes there can be many hours spent with no break. The last thing I want to do is sit at this computer searching online for a TV show.
I tried watching things online. Yeah, it's a pain. I have to search for it, download some sort of player, update it almost every time I go back to that site and try to watch something new, and I get completely sick of sitting in this chair. I wanted to move from my desk to the living room and just watch something on television.
What I didn't want was my 7 year old to be bombarded with commercials. But gone were the days of free PBS programming.
So I caved in.
We got cable TV today, and we've spent most of the day in our PJs, playing with the new remote, surfing the channels and keeping track of the ones we like.
It's something brand new for us, so we were excited today. For me it's already pretty well worn off. I'm glad to have access to some channels that I was missing, for news, and PBS, and a couple of extras that I haven't had in years.
But I know I will have a TV schedule for us that limits the time it is on.
I do love the quiet.
I was not happy about this switch, and I know that puts me in a minority. I just felt like it was something forced on us as a population, and while they offered the converter boxes, no one I've talked to who has them, except one couple who lives within a straight shot of the tower, likes them. Most gave up and got cable or satellite. So for those whose budget was already stretched, they also had to pay for television.
I was against it on principal. I figured we could get by without it. I've known a lot of people who got rid of their TVs. Remember the "Kill your Television" bumper stickers?
While this was a nice experiment, going without television, I found myself missing it at certain moments when I really needed to just be fed something entertaining without doing a lot of work to get it. My job is stressful, and when crunch time comes there can be many hours spent with no break. The last thing I want to do is sit at this computer searching online for a TV show.
I tried watching things online. Yeah, it's a pain. I have to search for it, download some sort of player, update it almost every time I go back to that site and try to watch something new, and I get completely sick of sitting in this chair. I wanted to move from my desk to the living room and just watch something on television.
What I didn't want was my 7 year old to be bombarded with commercials. But gone were the days of free PBS programming.
So I caved in.
We got cable TV today, and we've spent most of the day in our PJs, playing with the new remote, surfing the channels and keeping track of the ones we like.
It's something brand new for us, so we were excited today. For me it's already pretty well worn off. I'm glad to have access to some channels that I was missing, for news, and PBS, and a couple of extras that I haven't had in years.
But I know I will have a TV schedule for us that limits the time it is on.
I do love the quiet.
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