Sense of accomplishment...

1. All the procedures I'm responsible for are finally written and out for approval!!! (Mind you, this was finally accomplished at 4:30 pm on the last working day before official Go-Live, but I digress...)
2. Divorce paperwork is in, yay!
3. I have three whole days off where I don't feel like there is unfinished work hanging over my head!

This might make me actually feel refreshed enough that I can handle the chaos I expect Monday morning from a warehouse full of panicked people using new processes (far too many of which were created by me - isn't the procedures coordinator just supposed to DOCUMENT the process, not CREATE it?) in a new system.

Happy, happy, HAPPY new year!

EEEK! It's Live!

No, not Chthulu, but our SAP implementation. It officially went "live" today, because our final change control got approved and all our data is loaded and validated. Now, are all my procedures approved? Noooooo. And do we want to -use- one of 'em tomorrow? Yeeeeessss. :) So, that would be why during a week when we're technically closed, I've logged 20 hours of work as of Tuesday evening. Let's hear it for overtime pay!

In other news, we're going to live! http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/asteroid_update_B_041227.html

For your post-holiday enjoyment, a website that spotlights people who take "garish" to new extremes:
http://www.uglychristmaslights.com/

And on a serious note, my prayers go out to everyone touched by the tsunami. How horrifying!

Between the darkness and the light...

Well. When my boss left today she told me that if I touched my laptop before Monday she was going to be very disappointed in me. :) I will probably work at home a bit Sunday; I've still got procedures to finish up. We're implementing SAP in our warehouse and I'm writing procedures. And, well, the implementation goes live Jan. 3. So not having all the procedures approved is driving me crazy! We'll get them, though. It's astonishing how productive I can be in a job where my abilities are valued and people think I'm wonderful, as opposed to my old job... But I digress.

11 inches of snow out there! I'm only about two blocks from a main road, and I still got stuck three times getting to work and four times getting home. The main road was fine. The side streets and my alley were horrendous. Coming home, I finally gave up and parked in the church parking lot across the street, because there was no way I was getting back in that alley!

I must say, despite my exhaustion from working 50-60 hours a week for the last couple months, and despite the fact that I wish I had more time to shop for the kids, I feel good about this holiday season. I think that despite the stress and personal difficulties -- or perhaps because of them-- I'm more aware this year of it being a time of hope. After all, isn't that the real meaning of all the winter holidays? Winter Solstice, when you celebrate that the longest night is over and the light is beginning to grow; Christmas, the birth of a child who is to bring renewal to the world; Hanukkah, where when all turned against them and they were left in the dark, a day's worth of oil lasted 8 days until more help could arrive.

The winter holidays are about strength in reserve, about reaching what you think is your breaking point and discovering that you can indeed go on, that you can "stand between the candle and the star... between the darkness and the light"--and still stand. They're about longing so deeply for redemption and hope and light that miracles happen. They remind us that no matter how dark it gets, there's a light (everyone sing Rocky Horror with me now - "Over at the Frankenstein pl..." oh, wait, sorry, wrong mythos!) at the end of the tunnel, and it's not a train, it's sunrise.

Eep, I created a personals ad

Yes, yes, desperation reaches a new high, ladies and gentlemen:

I created a Yahoo personal ad.

Perhaps I should start a poll as to whether I get any responses at all?

Meme Time!

Stolen from an ex-co-worker's blog - and boy, this result's no surprise, huh?:

You Are a Visionary Soul

You are a curious person, always in a state of awareness. Connected to all things spiritual, you are very connect to your soul. You are wise and bright: able to reason and be reasonable. Occasionally, you get quite depressed and have dark feelings. You have great vision and can be very insightful. In fact, you are often profound in a way that surprises yourself. Visionary souls like you can be the best type of friend. You are intuitive, understanding, sympathetic, and a good healer. Souls you are most compatible with: Old Soul and Peacemaker Soul

What Kind of Soul Are You?

So now after the election they figure this out...

From Reuters:

"A majority of Americans now say the war in Iraq was not worth fighting, a view that has driven down the ratings of President Bush and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld..."

And people couldn't figure this out before the elections precisely why?

OTOH, I'm still not convinced Kerry would have been a tremendous improvement. I trust him more to keep the religious right out of my personal life and privacy, but he also couldn't keep his own finances afloat without marrying a millionaire, so I'm not sure what he would have done with this economy. Ah well, too late to complain either way. But I do find the shift in public opinion interesting. I wonder if it's just the emotional effects of the holiday season?

In other news, my kids will be delighted - Harry Potter 6 has a release date.
I forsee a midnight trip to Borders in my summer plans.

(Ok, who am I kidding? Mom's delighted too. So I read the Harry Potter books with the kids. So sue me. Like the fact that I am a science fiction/fantasy geek is news to anyone?)

And fun link of the day: Heavenly Coffee?

I'm not sleeping; I might as well blog...

I'm certain the world is breathless waiting for words from the meandering mind of a 36-year-old, ex-computer-techie turned documentation and training specialist, newly single (well, almost - the paperwork's created and about to be mailed), mom of two kids. What, writing 8 (okay, lately it's been 10 or 12) hours a day isn't enough? Yet here I am, bloggin'.

First Meme...

This is pretty frighteningly accurate...

20 Questions to a Better Relationship
eXpressive: 8/10
Practical: 3/10
Physical: 3/10
Giver: 6/10
You are a XSIG--Expressive Sentimental Intellectual Giver. This makes you a Teddy Bear.

Hee! I just want to give you a big squeeze. You are tender, honest, generous and fair. You are an excellent kisser and a sensitive, communicative lover, and you know it. You would never intentionally hurt someone's feelings or overstep his/her boundaries. You have beautiful eyes.

Most people take your laid-back attitude, blazing wit and subtle sexiness and stick you in "friend." But some see your extreme hotness for what it is and latch on. This means you have a few members of your target sex in the bank at all times -- I call this "money in the sex bank" -- but you're too sensitive and thoughtful to exploit them. More than once.

You are so rational and deliberate in an argument that it can frustrate and exhaust your partner. Your fights can take forever, but your press on with them until they are completely resolved and both you and your partner are satisfied. If your partner is weak of will, s/he may just give in -- be wary of this! An emotional or passive-aggressive outburst later will hurt and horrify you.

It is *critically important* that you are able to respect your partner. The moment you lose respect for him/her, you lose everything.

When you make friends, you make them for life -- you can go without speaking to a friend for years and pick up right where you left off. You are completely faithful, both physically and emotionally. You are the second best (to XPIG) parent of any type.

If you are male, you have a huge shlong. Just saying.

Of the 167223 people who have taken this quiz, 8 % are this type.