Ooh, music...

I'm now in love with imeem.com - especially since some kind soul has uploaded the entirety of my favorite album of all time*, which I have made into a playlist for those of you who would like to share:

Spock's Beard's "Snow" on imeem.com

This is a concept album - the "story" it's telling, and the lyrics to the songs, are here:

http://www.spocksbeard.com/discography/snow.html

In other news, my daughter is doing well in 7th (!!) grade [in Indy], my son started high school today (!!!!!) [in Austin], and I'm now working out of our new office on the west side, which is pretty darned cool. Since it's only 4 of us, and we all know each other, it's still not a formal 'workplace' but definitely makes it easier to communicate.

Besides which, I got to help with the layout and design of the office space, so it feels more personal to me, I guess. :)

* Note: Great Big Sea is still my favorite band of all time (and you can use that link to hear some of my favorite songs by them). However, Spock's Beard wins my personal award for putting together the best album. :)

My boy has moved!

I lost the bet; I cried at the airport. :)

Kids are off on their usual summer jaunt to their Dad's... but only my daughter will return; my son has decided to move in with his dad and become a Texan! Since he's starting high school this year (can you IMAGINE???) it was a logical year to make the transition if he was going to do it.

And, because I'm me and therefore incapable of feeling without analyzing :) I noticed a difference between feeling sad and being upset. I'm not upset about his moving. I don't tell myself any negative stories about it ('he doesn't love me, I'm being abandoned, etc.') I know he loves me; I'm fortunate in that I don't ever question that from my kids. And, I understand that a teenage guy really needs a DAD around as he's growing up, and that the ADHD probably will do better in the more structured household that isn't being run by a grown-up ADHDer. :) I'm excited that he has the opportunity, because he's going to get to go to a very good high school, one of the best in the country; and I'm proud of him for having the courage to take what is a big leap into the unknown for an almost-15-year-old.

And, even though I am not upset about his move, I am sad that I won't see him very often (yearly visits, like his dad gets now), and won't see the day-to-day changes, and be there when he comes home from his first date, and when he gets his license (OK, maybe I won't be sad about missing THAT part. I have enough grey hairs already, thanks! :) ) and all that. Little stuff, like not being with him on his birthday.

Ah, change. You'd think that since it's constant, we'd all get more used to it, but no one really seems to, do they?

I has a generation!

I'm not Gen X. I'm not a baby boomer.

I'm Generation Jones.

Makes sense to me.

* Note: Yes, the technical 'end date' for Jones is '65. But a) some demographic studies argue '67 or '68 and I think that's more accurate. b) Most of my classmates were born 65-67, and I contend that you get raised based on what grade you're in, not what age you are, when you're a 'different' age than most of your classmates. c) I can tell you that even when we were in high school, we knew that starting about two grades after me, people were -different-. Significantly different attitudes, actions, paradigms. Had we thought more deeply about it, we would indeed have said that they were far more cynical than we were. Therefore, my experience was that Generation X started, at least where I grew up, with people who graduated high school in about '87. I would argue that Generation Jones consists of those who graduated high school between about '74 through '85 or '86.

18 hours without power, whee!

But given the storms that ripped through here last night, and that ours is back up when IPL says some people won't have power until Tuesday, I guess I can't complain. No damage here: a few large tree limbs down, but not -on- anything. Just a long dark night was all...

I have permanent employment!

No more consulting - I'm now... well, the job title is "business analyst", but I'll be doing a LOT of stuff... for DKI Services Inc. I'm VERY excited about this opportunity. My new boss is also a good friend of mine, the company is solid and I like their attitude, and I'm going to be BUSY... creating CBTs, technical documentation, marketing documentation, doing a bit of tech support, and perhaps even doing some product management and marketing. No more 'what do I do when this project ends' moments. Benefits. And a real challenge in a position that is being tailored to my specific skill set. The only drawback is that it is a tiny bit of a pay cut from my consulting positions, or at least most of them... but that should be made up for by the fact that I won't be docked for time off, since I'll be salaried. (Amazing, when you're a consultant, how an hour here and there of 'picking the kids up' adds up to a hole in your paycheck. And we won't even talk about what holiday weeks are like, especially the two-day holidays...)

So this is a great career opportunity for me and I'm really, really excited!

Well...

I don't FEEL 40. :)

That is all. :)


PS - Thank you to all who sent me cards and well-wishes!

And for the California gang, since I know you'll get this if I post it here - a) really, I will email soon. I just can't get to personal email from work again (they block all the good sites, darnit) and, as you can see from the ungodly hour of this post, it's hard for me to find time that a kid isn't using the computer. :) And B) I am, honestly, not avoiding a certain member of my family. I just suck at writing letters. Shame he doesn't have email. :) I will get one out soon. Just... you remember what it's like to have kids this age, right? Someone's ALWAYS going somewhere. I am Mom Taxi Extraordinaire.

And speaking of which, better go sleep now -- have to be at the school at 7 Freaking 45 AM tomorrow for speech tourney...

Ah, the life of a consultant

Things have been very (VERY) slow at my work the last couple weeks. I was getting nervous. So, I threw some resumes out, and got an offer for a short-term contract starting January 2. Talked to my current work, and sure enough, they agreed there wasn't enough work here for a full-time writer (which makes me suspect that after the holidays I was going to get an unpleasant surprise. Well, not totally a surprise, because any time a consultant is twiddling her thumbs, she knows it's time to start looking...).

So, it's job-switch time again. But at least it's a pay increase, and will mean I won't pay to park downtown anymore. (That right there is a significant savings!)

I am in love with whitewater rafting now.

One trip, and I am hooked.

Went to southern Kentucky and took a raft trip on the Cumberland River this weekend.

It POURED down rain on Friday, and a decent amount of Saturday. Which at the time I was upset about, because it made driving down a PITA, and limited hiking on Saturday, and made the moonbow at Cumberland Falls almost invisible Saturday night. (I -think- I saw it. I wouldn't swear to it. The full moon was out, but slightly cloud-shrouded, and it really takes a fully clear night to see it. I have seen it once before, but the friend I was with had not, and I would have loved to have seen it again. Ah well, another trip.).

But I should know that what happens is always for the best. Because the lovely 'beginner' level class 3 rapids... were now up to class 4's. And one of them was a 5! (Unfortunately, they didn't let us go through that one, much to the chagrin of our very-experienced guide who wanted to take us. I was ready to go!)

I fell out of the boat once involuntarily, when an eddy tilted the side and surprised me. Not a big deal... they had us in seriously strong PFDs (personal floatation devices) and helmets. You go in, you bob up, you swim to the boat, they pull you in. (I'm still getting used to this concept that I am a strong swimmer. I've been swimming a lot this summer and something has just 'clicked,' and now people comment on how good my form looks. Completely unimaginable to me.) (And I clarify 'involuntarily' because I went in a few times just to swim, when they said it was ok.)

GREAT fun. Why do I live in Indiana where there is little water, few natural recreational opportunities, and no mountains? I'm starting to wonder about this...

Bored, restless, but still alive

I know, I know, long time no post.

Well, I'm no longer at Clarian. I'm on a short-term instructional design contract at Schwab that's great, as I'm doing a project all by myself start to finish... but it's only short-term. Wish I was doing this as my own company (a la http://ae.achievegrowth.org)... anyone know a company who has training they need developed, but they haven't had time or resources to do it themselves?

Tonight, I'm bored and restless. Don't want to work on my business, don't want to do anything constructive. Want a group of friends to go hang out with tonight, and I don't know anyone who's available. Figures; I'm busy 95% of the time, so it shouldn't surprise me that no one is around when I'm not!

So what's up with everyone out there? Or is anyone still out there, given how rarely I post nowadays???

PS I have SO got to change the avatar I have posted on this account. I haven't had hair that short for over a year!!!