you can beat the heat

I did not blog last night because I had nothing noteworthy to report - Aunt Kathy and I hung out for a couple of hours in the morning before she left to head north, and then I worked with v. mixed results. In fact, because I didn't have any meetings, I never actually got out of my pajamas, which is v. unusual for me. But I ended the day with some journaling and vowed to begin again today.

And today was, in fact, better and more productive. I got up in time to meet up with my mom and go to a local craft fair to check out the wares. I bought a few cute tings, and we talked to many people, so all in all it was a worthwhile endeavor. Then I came home, did some online shopping / listmaking, and then cleaned out my garage freezer. I never got it properly cleaned / arranged when I bought it, but I decided that I needed to get it properly set up so that I can go deep on meal prep. So I put all the food in coolers, took the shelves out and cleaned them, wiped down the walls, and then got the shelves into a better formation. I still need some bins or something it keep things organized, but it looks much better than it did.

Then I threw together some chicken and rice to bake, and then I continued to do various house tings until the food was ready. [Censored] and I took it out to Mom and Dad's house, where we ate the chicken and rice with some broccoli that Mom roasted + some leftover deviled eggs from Thanksgiving. After dinner, I drove my dad's truck into town for an adventure that I'm taking tomorrow, and then I messed around, did a bit of day job stuff, etc., until now.

And now it's time for bed - goodnight!

it's an art

Happy thanksgiving! I had a lovely day - yesterday was a total slog (albeit a nice slog, since I had some decent meetings with people I like), but today was much more chill. I got up, made myself some coffee, and then made apple crisp using Gram's recipe. I had to use store bought apples instead of apples from her tree, and I had to use gluten free flour, but it still turned out to be quite tasty. 

As it baked, I cleaned up the kitchen and living room and took a shower, and then I finished getting things ready and went out to Mom and Dad's. Aunt Kathy, Drewbaby, and Sammie came down for the day, and we had the usual thanksgiving meal with all the main food characters (turkey, mashed potatoes, corn casserole, green bean casserole, deviled eggs, etc). I made the potatoes and was pleased with how they turned out, and everything else was even better. 

Then we spent the afternoon playing two new-to-us games: Chameleon, which I liked, and some icebreaker type game that [censored] absolutely hated. Eventually we parted ways - I gave Drewbaby and Sammie a quick tour of my new property (it is quick by default bc it's small), and then I chilled for quite awhile. Then Aunt Kathy came to my house after doing some extended visiting with my parents, and we caught up until late in the evening. And now she's in my guest room, which means I'll see her tomorrow - but I don't have tomorrow off, so I'm going to do a bit of slogging again. Goodnight!

fragments

I'm not feeling all that tired, but I think I should go to bed - I've been going to bed too late, which means getting up too late, which impacts my ability to get anything done before the endless rush of slack messages and meetings kicks off. Today was fine, though - there was more stuff on my to-do list than I actually got done. But I had my favorite meeting of the month (which is basically just me and Adit and a couple of people who also do not call him the cat), and I had some other fun meetings, and so even though it was busier than I would have liked for Thanksgiving week, it's still not bad.

After I was done(ish) working, I had a glass of wine while chatting with [censored] and then eating some leftover mongolian beef. We watched the first half of the ISU / Dayton game, and then I adjourned upstairs, where I took care of some personal tings and then did a little bit of work.

And now I need to sleep - goodnight!

don't worry, i'm not in a hurry

I have nothing to share with you today - I slogged all day, with nary a break, and then made dinner, which turned out very well. And then I should have done some more work, but instead I messed around online, did a bit of shopping/browsing, and had a v. entertaining chat with Katrina. And now I need to sleep - goodnight!

if you want a second to breathe

I was far more productive today than I usually am on Sundays - it was sixty degrees today and it's going to drop precipitously this week, which made it feel like the last possible day of the year to do many tings. Not that I entirely focused on the outdoors - I spent the morning rearranging my coffee mugs and cleaning some of my kitchen cabinets. This wasn't exactly a necessary task, but somehow in the midst of all of my moving / remodeling, my favorite coffee mugs ended up in a box in the basement and my less favorite coffee mugs ended up in my kitchen. Since I have a million coffee mugs and go through phases of wanting yetis, ceramic tumblers, mugs, whatever, this has been a v. low priority to solve - but today felt like the right day.

Eventually, I finished that task, ate some cottage cheese, talked to [censored], did some more tings around the house, had a bagel, etc. And then I got cracking on outdoor stuff - I dumped my remaining dead plants on [censored]'s property, washed the outside of most of my downstairs windows, cleaned my grill and put the cover on it, blew leaves off my deck and driveway, and also did some laundry while I was at it. When the sun went down, I took a shower, started some rice in the rice cooker, and ran into town to get groceries. Unfortunately for me, one of the bags ripped as I was carrying it inside, and I broke a jar of salsa, which sent glass and tomatoes everywhere. Thanks to [censored]'s shopvac we managed to get it cleaned up, but it wasn't how I wanted to end my day.

After that, I was glad that [censored] and I had already decided to eat some frozen barbacoa beef from the freezer, since all I had to do was heat it up + heat a can of black beans. After dinner, I cleaned up, came upstairs, and did some v. important pre-black-friday shopping for myself. It's crazy how many sales are already going, and it seems like everything that has been on my list for awhile is marked down, so I'm trying to refrain from buying a million tings.

But now I need to go to bed so I can get up and do the job that will pay for those tings. Goodnight!

the emptiness machine

I had quite a productive Saturday, which I'm pleased about - I spent too much of it at my desk, but it was all in service of crossing personal tings off my to-do list, so I'm glad I was able to focus. I also took a walk, used my leaf blower to clean leaves off the deck of my new guest house (there is no bed and no appliances, but at least the deck won't rot), and did a variety of other tings.

Once evening rolled around, [censored] and I met the parents for prime rib at our favorite prime rib place. This is not entirely accurate; my mom and I had prime rib, but [censored] had a cheeseburger and Dad had fried shrimp. However, it was pretty tasty and definitely a good outing - winter is coming in fast and it will probably feel too cold to go next weekend (when the lows are supposed to be around 10-15). Tonight was chilly, especially near the door, but it certainly could have been worse. And I absconded with many after-dinner mints, so if we don't go back for awhile, at least I'm stocked up.

And now, I need to sleep - goodnight! 

relativity

I have been slogging like a very dedicated little corporate drone the last couple of days. Today was more of the same, although I spent a lot of it working from my chaise while wearing leggings and a sweatshirt, so it could be worse. Unfortunately the only time that I still feel bruising on my tailbone from my fall down the stairs last week is when I sit on my chaise - but I am more productive here than I am at my desk, so I shall suffer through.

So I did a bunch of work and had a bunch of meetings today, and then took a break to chat with [censored] and eventually eat dinner. And then I did another work session from 9ish to 11:30ish. And now I need to get my contacts out and wind down so I can sleep - goodnight!

hotstepper

I had an extremely boring day - allergy shots, followed by a whole lot of work and meetings. Luckily it was sunny outside, so I was able to tolerate everything slightly better, but still - it was all very boring and not at all noteworthy. And I ended the day with more work + laundry + a pretty tasty dinner (some pulled pork from the freezer + some leftover cheesy potatoes), which was not the worst way to end the evening.

The only actual noteworthy thing was that today was my dad's birthday - Happy Birthday, Dad! And now I need to sleep - goodnight!

got an unseen hand, it's better than the rest

Apologies for not blogging yesterday - I have been informed that this is leaving critical gaps in the historical record, which I may regret someday when AI replicates me and then doesn't know what I did on November 17, 2024. That could lead it to making decisions that are totally out of character for me - but will I care if I'm unconscious and the AI is just using my body as a battery while it lives my life for me?

Oops, that got dark!

So yesterday I decided to perk myself up by getting my nails done, but that meant making a fast trip to Des Moines since I live in the aesthetically challenged hinterlands. After a mani and a pedi, I went to the mall and stocked up on fleece leggings - just in time, since winter is definitely coming and the wind outside sounds brutal tonight. Then I came home in time to make burrito bowls for [censored], who deserved them since he cut down a [censored] for me while I was gallivanting around the city, despite his fear of [censored]. [Censored] is a better person than I am, but I shall continue to take advantage.

Today was a quick descent back into slogging, with a variety of meetings and other tasks. I finally wrapped up a little before seven, ate some leftovers, messed around online, and then had a long and v. overdue chat with Katie. After we hung up, I did the work that I needed to do tonight, which unfortunately took an hour and a half, but at least I won't have to do it tomorrow.

And now, it's time for bed - goodnight!

this world is not meant for you

I got a million hours of sleep last night, but somehow I still felt tired today. Despite that, I dug out a bunch of clothes from the basement and tried them on to evaluate whether to keep vs. donate. I also cleaned up some random tings, did a bunch of laundry, started a crockpot full of cheesy potatoes for dinner, took a nap, and made chocolate chip chewies. This was definitely not all that I intended to accomplish today, but overall I'll take it.

Eventually, [censored] and I went out to the parents' house, where I took advantage of the last almost-grillable day to grill ribeyes. It did not actually feel like grilling weather, but it's still above freezing, so I'll take it. I overcooked most of the steaks despite the cold - they were sliced thin, and 5mins was too much, but they were still totally edible. With the cheesy potatoes and chocolate chip chewies, I don't think anyone cared about the steaks anyway, but I could be wrong.

And now, I need to go to bed - I have many errands and other things I want to do tomorrow, which means sleep is imperative. Goodnight!

so open up i'm climbing in

Yesterday I hit a wall and had to go to bed immediately - and I should clarify that I figuratively hit a wall, and I'm glad it wasn't literal because I'm still sore from falling down the stairs the other day and am not enjoying sitting while working all day. But yesterday was good - a lot of slogging, two different board meetings in town (economic development at lunch, library board after work), and then takeout from the Mexican restaurant in town.

Today was a little easier in that it only involved one trip to town. I did a bunch of work during the day, talked to my friend Tanya, did some more work, and ran into town to get allergy shots. Then I came home and worked until 6:15ish. At that point I was feeling v. done, so I went downstairs and made spaghetti - luckily I still had some jars of sauce in the freezer, so [censored] and I were able to feast with basically zero effort on my part. Thanks, Past Sara, for doing me a favor for once.

And now, it's time for bed - goodnight!

yo operator, or innovator

I got up and wrote this morning before work, and then I slogged all day. This continued through dinner time - someone asked if I could chat just after I started my rice cooker, and I said yes, but that chat lasted for an hour. So it turned into an impromptu cooking show (for them), since we kept talking on video while I chopped tofu and peppers and mixed up the sauce for a stir fry. I did eventually stop the call just in time to actually stir fry everything, and I had just enough time to eat and put away the leftover before dashing into town for a meeting of my secret society.

The meeting was good, and the program after was excellent - Donna showed us her button collection, which was cooler than it probably sounds. Then I came home and said hi to [censored] and discussed renovation plans, which has been a topic of conversation more than I think either of us ever thought it would be. And then I came upstairs, got ready for bed, did a bit of journaling, etc. And now I must sleep - goodnight!

she's long gone

I have nothing noteworthy to report. I woke up this morning and wrote for an hour, which I suppose does feel noteworthy. I also fell down the stairs, but that wasn't that big of a deal - somehow my foot slipped while I was carrying a whole bunch of stuff, but I landed on my tailbone and slid down a couple of steps without further injury. I feel a little bruised, which I think is to be expected, but otherwise I'm none the worse for wear.

After that exciting start to the morning, I got ready and spent the rest of the day slogging with reasonable productivity. I should have slogged tonight, but I wasn't in the mood - I took care of a few minor tasks, but I will have to commence slogging tomorrow in earnest. Beyond that, I did some laundry, cleaned the kitchen, ate some leftovers, etc., none of which was exciting but all of which was necessary.

And now it's time for bed - goodnight!

your mind is not your friend

I had today off because my company's days off are based on federal holidays - I'm still not totally on board with that because I would rather have a couple of extra days off around 4th of July or Christmas instead of random Mondays, but it's better than nothing. However, I wonder if my work days usually look lazy from the outside, because [censored] didn't realize until almost 3pm that I had the day off. This despite the fact that I wore sweats the whole time, sat around doing v. little, and took a walk and did some outdoor / next door tasks in the middle of the afternoon. I know my work process looks odd to people who are used to having set times in office (and this has been true whether I work at a corporate job or am writing), but I didn't realize it looks like I'm not working at all.

Anyway, my day was fine - I didn't get as much done as I had intended to, but perhaps I needed the day to be mostly chill. [Censored] left around his usual time, and I spent the rest of the afternoon / evening messing around, eating leftovers, writing a bit, listening to music, etc. And now I'm going to read a bit and try to go to bed early (for me) so that I can reset for the week ahead. Goodnight!

they say you're basic, they say you're easy

I've had a reasonably productive couple of days, if I ignore the multiple hours that I spent lying in bed / sitting around this morning. Yesterday I slogged all day, and it actually felt good to slog. I worked until 6:15, and then [censored] and I went out to Mom and Dad's for dinner. Mom made beef stroganoff, which was quite tasty, and we hung out for a bit afterward. Then I came home, curled up on my chaise, and finished reading PLAYGROUND. I'd started it in SF a couple of weeks ago and was really enjoying it, but took a long hiatus due to other distractions. But I'm glad I finished it - the book was gorgeous (it's fiction, but a weird combo of oceanography, philosophy, and AI) and it had a twist at the end that made me want to immediately reread it.

Despite going to bed at a reasonable hour last night, I lazed about in bed until 10:30 this morning. Then I made some coffee and journaled for awhile before eventually getting with it. I did a deep clean of my bedroom and bathroom, which was v. necessary - between vacuuming and then cutting a ton of hair away from where it had wrapped itself around the vacuum, I probably could have made myself a small cap of my own hair. But now everything is delightfully clean and I rearranged some of my makeup so that I remember that I have it, which is pretty exciting.

However, I was definitely done with all housework by six and had no desire to do more. So I took the trash out, took a shower, and then ate leftover chicken and rice with [censored]. Then I did a small bit of day job stuff for my boss. And then I curled up on my chaise and started reading THE FRAGILE THREADS OF POWER, which I'd checked out from the library last week. So far I'm not sure about it - somewhat interesting characters, but I don't have a clear sense of what exactly the point is, so we'll see if we get there eventually.

And now, I need to sleep - goodnight!

that's that me espresso

I have v. little to report - I've been slogging, which is not interesting, and occasionally catching up with friends, which is interesting. This has mostly involved texting, which is always nice. But I also had a brief impromptu phone call with Terry yesterday, and I had dinner with Hannah last night, both of which were v. necessary. I've also been tidying things, doing laundry, etc., in an effort to exert control over my internal environment when my external environment is a dumpster fire.

Today was more of the same, but at the end of it I made chicken and rice for me and [censored]. This was an old favorite when I was in high school, but I haven't had it in years since canned Campbell's soups have been off limits due to gluten. But they recently started making cream of chicken and cream of mushroom in gluten free versions, and that means this casserole is back on the menu. It was quite tasty, if I do say so myself - and certainly easier than my usual recipes, which nearly always involve some amount of chopping of fresh ingredients.

After dinner, I worked for another couple of hours to make up for lost productivity during the day. And now I need to sleep - goodnight!

and when it heals it beats for you

I had a v. unusual day. It was quite rainy this morning and I felt a distinct lack of motivation to do anything, but I forced myself to go to Des Moines to stock up on many tings. The day job is putting a cramp in my style when it comes to being able to do these errands on weekdays, and I know every weekend between now and Christmas will only get worse in terms of shopping.

So, I made a speed run through Costco, Whole Foods, Menards, and Target, and I also got my nails done, and I somehow still made it home by 5:15. I unloaded the many tings from my car and was looking forward to a relaxing evening + getting some work done, but [censored] discovered that the sump pump wasn't working, which was not a pleasant revelation given that we've gotten a lot of rain and will soon get some more. So I went ahead and fixed dinner (with brunch items) while [censored] scrounged for supplies, and we ate while watching last night's SNL.

Then, we spent more time than either of us wanted to messing around in the basement - it was really all [censored], but it was a two-person effort to try to pump water out of the pit and into any drain in the basement that could handle a fire hose of water. The issue still isn't resolved, but to be clear, my basement wasn't flooded - and hopefully [censored] can figure out a solution in the near future.

But for now, that's a problem for Future Sara (or, more likely, Future [censored]) - for now it's time for bed. Goodnight!

i got edges that scratch

Apologies for not blogging the last couple of days - I was trying to be diligent with work and also with bedtime, and that often eliminated my desire to sit on my laptop/phone and write a post before bed.

Yesterday was lovely, though - I worked all morning, and then [censored] and I picked up takeout and went out to Mom and Dad's for a rare Friday lunch. Aunt Kathy had come down to hang out, so we all ate together, which was v. nice. And then we took a tour of my new holdings, which were a pleasant surprise for some people since everyone was expecting a garbage dump based on the last neighbor. That's not to say that it's amazing, but for my purposes, it will suffice.

I spent the rest of yesterday slogging until almost eight p.m., and then I ate leftover chicken and mashed potatoes while watching 'Stargate' with [censored]. Today, I got up with more urgency than I usually do on a Saturday (but still not exactly early) because I had volunteered to host a writing thing at the library at 10am. No one showed up, which suited me just fine - we didn't really publicize it much, and NaNoWriMo is basically defunct this year, so people who don't follow the library on Facebook were unlikely to see it. But I got a couple of hours of writing done, which I will totally take.

Then I went across the street and voted, and I felt v. lucky because there happened to be no one in line in front of me when I got there (although someone walked out as I walked in, and three or four people were behind me by the time I was done). Then I came home, ate lunch, did some tings with [censored], and then spent the rest of the afternoon organizing my office papers. Eventually, I stopped so that I could make some chili for dinner, which hit the spot, and then I spent the last couple of hours doing various online things.

And now I need to sleep - goodnight!