My Mac mini works again! I'm moving and deleting photos libraries

After nearly two months of not being able to boot up my Mac mini, I tried last night and it worked. Yay!

First things first. I moved my photos library from my Mac mini to external storage. I am currently deleting a number of libraries from my Mac mini.

I take a lot of photos. My current library is 218 GB. No wonder my Mac mini fails to boot up, especially with all the library copies that I have. There simply isn't enough memory to do anything.

Here's to freeing up hard disk space.

Trying out my Google Nest Mini

I have been chipping away at little projects around the house that I have put aside. It was a combination of not spending a lot of time at home and not being motivated.

Two months ago, I got a Google Nest Mini for free. I received in the mail and kept it in its box all this time.

Last night, I decided to give it a whirl. It plays my music fine. I can ask it to play my music and tell me what the weather forecast is. It works like my Alexa speaker.

It would be interesting to pit them together and see if they can converse with each other.

Breaking out of the house twice a week and safely fetching ramen while out

With the COVID-19 pandemic, I only go out twice a week to for groceries and essentials. I go out on Wednesdays after working from home and on Saturdays.

I feel for eateries these days, especially the local, smaller ones. I tend to order online and pick my food up while I'm out getting groceries and dropping by the drugstore.

On Saturday, I found a ramen place roughly ten minutes away. It is offering all ramen at 50% off its regular price. Wow! I love ramen. Not only did I get some ramen, but decided to get two appetizers that would equal the discount.

When I went to pick it up, I was between two sets of doors. A man working there greeted me behind the second glass door. It was cool. He let me know that my food was on the table. I looked and was so happy. I thanked him. He wished me a good day. I reciprocated.

The food was amazing and delicious. I will be back for more.

Took a nap and dreamt about my ex fondling my butt

On Friday, I got a software release out the door. It was a painful set of tasks to complete throughout this entire week.

After all the chaos had ended, I was tired and took an afternoon nap. It is one of the perks these days when you are working from home.

I dreamt about my ex-guy. He came over to me and kissed me. He then fondled my butt.

I woke up. I was startled. Did I dream about him because I wrote about him the night before? Or, is there another meaning behind the dream?

Here's hoping that such dreams don't return to haunt me.

My ex's birthday and not wishing him a good one

Today is my ex-boyfriend's birthday. It is the first in a long time where we are not a couple.

Although I am a thoughtful person, I have made the painful decision to not wish him a happy birthday. Saying a one-sentence greeting will prompt communication with him.

I don't want it. It would hurt. Thinking about him still does here and there.

I know how I felt when he had reached out to me a few times since he broke up with me. I didn't like him wishing me a happy 2020. It felt like a farce and incredibly insincere. I didn't like when he wished me a happy birthday last year. He was late, but made the claim that he was still on time. Whatever.

Although I miss his kisses, hugs, and conversation from time to time, the bottomline is that he broke my heart. It's not in my best interest to open up a healing wound by initiating conversation with the very person who hurt me.

Electric toothbrush change

I have used an electric toothbrush for nearly two decades. It does make a difference. I get my teeth cleaned at the dentist's office twice a year and my plaque buildup is minimal.

I have been a Braun Oral-B user since the beginning. My recent one was falling apart on the outside after nearly a decade.

Recently, I bought a replacement electric toothbrush and decided to try a Philips Sonicare DiamondClean classic. It's purple, which happens to be my favourite colour.

I will use it for the first time once I'm done writing this post. It's currently charting in a glass cup. It's neat.

It's funny how a small change is an exciting one.

My travel toothbrush is still a Braun Oral-B. I am glad that I have it around, as I have many brush head replacements for it.

Working from home for a while, as the office is locked down

I have a virtual meeting every single day this week with my manager. It makes the week longer. Thank goodness each meeting is only an hour.

I haven't been outside since Saturday. I will need to step out tomorrow and get some groceries.

Tonight, my office will be locked down. Our badges are deactivated. Strict measures are in place.

So many changes. Stay safe and healthy, everyone!

Staying at and working from home makes me focus on organization

I have lost count of how long I have been working from home this month. It's easier to say that I have worked in the office once this month.

I find that after I'm done work that I take a nap, fix myself dinner, and then organize various parts of my home. Last night, I spent a good couple of hours filing my tax receipts away, re-organizing how my bedroom looks, doing laundry, and throwing out correspondence that I don't need anymore.

It all feels good and freeing. It's cool.

At this rate, my home will look pretty tidy and nice.

Self-isolation, self-spankings, and panties

I haven't talked about wanting to be spanked or giving out a spanking for a while. Frankly, when I don't have someone to spank me or someone who wants to be spanked, there is little inspiration.

With COVID-19 around, it is even more difficult to date, and perhaps find that perfect guy who likes spanking and wants to be with me. Self-isolation means that self-spankings are the my safest bet.

The problem is that I'm not in the mood. I get aroused thinking about it, but I simply don't feel like spanking myself.

Yesterday, I signed up for a panty service. This company sends you either one or three panties in each shipment. It's up to you to decide. You can decide on the cut that you like wearing. You can also specify whether you want them shipped monthly or every two months.

The feedback from customers is that these panties are cute, sexy, and are of high quality. Some have lace that is comfortable. Others don't and are cool. I signed up for a panty every two months. Perhaps feeling sexy and cute in a pair will make me want to spank myself and take them down for a harder spanking, too.

I'm looking forward to my first shipment. I'll keep you posted on how it goes, as I have never subscribed to a panty service.

Thankful for being employed during COVID-19 uncertainty

I am fortunate to be able to work from home during this COVID-19 pandemic. I work in the IT field and have a laptop. Other than spending more time and effort communicating with my colleagues, I can comfortably work from home and get paid.

My employer has asked all employees to work from home till the end of the month. Well, that date got changed to April 10. It will mean that it will be five weeks of working from home for me. Perhaps it will be extended some more.

I look at the restaurant business here in the greater Toronto area. Restaurants have shut down dine-in services. Takeout and delivery services are the only ways that these restaurants can offer their services. Bartenders and servers can't work from home. They are either laid off, or their employer pays them and then suffers the consequences of losing money daily.

I feel for businesses these days, especially local ones. My ordering takeout from them here and there will hopefully help a bit.

Here's hoping that we can resume our regular lives when this pandemic disappears.

My friend is a nurse and a meal discount for her

A few hours ago, I learned that my friend in Ottawa is a nurse. She had indicated that she was in the health field. I never pry when it comes to what people do for a living. When they are ready to let me know, they will. She quietly let me know.

She's doing well. I told her to take care of herself. She is on the frontlines with Canadians who may or may not have COVID-19.

I let her know that Harvey's is having a promotion for health care workers and first responders starting today. When they present proof that they are in the health care field, their meals are 50% off. It's a nice gesture. She was thrilled to hear about the deal. It lasts for a week.

I'm glad that I did a small part to brighten her day.

Evil eye bracelet - leaving the past behind

I have been wearing an evil eye bracelet for years. I had two different ones years ago, but they both broke.

My ex-boyfriend tried his hardest to get me a replacement. He first bought one from Winners, but it was too short. He eventually went to Istanbul and got me two different styles. I have been wearing the same one ever since.

Well, since he broke up with me, I have been wearing it because I love it so much. However, it was getting tarnished. It wasn't real silver. I decided to search for a new one. It took a while, but I finally have a sterling silver one with a blue evil eye.

Last weekend, I retired the old one. I also closed another chapter of my time with the ex-boyfriend. I have been doing it in steps. It's progress.

Achilles tendon pain and sleep

For a few years now, I have had foot pain. I had a pinched nerve and the foot pain is a consequence.

I have had issues with my achilles tendon as of late. I have pain now and again. It takes most of the day for it to dissipate. I need to stretch it out more often. I woke up to this pain at 5 am on Tuesday and it lasted for most of the day.

Last night, I slept solidly as if I had never slept in my life. It's amazing what 24 hours will do, especially when the pain goes away.

Dealing with an annoying ex-boyfriend

The ex-boyfriend can't take a hint. I said our relationship was over. He still wants to continue with it.

We were chatting on WhatsApp during our over two-month relationship. I let him know that it wasn't going to work and I let him go by ending our relationship. I also said that I would block him, as I knew how he was the first time I had ended it. Sure enough, he wrote an e-mail to say that we should try again.

I didn't respond to it.

A week later, he used a different phone number of ping me on WhatsApp. He didn't want to acknowledge the issues that I had with him. He continued on as if nothing had happened between us. I blocked him again.

Yesterday, he texted me directly. The graphic with the saying, "You never know how much you love someone until you watch them love someone else," was eerie. I am getting over you. I have no interest picking up a new relationship.

I blocked both his cell phone numbers from getting texts and phone calls on my phone.

I am relieved that I ended it so soon. Clearly, he doesn't respect my wish to end our relationship or me. Not getting proper respect has been my issue with him both times that I ended our relationship. I can't be with someone when he dismisses my needs and thoughts.

A manager to can't control his team working from home and great colleagues who care

As expected, my manager, a control freak, cannot handle his entire team working from home. He feels the need to write long-winded e-mails to everyone on everything. He can't keep an eye on anyone, so this method of madness is his way of coping. Odd.

He ended up sending me a multitude of e-mails. I know that I have tasks to do. Micromanaging me by copying and pasting what he had already written to me last week isn't going to make me work faster. I need responses from others around the world. Give me a break! Maybe trust me.

Anyway, I decided to say thanks to three colleagues on Monday by recognizing them in our internal tool. Two of them took my belongings off my desk and stowed them safely away so that staff could sanitize my desk. It was thoughtful of them. I also recognized my project manager, thanking her for supporting me when my manager interrogated me last week before abruptly banning me from the office. Her compassion and support were most appreciated.

It's nice that I have support when I need it the most.

Taxes and financial outlook

On Sunday, I filed my taxes. I am roughly 1.5 months early. I am looking forward to getting money at the end of the month.

Things at work are better. For a while, employees didn't get bonuses for three years because our company was digging itself out of debt. Last year, we got a bonus and it was amazing. I get one again at the end of the month, which is supposed to be better than the previous year. Yay!

I am looking forward to taking that money and paying off my debt. I also hope to invest some of it. I am working on an emergency fund in my savings account. It has been years since I've had a decent one.

I like that my financial situation is getting better. It has taken a while, but it's nice to see things coming together.

Working from home - company-wide till the end of March

On Friday, I received an e-mail saying that employees can work from home till the end of the month. It requires manager approval.

My manager is a control freak. Although I see myself getting approval, the fact that his entire team can potentially work from home this month without his full control over the situation will be difficult for him to digest.

I have been fortunate to have had support from friends and colleagues over his horrible delivery about my being banned from the workplace because I went to the States. It's one thing to be safe. It's also about being compassionate, which he lacks as a person.

Broke up and feeling good

The other day, when I wrote about how my manager banned me from the office without a ton of compassion, I was dealing with another issue.

I decided to end my relationship with the guy that I have been remotely dating for just over two months. The issue last month about not taking no for an answer and not respecting me? It happened again. I feel good.

I went ahead and blocked him from WhatsApp. I told him that it was over.

The downside is that I had lent him money. I don't expect him to pay me back. If he does, it would be a miracle.

He needed more money to get him out of a horrible construction contract. I put my foot down and said no. The following day, he asked me again. I asked him what part of no was unclear. He completely did not listen to what I had said. So, he's out of my life.

I need to find a nicer guy who respects who I am and what I say. I also need a guy who doesn't think that I am a bank.

It's the weekend. Hope that you have a safe one under these odd, unpredictable times.

Banned from the office for travelling to the States

My manager has given me a work-from-home sentence for travelling to the States. The way in which he did it wasn't nice.

To put things into content, I returned home from the States last Tuesday. I then got food poisoning. I worked from home last Wednesday, and took last Thursday and Friday off as sick days.

My first day back in the office was on Monday. I was tired from all the throwing up and not eating much, but I was fine otherwise.

Yesterday, I worked from home. I received an e-mail from my manager with two questions:

• Did I travel abroad while I was on vacation?
• Where did I go?

Without any context, getting personal questions about where I went on vacation was odd and really none of his business. Without having a chance to respond to this e-mail, he pinged me on our company instant messaging app to reply to his e-mail. I didn't like that approach, either.

I asked him whether his line of questioning was due to COVID-19. He said yes and that it was travel policy. Interesting. Our travel policy has not listed the States as being a place where you need to self-isolate immediately when you arrive back in Canada.

So, I let him know that I was in the States. He wrote back saying that I was to remain at home for fourteen days from the day that I returned. He actually wrote, "DO NOT come to the office."

What annoyed me more was his tons of questions about who I came in contact with and for how long. I wrote back and asked whether this was truly policy. I then had lunch at 2 pm.

He wrote back and said that it wasn't a formal policy. It made me think that he was being cautious and paranoid simultaneously. He saw my car parked in the lot at work and put this association together.

He then pinged me on my instant messaging app and said that I needed to respond to his e-mail immediately. I'm sorry, but I had a ton of work that needed attention. He claimed that his request was top priority and a response would take "a minute" after I said that I needed some time. I finally put my foot down and said, "Not, it does not. Again, I need some time."

He is a jerk who has no compassion. I wrote back an hour later, indicating that having some context would have been nice.

I talk to a lot of people at work. It comes with the job. He decided well before my response to send my intern home. My intern and I had lunch together on Monday. I frankly think that my manager took things too far. I don't have any symptoms of COVID-19 and he made me feel like crap.

I let my intern and a friend at work know about this situation just after it happened. I'm glad that I did. My intern figured it out and let me know that he was sent home. My friend has been there for support since this situation occurred, which I appreciate.

I don't mind working from home. I get to save time and gas. I just don't like how this decision was delivered to me and his approach.

Recovering from food poisoning

It has been a while. Here's the scoop.

I got food poisoning on Wednesday. I was working from home and wasn't feeling great. I ended up vomiting on four separate occasions. It wasn't fun.

On Thursday, I was starting to get better. I had a couple of crackers with water for a couple of meals. I was happy that I could hold food down.

I graduated to soup on Friday. Chicken noodle soup tasted so good from a can. I had to go to the supermarket. I felt weak walking to my car from my home. Luckily, I did much better walking around the supermarket.

Saturday left me exhausted. I went to run a few errands and took breaks, My stamina and energy are not fully there.

I took it easy on Sunday. I also have a cough. Raw honey helps soothe a sore throat.

I go back into the office on Monday. We'll see if I survive. I am thankful that I am on the mend.

Here's hoping that you're doing much better!

Wrapping up a great trip

I am wrapping up my trip to the Twin Cities. I have packed a lot in, but all is well.

I have yet to see the Minnesota Wild win a game at home. Bummer. I don't think it's me. Unless the Wild get into the playoffs, the game on Sunday is my last one for this season.

Tuesday is a travel day. I'm glad that I took an extra day off.