Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Foot pain, freezing drizzle, snow, and mending

I had excruciating foot pain at around 3 am. It was likely from all the walking that I had done yesterday. I couldn't go back to sleep after consuming some Ibuprofen.

On top of that, there was freezing drizzle, followed by snow. I decided to reschedule my lunch meeting with my friend for Tuesday. It worked out well for her, as she had to clean up her laptop before returning it, and she needed more time. She welcomed the extra day.

I have spent my day getting rid of my foot pain in my hotel room. The pain finally subsided a few hours ago. I managed to nap a couple of times, so I am feeling much better.

It's a good thing that I am a planner. I had bought groceries last night, so I heated up food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I even have dessert! More importantly, my foot pain generally gets better when I have foods rich in potassium. I brought supplements. However, I also bought a carton of soy beverage, which has potassium. Two glasses later, my foot pain went away.

It has been quite the day. I look forward to heading out later on today. I hope that the road conditions are much better. The snow is supposed to stop soon.

Monday, December 30, 2019

Walking and winter storm advisory

I walked a lot on Sunday. It has been ages since I spent almost four hours at a mall. I did.

There is a winter storm advisory for tomorrow. Naturally, it's the day that I am meeting a friend whom I haven't seen in almost a decade. I told her that I'd let her know how things unfold. The worst case would be to reschedule for Tuesday.

It's never a dull day, even on vacation!

Sunday, December 29, 2019

Reflective and relaxed

I'm stateside. All is well.

Being on vacation has made me extremely reflective. Being on a plane makes me think about my current and past friendships and relationships. Songs lyrics make me nostalgic, happy, sad, and more. It has been therapeutic.

On a good note, I am eating well and experiencing new places to eat yummy food. It has been great so far.

Saturday, December 28, 2019

Ladyscaping

Manscaping has been a term that is used often to describe men trimming hair in private areas. How about ladyscaping? I haven't used it until now. I have talked about it briefly here and there, but never really knew that there was a word for it.

When I first started dating my ex-guy, he played with my rather abundant pubic hair. He said that it could use a trim, but liked it. When he broke up with my for the second time (there has been a grand total of three times), I decided to trim it short. When we got back together, he liked it and wondered why I did it.

My heart was broken. I needed a change.

Last night, I decided to do my usual pubic hair trimming. I have it down to a science. It takes little time these days. I find it therapeutic.

I see discussions online about trimming public hair into shapes, such as a triangle, or using stencils to make cute shapes. I don't see myself doing it. Never say never, though.

Friday, December 27, 2019

Travel and friendship

I am all packed. I always feel like I have forgotten to pack something, though.

I am thrilled that I get to see a friend during this trip. I haven't seen her in a decade. I felt bad that I have not in touch with her as often as I would like.

It's good that she understands me. It's nice that our friendship remains strong and intact for nearly two decades!

Thursday, December 26, 2019

Boxing Day, Minnesota, and travel

It's Boxing Day. I will likely head out later on today and break my two-day hibernation.

I am leaving for the Twin Cities in a couple of days. I am looking forward to returning to Minnesota, where I called it home for a couple of years. It's nice to be on vacation.

Wednesday, December 25, 2019

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas and happy holiday to you all! I hope that you have a joyous, healthy, and wonderful day.

P.S. My butt is still sore from yesterday's self-paddling session.

Tuesday, December 24, 2019

Hair, bag, and a good birthday self-paddling

On Saturday, a couple of nice things happened to me.

I first went to get my hair cut. The hairdresser asked me what I wanted done. She held my hair in her hands and commented that I have nice hair. I felt good, as it has taken time and some effort to get my hair to its current state.

I then went to the grocery store and bought a few items. The woman at the cash register asked if I needed a bag. I said that I was good and took out my reusable bag from my tiny purse. She was amazed at how large and durable my bag was. She even commented that it was a pretty pink. I let her know that I had purchased it from Indigo.

Tonight, I decided to spank myself. I needed it. I started out with a hand spanking over my panties. They weren't hard spanks, but enough to arouse me.

Several months ago, I bought a beach paddle set. I hadn't used the paddle on me until tonight.

I was pretty bold in that I started using the wooden paddle across my bare butt. I started lightly swatting each buttock, ultimately building up such that I gave myself several birthday spankings. It became paddling my age on one buttock plus one to grow on, and then I switched to the other buttock. I did it again, but harder, on each butt cheek. I ended it all by giving myself my birthday swats plus one for good luck across both buttocks.

I am a bit sore, but I feel good. I'm now horny thinking about the whole fun ordeal.

Monday, December 23, 2019

Thoughts about the ex

Now that I am on vacation and the craziness has died down, thoughts about my ex-guy pop into my head. I hope to find a nice man in the near future. However, it still doesn't sit well how the ex ended our relationship.

It's natural for me to try and figure out what I did wrong. Frankly, I still think that he changed and simply wanted to do his own thing. I have accepted it. I just didn't like his spending months treating me like dirt by not communicating with me. His decision made 2019 not my best year. Yet, I have managed to get by.

I wish that I could shut down these random thoughts when things aren't busy in my life. I need to work on it.

Sunday, December 22, 2019

Exhausted, but love change

I'm exhausted. I slept in last night. I'm repeating this routine tonight.

Work has bogged me down. It's nice to finally unwind.

I got my hair cut on Saturday. Change is good.

Saturday, December 21, 2019

Vacation, eyewear, and contact lenses

My vacation has begun. What have I done so far? I have ordered two new pairs of eyeglasses and two boxes of contact lenses.

Riveting stuff, right? I'm off to bed.

Happy weekend, everyone!

Friday, December 20, 2019

Good things came in threes for me

The year is winding down at work. I got a bunch of gifts on Thursday.

A project manager thanked me for my hard work recently. She got me a Belgian chocolate cake. I was feeling chilled and not the best yesterday, so I'll eat the cake when I am back to my normal self. I thanked her for the kind gesture.

A colleague got me chocolates. Yum!

Finally, my manager gave me a bunch of points towards anything at our online store. He thanked me for my efforts getting five software releases out the door within the last three weeks.

No wonder I felt under the weather yesterday. Work has just been weighing me down. Today is my last workday before I go on vacation. Yay!

Thursday, December 19, 2019

Vision is good

Yesterday, I got to squeeze in my appointment with my optometrist. All went well. I have nearly 20/20 vision again. Yay!

My prescription  is relatively stable, except for my astigmatism. It's exciting to get a new pair of glasses. I haven't for the last four years.

Wednesday, December 18, 2019

Foot pain and sleep

I have muscle pain in my right foot now and again. It was pretty bad a few hours ago. I find that Ibuprofen works. It does take a few doses to completely get rid of the pain.

It's painful when I'm trying to drive and I feel this sharp, surging pain happening in my foot. Luckily, it has subsided. I was exhausted from the pain that, when it finally died, I took a nap for a couple of hours ago.

Here's hoping that I can sleep well tonight. Luckily, I am working from home today.

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

Eye appointment and sniffles

I am working from home day. I look forward to some quiet time, away from incompetent folks.

I need to schedule an eye appointment. I am due to see an optometrist. Here's hoping that I can get an appointment this week.

I'm a bit sniffly. It's not the best time to catch a cold, but I feel something coming on. Let's hope that I am wrong.

Monday, December 16, 2019

One more workweek to go before vacation

This week is my last workweek before the holidays. I am off for two weeks and I need it.

I went out on Sunday and caught up with a good friend. I'm tired. I need a weekend to recover from the weekend.

Sunday, December 15, 2019

Slush equals soggy shoes and socks

Saturday was a soggy, slushy weather day. I didn't choose my shoes well. The slush got to my shoes and socks. It wasn't pleasant.

I'm out all weekend, but have made time to sleep in. It's good.

Saturday, December 14, 2019

Weekend and changes in the works at work

The weekend is here. I am thrilled and exhausted from work.

I had a good talk with my manager. He wants to take the incompetent woman off my team and get another colleague to help me out. I hope that it works out. I can't take working with this incompetent woman these days and picking up the slack. She's simply an idiot.

I'm off to bed. Enjoy your weekend!

Friday, December 13, 2019

Office function - reconnecting

Yesterday, I squeezed in a holiday office function. It was fun. I ate way too much, though.

This past summer, I was in Montreal for training. I met some folks from this course who were from my office. They work on other floors. I got to say hi and chat with them. It was great. One hugged me, as we had spent many hours working as a team. The other person and I did a handful of role-playing exercises and we shook hands. I was the only woman in the course.

It is great that a course bonds folks together. I'm so glad that this function was meaningful and a well-deserved, brief break from the craziness that is work.

Thursday, December 12, 2019

Craziness at work, but am hanging in there

Things at work are nuts. A software release got moved up by four days. Luckily, I have had my intern and another colleague work with me on it. We are seeing the finish line.

I normally work at home on Wednesdays. Yesterday, I went into work. It was good under the circumstances.

Tomorrow, I'm off to attend an office function. The next couple of weeks will be busy. I am looking forward to taking a break soon.

Wednesday, December 11, 2019

Penis pillow

Let's face it. The penis isn't exactly the most attractive body part.

Well, I stumbled across this fine penis-shaped pillow. Yes, I can see myself cuddling up to a cute, stiff penis on a cold winter's night.

I'm not sure if I'd call him jumbo Pierre, though. There's also a smaller version.

Tuesday, December 10, 2019

I'm back and am sleepy

I'm home after a relaxing, fun staycation. I am exhausted, though.

My room's alarm clock woke me up an hour earlier than I had anticipated. I wish that I could sleep in tonight, but I have a teleconference call at 7 am.

More about my weekend later... I need some sleep!

Saturday, December 07, 2019

Packed and ready for the weekend

I'm all packed for my mini staycation. I am going to a concert tonight. I am so looking forward to the next couple of days!

Have a happy, safe weekend, everyone!

Friday, December 06, 2019

Staycation and work

I am doing a brief weekend staycation. I am packed for the most part, as I just came back from one last weekend.

There is a snowfall warning happening. I had planned to go to work to bail the incompetent woman out. We'll see if I end up working from home instead.

Yesterday, I got our major software release out the door with my intern's help. The other one naturally has issues because incompetent woman can't figure things out.

I'm off to bed soon. I'm exhausted, but happy.

Thursday, December 05, 2019

Work frustrations and self-spanking videos

My team has two software releases this week. The incompetent woman can't handle one of them. My entire team has to pitch in yet again on straightforward work.

Our other major release is smooth in comparison. It amazes me how argumentative and defensive she gets. Her communication is practically nonexistent. She assigned work for my intern to do without telling me. That's not how things work.

On an interesting note, I spent some time last night watching self-spanking videos. I applaud folks who have the guts to take self-spanking videos and post them up on SpankingTube. I could never do that.

I haven't spanked myself for a while. It was nice to get horny about it last night. Perhaps this weekend will be a good start.

Wednesday, December 04, 2019

Predictable dentist's appointment and recognition at work

My dentist's appointment was predictable. I got x-rays done on my teeth. My teeth were cleaned. I have no cavities. Predictable is good.

On Monday, I went to an all-employee meeting at work. My manager rolled out a project that our team has been working hard on for several months. He had a slide recognizing all of us by listing our names.

For the last 1.5 months, I have been working closely with a developer to document a new way of installing software. We worked well together.

Well, his manage had a slide that listed only software developers on his team. He didn't put me on it. It didn't sit well with me.

On Tuesday, this developer sent me a recognition e-mail, which is a part of our internal program, saying nice things about working with me to get these steps documented. I appreciated it and responded back. My manager saw this recognition and also acknowledged it.

It's nice to be recognized from time to time.

Tuesday, December 03, 2019

Work,working from home, and balance

I am working from home today. I have a dentist's appointment in a few hours. Here's hoping that all is well.

Currently, I'm doing a bit of work. I normally don't log on at this hour. However, this work requires that my colleagues are off our authoring tool.

I like that things are quiet. I don't have any interruptions to deal with right now. It's nice.

I haven't worked from home for over a week. It feels odd. Yet, it's precious time.

Sadly, I have to go to work on Wednesday. Next week will be back to my regular work-home balance.

Monday, December 02, 2019

Weather, laundry, and closing off 2019

We had rain, freezing rain, and snow on Sunday. I hope that it will be safe for me to drive to work in a few hours. Otherwise, I'll need to work from home and dig out my laptop from my car's trunk.

I got back home yesterday and decided not to bring my laptop in with me. I had my luggage and groceries to haul home that I didn't think about my laptop at all.

I spent last night doing laundry. It's relaxing, as the machines do all the work.

It's December. I am looking forward to wrapping up this year. It hasn't been the best, but I'm doing well under the circumstances.

Sunday, December 01, 2019

Late checkout, noise, and customer service

It's December. Where did this year go?

I am at home, ending my staycation. My last evening at the hotel was nice. After work, I headed to the check-in counter and asked the man there if I could do a late checkout on Saturday. He asked when. I said 2 pm. He made it 3 pm. Nice!

He asked me how my stay was. I said that it was great. The only bad thing was construction along highway 401. Drilling and construction starts between 10 pm to 11 pm, and runs overnight. I said that it's rather disruptive. The good thing is that I come equipped with earplugs, so I'm good.

He apologized and advised that hotel management has asked the construction folks to change the time. It obviously hasn't helped. This construction is building a train line underground.

What I did expected was a knock on the door an hour after I had talked to him. He personally came up to my room to deliver some snacks and drinks, to apologize for the noise. I appreciated it and thanked him.

That's great customer service. Sadly, this construction goes until 2021.

Friday, November 29, 2019

Sore left buttock, reflections of being single, and my staycation coming to an end

I did CPR exercises a couple of days ago. It required doing 30 chest compressions, followed by two breaths. I did this cycle five times. I was doing it on a mannequin.

Kneeling on the floor and doing these exercises has caused me to use muscles that I don't normally use. Oddly, my left lower buttock is achy. It's almost as if I was spanked in that area.

I still miss being spanked. It occurred to me that this Christmas will be the first without having a partner to love. To cuddle up to. To kiss.

It's perfectly okay. It isn't everything. I am thrilled that I am in good health. I am happy to be alive. I am grateful for getting this far.

Being in a hotel room allows me to relax and reflect. I like the idea of driving to work in 25 minutes. It has been great watching TV, which I don't normally do. This change has been refreshing.

Tomorrow, I check out and return home. I hope to do another staycation again soon.

Thursday, November 28, 2019

Slept through the night after physical CPR activities

I slept through the night. I suppose that CPR exercises will do that.

It is strange that construction happens off the side of a highway near this hotel at midnight and continues for several hours. It has been happening since Monday night. The exception was last night. It was incredibly windy and gusty that construction work had ceased.

Here's hoping that it continues tonight. It was nice to get a break.

Despite this odd disruption, I do enjoy being at this hotel. It's incredibly comfortable and feels like home.

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

CPR and a cosmo

I completed two parts of a first aid and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) course this month. I did my test today and I am certified. Yay!

I haven't done a CPR course since I was in grade 8, which seems like eons ago. I'm glad that I went through this program, despite things being rather crazy at work.

My staycation continues. To celebrate this fine milestone, I had dinner at the restaurant attached to the hotel. It makes a decent raspberry blood orange cosmo. Yum!

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Robe and construction at midnight

I do love my staycation, despite still going into work daily. I like the robe and slippers that I have. I feel cozy wrapped up in a robe.

The only downside is that there was construction happening at midnight for several hours. I don't get it. Sure, it's next to a highway. Do the construction crew not realize that it's a fairly residential area and that folks perhaps want to sleep?! I slept with my earplugs on, so I was good.

Here's hoping that I don't have to sleep with earplugs in tonight.

Staycation and benefits

I am enjoying my staycation. I like going to work and having a shorter commute.

It's nice to grab some dinner and a hot chocolate after work. I head back to the hotel and relax as if I am at home.

Of course, it's helpful to have been upgraded to a suite. It's cozy and I like the bedroom being separate from the living room. I sleep a lot better without hearing folks in the hallway.

It's always great when your hotel room feels like your home away from home.

Monday, November 25, 2019

Winnipeg Blue Bombers win the Grey Cup!

Congrats to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. The team beat the Hamilton Ti-Cats in Canadian League Football (CFL).

The Blue Bombers have ended a 29-year drought. Yay!

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Staycation and my home away from home for a week

My staycation has started. This one is longer. My thinking was that since I am in the office all this week, the drive would be easier if I stayed closer to work.

I love this hotel. It's my first time staying here. It's roughly twenty minutes away from the office by car. It's a nice change from my hour commute!

I am in a suite. I lucked out and got an upgrade. It comes with a kitchenette. I am looking forward to getting some groceries, so I can fix myself breakfast.

It feels like home. It's great so far.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Being nice can make someone day and your own

I had my ophthalmologist appointment yesterday. I am doing great. My next appointment has been extended to five months. This one was four months later.

I didn't like dealing with one staff member there who had a horrible tone in her voice, accusing me of not signing a consent form and then asking for my health insurance. She was shocked when I questioned her on how often I needed to sign said form. I don't sign things because you tell me to. I need to know why. I enjoyed giving her advice to call patients for such details before they come into the clinic. No one likes surprises. No one likes to be told, "You didn't sign the consent form." Why can't people word things well these days?

Anyway, with my eyes dilated, sitting in the waiting area, an older woman sat down across from me. Our eyes met. I was smiling. She reciprocated. I think she made my day and vice-versa.

We started talking. My name was called. I apologized and went over for yet another brief test. We ended up sitting next to each other, as there are a couple of tests that shuffle you around the waiting area.

We got to talk. It was nice. She and her daughter drove from Wasaga Beach. It's a good distance to travel down for a medical appointment. She told me that there's tons of snow up there. There isn't any snow left in Scarborough.

When it was my turn to get my eye injection, I wished both of them a good day. They reciprocated.

It's good to be nice. Pass it on!

Friday, November 22, 2019

Busy packing, going to appointments, and working

I spent some time packing for my staycation. I am pretty late with this task for my standards. I have been trying to wrap up work.

My doctor's appointment went well. I have another appointment today. I then get a bit of a break before I have a dental one in a couple of week.

Ah, the excitement... haha!

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Layoffs and canned presentation

I normally work from home on Wednesdays. I changed things up due to my two medical appointments and went into work yesterday.

It was an interesting day to be in the office. The good news is that I had a massive full rack of ribs for lunch. There was a deal going on at a local restaurant. I took advantage of it.

The downside was that a snap meeting was held while my student, manager, and I were out having lunch. It's ridiculous to call a meeting fifteen minutes before it starts and during the lunch hour.

It turns out that six people were laid off in my department. It's difficult to tell whether it was due to performance or that they had been with the company for eons. They were gone. Just like that.

One person was on my team. I didn't expect him to be turfed. This person's manager was also let go.

My manager was candid with me during our regular biweekly meeting. He though that he would be the one to go. It was an odd statement. He said that I would be fine.

It's difficult to say whether I am truly safe. That being said, I do my job well. Folks know that if I leave for whatever reason, my department will suffer.

I am hoping that things get better.

In the meantime, there is great news. I was supposed to do a five-minute presentation on Monday with two other colleagues in front of our entire department. That presentation has been scrapped. Yay!

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Appointments, movie, staycation, and beyond meat

It's a bit busy for me this week. I have two medical appointments. I am squeezing a movie in. I am also doing another staycation.

My staycation is a bit different, though. I am going into the office every day next week. I want to reduce the time that I am on the road and enjoy a different part of the city. Naturally, I haven't even thought about packing. I leave on Saturday, so I have time.

I have had beyond meat crumbles twice in my meals. The first time was in soup. The second time was on a salad. I liked them.

The downside is that it doesn't really agree with my stomach. I need to figure out what exactly is in  beyond meat when it comes to vitamins.

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Bloodwork, fasting, food, and work

In a few hours, I go in for some bloodwork at the the lab. I am in fasting mode.

I'm not sure why I decided to spend half an hour looking at eateries where I want to have breakfast. It's not helping me right now! I'm just sitting here, salivating over my upcoming meal.

This week is odd. Yesterday, I was at the office. Today, I'm working from home. Wednesday, I'm back at the office. I work from home on Thursday and Friday.

I'm pleased that I get to take a break from my long daily commute. Next week, I'm at the office for the entire week, so my commute balances out in the long run.

Monday, November 18, 2019

Great weekend and job application

I've had a great weekend. On Sunday, I hung out with three friends over dinner. It was great catching up with everyone. I rarely go out on Sundays.

I worked on my resume and applied for a part-time teaching job. Here's hoping that I am considered.

The weekend is over. Bummer.

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Back to a lower carb regimen

I have been reducing my carb and sugar intake these days. It's not exactly a surprise that when I reduce my carb and sugar consumption, I have more energy.

I started doing this reduction last week. I don't think that I have taken a nap all week. It's impressive.

When the weather is colder, I tend to enjoy carbs. I plan on eating carbs in moderation.

I'd like to get back into eating salads at lunch time. I took the first step and got back into buying baby spinach.

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Staycation, takeout, and sleeping in

This weekend, I am doing a bit of a staycation. It's nice that I have been grabbing takeout for dinner and having it back at my hotel room.

I enjoy watching TV while eating dinner. I typically don't have that luxury these days. Work has been busy as of late. It's nice that I can unwind.

I'm thankful that the weekend is here. I was sleeping so soundly last night that getting up was tough.

Enjoy your weekend, everyone!

Friday, November 15, 2019

My heart's healing well!

My ex-guy's car has been parked at our workplace's parking lot for a month. When he first parked his car there after we had broken up, a ton of emotions came flooding in. Sad. Heartbroken. Angry. Hurt. Probably more.

I worked from home Monday through Wednesday this week. I returned to work yesterday and his car was no longer there.

I felt okay. That's a good sign.

I'm still healing, but I'm making decent progress.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Snow tires and annoying people

On Wednesday, I got my winter tires installed on my car. It was an odd day.

I didn't get my usual service advisor. He was there. There were tons of customers, likely all getting winter tires installed.

I got a new advisor. I didn't like how he insisted that I was wrong. Well, I had to ask him to look up my records. If you don't believe me, check the facts that you have in your database.

This theme carried on to my incompetent colleague, who accused me of telling another colleague something incorrect. She wasn't even in my conversation. I had a text conversation with her other team lead. I copied and pasted it. I had proof.

I then told her to have facts before making ridiculous, nonsensical statements. She said that she was "merely asking a question." A question doesn't go into false accusations.

She's an idiot. Sadly, I have to put up with her.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Skidding on black ice is scary

On Tuesday, I worked from home for a second day. I had to go out and run a couple of errands, including the grocery store.

Coming home, I saw two accidents. What was scary was that I was driving along black ice and thought that I would end up hitting the car in front of me. It was scary. I stopped in time, thankfully.

Later on today, I am getting my winter tires installed on my car. I have had this appointment for a week. I'll feel at ease once my winter tires are on my vehicle.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Trying a conference number out and removing a favourite from my phone contacts

On Monday, I was testing out calling my company's teleconference phone number. It's interesting that it only accepts phone numbers that aren't blocked. I decided to test blocking my number and the call disconnected immediately. Interesting!

I normally do conference calls through wifi. However, when I am working from home, the network connection isn't great. I have a meeting later on today, so I tried doing something different.

I don't call folks all that often. I opened my phone app and noticed that my ex-guy is still flagged as a favourite. I wasn't expecting to tear up, but I did. Tearing up was needed.

I loved him. It's sad that he ended our relationship.

After briefly tearing up, I removed him as a favourite. It was difficult. I did it, though. It's another small step towards healing.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Snow storm

We are expecting between ten to fifteen centimetres of snow today. It's starting to fall as I type.

I will likely work from home today. The hassle of driving into work under such conditions isn't worth the risk. I am also getting my snow tires on this Wednesday.

Snow in November doesn't happen often. It can and it is!

Sunday, November 10, 2019

A controlling since of my manager

I have a love-hate relationship with my boss. When he is in a good mood, he's fine. He is also a control freak. Sometimes, he comes across as being annoying.

My small team tends to go out for lunch on Fridays. As of late, he seems to want to join in. I don't mind. However, I tend to be the only one driving. He has a two-seater car. Ugh.

Recently, he said that he has driven 5,000 km in his car since May. I said that I'm at 6,000 km and I've had my new car since August. I said that I drive to work. He said the same thing. What he doesn't seem to remember is that I live farther from the office than he does. It's 50 km one-way for me.

On Friday, he wanted to do Korean food. That's fine. I haven't had Korean in a while. Naturally, I was driving. He first said that I hope that I knew where I was going. I said that I need passengers to keep their eyes open for a place that all of us haven't been to. I have two GPS apps on my phone.

While driving, my air pressure light went on. He heard it and questioned it. I said that it will go away, as it has been cold, and has turned off for the past two days. He basically said, "No, you don't understand," and went into a whole lecture about what to do. I was annoyed.

He then questioned the route that I was using.
"Google maps says to go down the street that we were on," he said.
"I'm' not on Google maps. We are going this way," I replied.
I can see why I don't like backseat drivers. The last time I experienced this situation was with my friend's ex-boyfriend years. In that case, I actually knew where I was going. Just chill.

The Korean restaurant was good. Unfortunately, he chose a fairly expensive restaurant. I felt bad for our intern for shelling out that much money for lunch.

Part of me wants to ban our manager from these lunches. I don't have to deal with such weird control issues. He doesn't know when to simply shut up and go with the flow.

Saturday, November 09, 2019

My Fitbit Versa Lite is here!

I got my new Fitbit Versa Lite, which is replacing my Fitbit Alta. The latter can't hold a charge. For the past two days, it died while I drove home from work. Not good!

I do love my Versa Lite so far. It was easy to set up. Like my old Pebble watch, this Fitbit watch allows me to customize the watch face.

I'm getting used to the heart rate monitor. I'm off to bed soon, so I'll see how it monitors my sleep.

Friday, November 08, 2019

Never-ending comments

I get tired of colleagues who have tons of comments and cannot commit to saying that a document is good to go. It is why this document has never been released to the world for a good year.

The odd thing is that this one colleague owns the document, but required two people to write the content. I am there to edit the content, along with my intern.

He "expected" that my team would use a template for this work. I said that my team has never owned these documents. As a result, there isn't a template.

I don't know why my manager committed to editing this document. It is marketing material, something that our entire team does not have the expertise to do.

One more day of work to go... thank goodness!

Thursday, November 07, 2019

Thoughts about being heartbroken

Part of me wishes that I could have a good cry over my breakup. I have yet to do it. I can barely shed a tear.

It has been an odd breakup. My heart is broken, but there is a strength that prevents me from going down any road of dispair.

I still think of him often. When I see a couple holding hands as they are walking somewhere, it reminds me of holding my ex-guy's hand. We were happy. It felt good.

I miss that feeling. I know it'll happen again with the right person. It's just not the right time to start a romantic relationship. I need to focus on me.

And, that's perfectly okay. For me, it feels right to go at my own pace.

Wednesday, November 06, 2019

Mac mini update and new iPod touch

I cringe whenever my old Mac mini has a software update. The update is happening right now. Either it goes smoothly or I lose two days trying to get it to boot up.

I'm not ready to get a new one. I have a MacBook Air that is getting on in years, but works a lot faster than my MacBook Air. I don't need to shell out for a new one. They aren't cheap!

I went ahead and got myself an iPod touch. I have been doing so well with paying off my debt this year. I thought that it would be a nice gift for me that I know will last for years. I need a bit of joy.

I'm writing this post on my phone. The software update is expected to take another forty minutes. Here's hoping that all goes well.

Tuesday, November 05, 2019

Life has its ups and downs

Life works in mysterious, wonderful ways. With sadness comes a silver lining.

I found out yesterday that my junior kindergarten teacher had passed away recently. She was musical. I remember singing in her class all the time and I loved it. It's likely one reason why I love music.

I posted her obituary on a social medium platform. A friend of mine revealed that we were likely in the same junior kindergarten class, but didn't know it. It's crazy to think that we have known each other since we were four years old! We forged a friendship in high school She switched elementary schools. Yet, we still have memories of truly knowing each other as four-year-old kids, but didn't make the connection until now.

Perhaps it's just a sign that our teacher's passing has sparked a new perspective on our friendship. Pretty cool!

Monday, November 04, 2019

Ending my weekend with an upset stomach and looking ahead

The weekend has come and gone. I like how relaxing this weekend has been.

Unfortunately, I must have eaten some food that was off. My stomach was upset a couple of hours ago. All seems well now. It's not the end of my weekend that I was expecting!

It's crazy that it is November. This year has flown by. It hasn't been the greatest for me. I am optimistic that things will improve in my life, though.

Sunday, November 03, 2019

Groping and kissing on your wedding day - nice!

I like Henry Golding. He was the leading man in Crazy Rich Asians. I learned last week that there is a sequel.

I saw this lovely photo of his wedding day on his wife's Instagram. I love that both his wife-to-be and him had a nice groping kiss.


This photo makes me so happy!

Saturday, November 02, 2019

Dinner with a friend and tons of laughter

On Friday night, I had dinner with a friend who used to be my intern. I hadn't seen her since April.

It was fun reminiscing, catching up, and just having a good time with great company. We laughed a lot, to the point where our tummies were aching by the end of the evening.

I haven't laughed that much in ages. It was much needed. I still have my sad moments about being heartbroken. However, I am simply fortunate to have friends who care about me.

Friday, November 01, 2019

My Mac mini is back

Last night, I unplugged the power cable on my Mac mini. After nearly a day, I plugged it back in and started my Mac mini up. All is well.

It's odd having such an old computer. I really should consider getting a new one. The thing is that I'm not in any rush.

I'm be back to regular posts soon. I'm off to bed!

Thursday, October 31, 2019

Mac mini woes

My Mac mini is acting up again. I can't get to boot up. Ugh!

I suppose that it's a sign. My Mac mini is a decade old. Perhaps it's time to retire it.

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Surgery eight years later

Eight years ago yesterday, I had back surgery. I can't forget the date or how I felt that morning before heading to the hospital. Everything happened so fast.

I recently reflected about my surgery with my dear friend. She had had surgery and I was visiting her at the hospital. I haven't really talked about my surgery with friends. The experience is still pretty fresh in my head.

I am thankful for having the surgery. I have lived a pretty normal life ever since. I have lived my life as best I can.

My friend was discharged from hospital on Tuesday. She is resting and mending at home now. I'm so glad that she is doing so well.

Tuesday, October 29, 2019

Leather belts used on a bad girl

After work on Monday, I went grocery shopping at a cool discount store. It sells clothes, shoes, housewares, and more. The quality is decent for what you pay. I was there to get celery.

I walked into the store and saw an assortment of leather belts. It has been a while, but I was turned on just looking at them.

I have fantasized about having my hands tied with a leather belt. Another belt would be used to strap my bare backside.

I'm glad that I can think about it and get excited. I don't think I'd like to actually go through it in real life, even with a trusted partner. I enjoy thinking about it.

Monday, October 28, 2019

My friend is recovering well after surgery

My friend had surgery on her bowel. It got twisted, which caused her abdominal and back pain. She lives roughly two hours away from me.

I went to see her on Saturday. She is healing nicely. She was understandably tired, but in good spirits.

I have known her since we were both twelve years old. She is roughly two weeks older than I am.

Both of us never thought that we'd have surgery. I had back surgery eight years ago, almost to the day. I think she felt better when we talked about and shared our surgery experiences.

I gave her a card and a gift card. I wrote how much I appreciated her. I said that our friendship meant even more now.

She thanked me several times for coming. It was the least that I could do. The drive wasn't anything. I was thankful that I could brighten her day as she continues to recovery.

It was good seeing her. I hope to check up on her again soon.

Sunday, October 27, 2019

Quick update

My friend is healing nicely after her surgery. I was hoping to write about everything, but I'm tired and there is a lot to process.

I am thrilled that she's okay.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Visiting and thinking about my friend who is in hospital

A dear friend texted me the other day to say that she was in the hospital. She let me know yesterday that she had had surgery.

Later on today, I will be heading over to visit her. The drive is just under 1.5 hours for me. I asked if she wanted visitors. I'm so glad that she said yes!

I just finished writing a get-well-soon message for her. I filled out an entire greeting card and will bring it with me. I want to get her a gift card, too. I'm keeping things lightweight.

Friday, October 25, 2019

Troubleshooting is my forte

I have been using an app on my phone to upload photos and write about my experiences for a while. Earlier this week, I upgraded the app to the latest version. It caused the upload photos feature to die.

I used to work in technical support. I was good at it. I ended up in second-level support. I'm not bragging. I look back at who I was back then and I was great.

These days, I often do troubleshooting at work. I am good at it, too. I am proud that I have this knack.

I reported this app issue to the software company. The woman insisted that I use the e-mail address associated with my account with this app. I had to explain that my messages get forward to my current account and provided my actual e-mail address on file. It is never a requirement to log into the account and write from it, although it is helpful. Just ask me for the e-mail address that I have registered with would have been sufficient.

The woman asked for screenshots and steps on what was going on. I write for a living, so that was easy for me to put together. I also pointed out that I have a Google Pixel 2XL phone running Android 10.

As expected, support couldn't reproduce this issue. It went to the engineering department.

I fixed the issue by myself a couple of hours ago. I could strengthen this support department if they offered a job to me.

I basically removed the faulty app. I went and downloaded an old app version that was released in March. I then installed it.

I proceeded to upgrade the app to the current version. The upload photo functionality works again. Go, me!

I wrote back to support and said that I fixed the issue myself. I didn't bother thanking the woman, as I did all the work. I did end the message cordially, though.

Thank goodness I enjoy solving issues. Otherwise, this app would be useless on my phone without this functionality restore.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Depleted battery on my Fitbit Alta leads to a new Versa Lite

I have had my Fitbit Alta for nearly three years. While in the Twin Cities, it died on me. It had a full charge the night before.

I worked with support. Sure enough, after a full charge, without any notifications or fancy, draining functionality, the battery depletes roughly 1.75 days later. It's supposed to last at least four days on a full charge.

Unfortunately, my Alta is no longer covered by the limited warranty. However, I do get a discount on my next device. It's a nice way to keep me as a customer.

I will get the Versa Lite and see how it goes. I get 40% off its regular price. Not too shabby!

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Seeing myself in my friend's conversation

I have been sitting here, trying to figure out what I want to write. It's not that I haven't got a topic. On the contrary, there's a lot going on in my head that I really don't where to start.

Work is busy. I noticed the other day that my friend had to interact with our incompetent colleague. I could swap my friend out for me, and it's the same song and dance.

At one point, my friend said to her, "Don't twist my words." I have said something similar to her on multiple occasions. I apparently told her to do something when that never happened. She is delusional.

I look forward to the day when I do not have to interact with her. I don't enjoy talking to her. I don't like hearing her talk. Her thoughts are jumbled and incoherent. I don't even like to say goodnight to her when I leave work. It's that bad.

My friend spent some time venting to me on Monday. It's mutual that we vent and listen.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Election results - Canada voted!

Monday was election day. We voted our Prime Minister back. However, he leads a minority government this time around.

I had voted at the advance poll before heading to the Twin Cities. It's important to vote.

I like watching election results come in. It explains why I am writing this post so late on a weeknight.

I'm off to bed!

Monday, October 21, 2019

Fortune about only the wisest and stupidest people never changing

On Saturday, I went to a Chinese restaurant for a late lunch. At the end of the meal, I got a fortune cookie.

Here was my fortune:


I don't think that it's just men. My incompetent colleague fits this scenario, for instance.

Perhaps it can also be applied to my ex-guy. He has broken up with me three times. I should have known that he had issues and wasn't going to change the first time he broke up with me.

Of course, it's easier to look back and observe. This fortune was interesting that way. It's all about perspective and interpretation.

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Rita Ora and her butt

I like Rita Ora. I first heard about her when she was in Fifty Shades of Grey. I like her music. She seems like a fun, optimistic person.

She recently posted this pic on her Instagram account.


She has a perky butt.

It would be interesting if we all wore such an outfit daily -- guys and gals.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

The weekend - the possibilities!

The weekend is here! I have a good problem. I don't have an agenda. I simply have a number of places that I'd like to visit.

I have my usual errands to run. I need Diet Coke. I'm out of cream cheese.

I also have some Groupons to use up. I like exploring new places.

It's nice to have a weekend where I have a ton of flexibility. It's also nice to unwind. Shorter work weeks tend to wear me out faster.

Friday, October 18, 2019

Rest and hobbies

I took Thursday off. I was chilled and tired. I slept. It was all good.

These days, I have been resurrecting my love for sewing. I find it relaxing and a nice way to unwind. I hope to get around to learning how to crochet.

It's nice doing quiet hobbies, especially when the weather is getting colder.

Thursday, October 17, 2019

I'm going to break your heart

Last week, on the plane going to Minneapolis, I watched a documentary called I'm Going to Break Your Heart. The documentary spotlights the relationship between Chantal Kreviazuk and Raine Maida, who have successful music careers and have been married for over twenty years.

They relationship has bumps. They are seen going to counselling. They work at their relationship, as head as it can get.

They wrote many songs together during this documentary. One of them was the title of this documentary. I lost it. I was crying on the plane.

My ex-guy broke my heart -- three times too many. We never went to counselling. Part of me wishes that we did, but he abruptly ended our relationship.

There are nights where I think of him. One part of me misses the good, fun parts of our relationship. I know that it isn't healthy to want to try it again. I do not want to be hurt by him again. I want better.

I continue to heal. It's not an easy journey. I get by one day at a time.

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Back home with a luggage search at border security

I got back on Monday night. I was too exhausted to post anything.

My arrival at the airport was odd. First, I was asked to go to a customs/border security line after declaring that I had only brought back $90 worth of goods. The customs woman was pleasant, going through my luggage and rolling computer bag. I had nothing to hide. All went well.

My guess is that it was the long Thanksgiving weekend. Perhaps it seemed odd that I wouldn't splurge while in the States. I truly didn't go to shop. I was there for a hockey game.

Within the last year, I have been asked to go over to this special lineup twice. I'm not sure what makes folks think that I need additional questioning. I just know that I am honest and everything checks out fine. Perhaps I should have a flag in my record that I'm good!

There's more to this story regarding getting a taxi. I'll save that for another post.

Monday, October 14, 2019

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I am a few hours away from flying home. It has been a great weekend in the Twin Cities. I walked too much, though. My legs are feeling it. They were pretty achy yesterday, but some rest has helped.

It hasn't been the best year for me. However, I am thankful for being healthy, and having you with me as I mend a broken heart and get through life. Thanks for all your support. It means the world to me.

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Thanksgiving long weekend and voting

Tonight, I am staying at a hotel closer to the airport. It's fun. It also saves me time in the morning getting to the airport. I don't need to do an hour-long commute.

I voted at the advance poll on Friday after work. I won't be able to vote on a Saturday like I typically do. I also don't like voting on voting day. It takes me forever to get back home and it is whenever everyone is scrambling to make their voice heard. I'd rather do it early.

I like voting. I have a say. It makes me feel good after the fact.

This weekend is the Thanksgiving long weekend in Canada. Yes, I'm heading stateside, but it's worth it.

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Work annoyances, including explaining processes to clueless people

My manager made a statement yesterday that I agree with when it comes to folks at work. Those who have to make a decision do not understand all aspects of the issue, including technicalities. Because they don't, there are so many problems that surface.

I have a project manager who does not know what she is doing. She immediately panics whenever I have a clear explanation for her in an e-mail and needs to talk to me. I work from home on Wednesdays. She called a meeting five minutes before its start, which I did not care for. I like to given more time than that.

I managed to cancel a second meeting that she had called. I just wanted an update and said that I am swamped with five conference calls in the afternoon. I am on the receiving end on deliverables. Why hold the meeting with me? It's the folks that are late with the deliverable who should be in a meeting with you. I spend far too much time in meetings and it's mainly because the other person doesn't get it. She said that she'd write meeting minutes. Nope, it didn't happen. I went ahead and did it for my own sanity.

The most enjoyable new feature in our instant messaging application is that I can hide my status from people who are not added to my list of contacts. This feature has significantly reduced the number of folks who contact me. I dislike instant messaging at work. I'd sooner do e-mail. If I don't reply in a minute, people come directly to my desk. I dislike this panicky mentality that folks have, including my incompetent colleague.

Two more days of work before the long weekend. I can't wait.

Wednesday, October 09, 2019

Packing and restoring my iPod classic

I am packing light for my trip. I am away for three days and I am in the Twin Cities for two of them. I am technically done. I'll I need are snacks.

As of late, I want to return to simpler times. I spent some time last night restoring music on my iPod classic. Yep, folks say that it looks like a brick. However, it holds my entire digital music collection.

I like it because I don't need to stream my music. I don't have the option to check my e-mail or do searches online. I am removed from plenty of distractions.

The fact that it is probably over a decade old and still works well is nice. I am contemplating getting the newest iPod touch. It would be a distraction, as it has bluebooth, wifi, and messaging capabilities.

I'll stick with my iPod classic for now.

Tuesday, October 08, 2019

Reminders of a severed relationship and looking forward to travel

My ex-guy's car is parked at work again. This time around, seeing his car doesn't hurt as much.

He broke my heart. I find it difficult to have him in my life. It is far easier to sever ties with him. It is too painful to relive being happy in our relationship and having the plug pulled on a Monday -- likely the worst day of the week to break up. Then again, any day to select as a break-up day isn't great.

I have a few days before I fly off to the Twin Cities. I am excited to be back after nine years. It'll do me some good.

Monday, October 07, 2019

Sewing, and wanting to learn how to knit and crochet

On Sunday, I spent part of my day sewing. I had a few articles of clothing that needed some attention.

I enjoy hand-sewing or using my sewing machine. I find it relaxing.

For years, I have wanted to learn how to knit and crochet. Years ago, I managed to knit a scarf. I simply couldn't bind off, though. I hope to resurrect these projects. I have a feeling that I'll find it relaxing once I get the hang of these techniques.

Sunday, October 06, 2019

Heartbreak advice from Dax Shepard

I was listening to an episode of the Ellen on the Go podcast. Dax Shepard was on the show for a segment called Dr. Dax. It's where audience members ask him advice.

He offers funny and sensible answers. There was a woman who had just been dumped and asked how she should handle heartbreak.

He first joked and said that she should sleep with every female friend of his. The more serious answer was to say, "It is only temporary," as a mantra.

It's similar to how I am approaching my broken heart,. It is temporary. Time will help and heal.

Saturday, October 05, 2019

Missing being spanked and being a bad girl

I miss being called a bad girl. I miss being spanked.

I haven't indulged in self-spanking for a while. Perhaps this weekend would be good to resurrect it.

Friday, October 04, 2019

Nearly sideswiped by a woman who did not check her blindspot

One of my biggest fears is driving next to someone who does not check her blindspot. It happened to me last night.

I was driving home and a car moved into my lane, almost hitting me. I moved into the middle turn lane and honked at her for a long time. My car has a decent whiny, annoyed tone that she finally moved over. It was scary. It made me angry.

I finally got to take a look at the person as I managed to pass her several minutes later. She was an older woman with silver hair. She looked embarrassed and didn't look at me.

I do wish that folks would take the time to do a shoulder check. It can save lives. It can also make them better drivers.

When I got my car, one of the features that I wanted was as much of a clear view around me while driving. I didn't get that when I tested the C-HR. I love that I do with my Corolla hatchback.

I am a bit rattled, but I'll be okay.

Thursday, October 03, 2019

Hacked account on POF

I signed up for a Plenty of Fish (POF) account. I wanted to check out how the dating scene works again.

Well, my account got hacked last night. The person changed my profile photos. I became a black woman with a height of 5'5". In reality, I am Asian and am five inches taller than that.

I noticed a number of POF notification e-mails coming in about men being interested in me. I didn't get it. It wasn't until I signed into my POF account where I found out that some, but not all, of my answers in my profile were changed.

This person cannot write for beans. It is likely why my profile description remained the way that it was. This person was likely trying to get credit card information. I have a free account, thankfully.

I actually saw conversations between the fraudster and other men happen right before me. I changed my password immediately. It took a while for the other person to be kicked off the system.

To be certain that this person wouldn't be able to hack into my account, I changed my password again a few hours later. The crazy thing is that my original password seemed pretty secure. Obviously, it wasn't.

I will wait a couple of days before logging back in. The notifications have since ceased. After this experience, I'm not sure if I truly want to go back on this dating app.

Wednesday, October 02, 2019

Purchasing a jacket that I thought I didn't need, but actually do

The other night, I realized that I had some GAPcash left. It means that if I spend $50 at either a regular GAP store or its outlet, I can get $20 off. That's not bad at all.

My problem? As much as I love this store, I don't exactly need anything. Well, that's what I thought.

I drove over there after work on Monday. There was a lightweight puffy jacket that was 50% off. I actually needed one. I have had mine for five years and it was falling apart. Some of the stuffing (yes, the fluff inside the jacket) was coming out of the sleeves and sides. I didn't get rid of it last year because it is perfect for me. I got a replacement jacket and it is too warm when it's not nippy outside. It works better when it's the middle of winter and it's truly cold.

Anyway, I tried this jacket on and I liked it. I got it. I'm so happy.

I had another GAPcash coupon left. I knew that I wasn't going to use it, as it was the last day that it was valid. Instead, I gave it to an older female shopper who asked how much a coat was. The cashier who had helped me out said that it was $55. She could get it for $35 with the coupon.

It's nice to pay it forward and make someone's day.

Tuesday, October 01, 2019

Working from home again and taking a break from the incompetent woman

I am back to my regular schedule this week. I am working from home today and tomorrow.

It has been a grind going to work every day for over three weeks. I don't mind hanging out with colleagues that I like, including my student. It is dealing with the sheer ridiculousness spewing out of my incompetent colleague that puts a damper on things.

She has this tone in her voice when she gets excited. She sounds like she is constipated and I cringe every time I hear her. She did that taking a phone call at her desk, which isn't exactly professional. We all sit in an open area and can hear her while we are working.

It'll be nice to take a break from her. Everything that she does seems odd.

Monday, September 30, 2019

Bye bye, Fitbit! Google Fit now get sleep information from my Sleep app

A few months ago, I got a Fossil Sport smartwatch. I love it. The only downside is that it doesn't track my sleep time.

My Fitbit Alta does track my sleeping time, as does my Fossil hybrid smartwatch. There are pros and cons with all three devices. I ended up wearing both of these devices, as the step counts differ between the two devices.

Well, great news for me. I use a sleep app that didn't sync with Google Fit for years. It finally does!

I am involved in a corporate health app. That app requires step and sleep information from Google Fit. I can finally get this data to this app with either Fossil smartwatch. Yay!

I am so happy.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Sirius XM is down - ugh!

I have been a subscriber to Siriux XM satellite radio since I had my first Prius just over a decade ago. I like it, especially when I am doing road trips. I don't have to worry about finding a radio station that has clear reception as I drive.

I like the Saturday night dance party, in which songs from the 80's are played. Sadly, the service is down right now. It's a minor inconvenience, though. I'm playing music off my phone instead.

I still listen to music on my iPod classic. I have my entire music collection on it. Party of me would like the latest iPod touch version. It has bluetooth capabilities, which my iPod classic doesn't have.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Friday lunch with good people at work

On Friday, a colleague, who is also my friend, wanted to cook for my intern and me. I was so thrilled that she wanted to feed us lunch.

She made chicken curry, which was delicious. My intern brought in rice, which was fluffy and perfect. I brought in gourmet cookies to complete our meal.

I like that all three of us came together to make our lunch work. My intern brought plates and cutlery. Good thinking!

Lunch was wonderful with good company.

Friday, September 27, 2019

Two past students meeting up

I like working with students. It's one aspect of my work that I enjoy and don't want to give up.

Last night, I had a text conversation with a former student. She let me know that she met another student from my program who was there a couple of years before she was. I joked and asked whether they were in therapy together after spending time at the workplace.

She let me know that she was on a student panel, sharing experiences of being in a co-op program at their university. She recognized the other student's name and they met. Cool!

She was kind to say that they both talked about how much they loved me. It's always nice to hear.

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Busy day working from home

I worked from home for the first time in over three weeks. I like working from home. I have fewer distractions. The problem is that things tend to get busy and it was for me.

It was nice to rest my back and eyes in the afternoon, though. I took a nap and felt refreshed.

Two more workdays. The weekend is within reach.

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Fixing my incompetent colleague's mistakes and enjoying Blizzards

I dislike dealing with my incompetent colleague. She showed just how clueless she is about everything. I had to undo her work, which is sadly regular work.

On a good note, I drowned my sorrows in ice cream after work. Dairy Queen offers a BOGO (buy one, get one) promotion. You can buy a Blizzard and get a second one for 99 cents. Yay!

Once the sugar high dies, I'll hit the sack.

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Cake and boredom

I have not worked from home for over three weeks. I go into the office tomorrow, but will thankfully get to work from home on Wednesday.

My student is progressing well. I am thrilled about his progress.

We had a September cake break on Monday afternoon. We sat there and ate cake. I asked about a fellow student who was in a meeting with our development team earlier in the day. He looked bored out of his mind.

Our manager came over and I pointed out how bored he was earlier in our meeting. My manager indicated that he was loud the other day and wasted time gabbing with three employees. I let him know that he didn't say a peep in our meeting, which seemed amusing to us.

Perspectives are interesting. I have never asked a student to go into this meeting with me, as the information would be way over his head. I like my judgment in this case.

Monday, September 23, 2019

Sleep and rest

I slept a lot over the weekend. My student had a cold that started on Thursday. I felt like I had caught a bit of it on Saturday. I feel that I am in the clear, thanks to a ton of rest and sleep.

Sadly, it's another workweek coming up. I am looking forward to my brief trip next month. I feel refreshed from the weekend. I just want more of it!

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Last summer feel when it's practically autumn

Saturday felt like a warm summer day. I took advantage of the day by heading over to a park in Port Perry and getting ice cream.

Last weekend, I was doing work. This weekend, I am focusing on relaxing and unwinding. It's quite the contrast.

It's nice that I am cooking more these days. On Saturday, I made myself breakfast, consisting of an omelette, bacon, and perogies. On Friday, I got a new container for my Vitamix where I can whip up mousse and more. I need to find a recipe and give it a try.

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Booking post-Christmas vacation now

It's amusing to me that I am booking my post-Christmas holiday in the Twin Cities now. I just checked plane ticket prices and they are dirt cheap.

I went ahead and booked my hotel. I can always cancel the reservation if I need to. It will likely stick.

My intent is to spend a week there and ring in the new year. Fun!

Friday, September 20, 2019

Lonely boss and incompetent colleague - both are October babies

My manager feels lonely working at his desk. I haven't sat next to him for nearly three weeks.

My first two weeks were spent training my new student in a meeting room a few floors down from where I typically work. My incompetent colleague on my team was supposed to work on a software release, but couldn't get her act together. I took that task away from her and trained my student on it. We both split up the work, which went well.

I had a talk with this incompetent colleague. She can't commit to deadlines even though I took off major tasks from her plate. She is simply an idiot.

It's interesting that both our manager and this incompetent colleague have birthdays in October. They are polar opposites as far as personalities and work ethic go.

I get to sit at my desk later on today. It'll be a bit weird, but I look forward to the change in environment.

On Thursday, my manager had to drop by our meeting room simply to chat. Our chat had nothing to do with work. I gave him the tipoff that there was food at another meeting room. He appreciated it. It's nice that he likes our company.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Work challenges lead to a burger and beer

My intern and I have been working on a software release all week. We ran into a problem trying to run a documentation library build and it died. We couldn't proceed any further. Support needs to intervene.

We ended up switching to other tasks. Our manager, who can be a bit of a spy, came down to visit us. He ended up suggesting that we head out early and get burgers that were 50% off on Wednesdays. H bought me a beer. Not a shabby deal at all!

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Wifi extender

For a few months now, I have noticed that whenever I am in the basement of my home and I am using my phone that is connected to my wifi, the signal drops. I decided to get a wifi extender. It arrived a day early.

I just finished installing and configuring the wifi extender. It was straightforward. The signal seems better so far, but I haven't been down in the basement to fully try it. However, data in apps and videos seem to load faster so far.

I am optimistic!

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Wrapping up my leadership program and being thankful

On Monday, I wrapped up my final installment of my leadership program. It has been a great learning experience.

I love to learn. It was fun participating, which I wouldn't have said when I was an undergraduate student, as I didn't enjoy speaking in front of folks. It helps to contribute, as I ended up getting off the hook when it came down to doing some of the exercises. Yay!

I spent some time writing an e-mail to my instructor, saying thanks for being supportive, encouraging, and insightful. Most people don't think of taking a moment to thank someone, but I feel obligated to. I am sad that these sessions have ended, but feel empowered with knowledge and tools to make me a better leader.

My manager will be attending this course early next month. It will be interesting to see whether any of these techniques resonate with him.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Hungry and cooking

It's past midnight and I'm hungry. The debate is whether I am truly hungry or if I need to drink some water.

I know that if I have something to eat now that it will keep me up longer. I will see if it will go away.

On Sunday, I made tuna salad. I also fried up an entire package of bacon, which will last me the whole week. I also sauteed brussel sprouts.

I enjoy cooking on weekends. It's unfortunate that weekends are so short.

Sunday, September 15, 2019

My first Wild hockey game!

I have booked a trip to the Twin Cities. I am finally going to see a Minnesota Wild game.

I lived in Minnesota for a couple of years. I was there during the hockey team's inaugural year.

I couldn't get tickets during my entire time there. I put down a deposit, hoping to get tickets. Well, it has taken nearly two decades. I have a ten-pack of tickets.

My first game is in a few days. Naturally, I can't go, so I'm selling that ticket.

In October, I'm going down for my first game ever. I am so excited. I spent Saturday booking everything, so I'm ready!

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Buying items that I need

It's nice when it's payday and I can get items that I have been waiting to buy. I'm either replacing broken items or am about to run out of essentials.

I went ahead and bought two Fitbit Alta chargers. I spent a good $10 on them. I need a backup in case it breaks on me again.

I also ordered two boxes of contact lenses. My usual brand isn't available, so I'm trying a different brand. I'll see how it goes. I'm currently using my last pair.

It's time to go to bed. It has been a long, but good week. Here's to the weekend!

Friday, September 13, 2019

Muscle pain ruined my sleep, but a nap made up for it

Tired. This week is the second one where I have been in the office every day.

I didn't sleep well last night. I ended up with muscle pain in my foot. I slept for four hours before I had to get ready for work. I took ibuprofen often.

I came home and took a nap a couple of hours ago. I woke up refreshed, took a shower, and I'm now unwinding by writing a post.

This weekend, I am definitely looking forward to sleeping in. I have one more day of work. I can do it.

Thursday, September 12, 2019

Plans to let my incompetent colleague go

I had my usual bi-weekly talk with my manager on Tuesday. We talked about my development goals, which are coming along nicely.

He talked about my problematic colleague who is on my team. He has decided that after two years of putting up with her incompetence and tardiness that he wants to let her go.

I am currently training my student intern. Things are going well. My manager is hopeful that my intern will be successful in taking over her duties, allowing my manager to let her go from the company.

It will be an interesting rest of the year. We'll see what unfolds.

Wednesday, September 11, 2019

Seeing my ex-guy's car triggered bittersweet memories and emotions

It took one basic trigger to make me feel sad about the demise of my relationship with my ex-guy. After work on Thursday, I was walking over to my car and saw his parked in the lot.

Memories came back. I last sat in his car to go out for lunch in early July. Although we never had quality time in the backseat of this car, it was a reminder that cars were an important part of our relationship.

We haven't talked since early June. I have basically shut communication down.

He doesn't know that I have a new car, so he likely thought that I wasn't at work. Even if I did tell him about it, I doubt that he would have wanted to contact me at work, if he had a chance. I'm glad that he hasn't. It would also cause me to feel sad speaking to him.

As of late, I have been pretty upbeat. I am sensitive, though.

Seeing his car on Thursday was a bummer. It's the downside of dating a colleague and your relationship ends, but your employment at the company does not. Luckily, he doesn't come to the office often. Still, seeing his car in the lot for a brief period conjured bittersweet memories.

I'm better now that I have written my thoughts in this blog post. My blog provides a source of comfort, to sort out my thoughts as I continue to get through this breakup.

Tuesday, September 10, 2019

Hot tub, buttocks, and fantasizing about being spanked

On Instagram, I was looking at my feed and found this hot tub pic. I like how exposed her buttocks are.


I keep thinking about how sore it would be to sit on that wooden hot tub rim rim after being thoroughly spanked, with my smarting cheeks matching the colour of my swimsuit.

I appreciate this photo so much.

Monday, September 09, 2019

Fitbit Alta charger died and thinking about my next Fitbit product

I have been using a Fitbit Alta for over a couple of years. The battery is starting to not hold a charge as long as it used to.

The charger has a clip that secures the Alta while it charges. The clip broke.

Part of me is thinking about getting either the Versa Lite or Versa 2. Part of me wants to continue using the Alta until it truly does not function anymore.

I can't afford to get a new watch right now. Perhaps in a few months, I will be able to save enough for it then. Leasing a car wasn't on my radar in August. I thought that I would be doing it in January!

In the meantime, I have found a charger for my Alta for $8. I'm good with this cheaper solution.

Sunday, September 08, 2019

She did it! Bianca is the U.S. Open champion in women's tennis!

Bianca Andreescu, who hails from Mississauga, is Canada's first singles winner when she won the U.S. Open yesterday.

I am so proud of her that I cried seeing her win it. She's so humble and calm, which are qualities that I appreciate, especially in such a young woman. She is mature beyond her years.

Canada is so proud! #sheTheNorth

Saturday, September 07, 2019

Credit update, including a credit card renewal

I have lots of good news about building up my credit rating. For a good year, I have been working hard to rebuild it. I am slowly seeing results as I continue to pay off my debt and make more than the minimum payment each month.

I got a free account through TransUnion to check my credit rating at my convenience. Since I have been monitoring my credit rating, it has improved from being very poor to poor. Although it's still not great having a poor rating, I am out of the very poor rating level, which is a huge step. I am so pleased with my progress. I hope that a year or so from now, my credit rating will be considered fair. I'll then work my way to making it have a good rating again.

Baby steps. So far, so great.

A while back, I posted about whether a credit card company will renew my card. It expires next month. I got my replacement card on Friday. I am thrilled!

When one bank decided that I was a risk and didn't renew my credit card with a low limit ($1,000), it was quite a blow to my credit-rebuilding confidence. Even though I never missed a payment with this card, this bank decided to shut down my account because my credit rating wasn't great. My track record meant nothin at all.

With the other credit card company that decided to renew my card, I am thankful. I was hoping that it would because I do like what this card does for me. As a customer, this bank has made me feel good that it's trusts me. I can only think of a couple of times where I was late with payments, but only by a couple of days. It has given me some slack, which I appreciate.

I am pleased that I have two credit cards. They serve my needs well. I won't repeat my mistake by getting multiple credit cards when my credit rating improves. It was a trap that I won't fall for again.

Anyway, I wanted to share my good news about my financial situation. Things are looking up and I am happy.

Friday, September 06, 2019

Healing and reading my book on healing after a breakup

I managed to continue reading my book on healing after a breakup. It has been helpful.

When my ex-guy told me that he wanted to end our relationship this past May, I went through a mild panic attack. When I told him the following day, he asked whether I should see a doctor to get medication. I told him that it's sorting out my feelings about losing someone that I love and that popping pills wasn't the first thing that I needed to do.

I know how I handle this type of panic attack. It's a question of knowing that I will be okay without him and that I will find happiness with someone down the road that makes the panic attack go away.

I was right. With time and the right frame of mind, I don't experience this mild panic anymore.

However, I still have moments of sadness. According to the book, it's normal. I knew that, too. It's nice to get confirmation that I'm doing just fine as I continue healing.

Thursday, September 05, 2019

Menstrual cycle and foot spasms

This week has been odd. On top of the rough start to the week, my period happened just before I left work on Tuesday morning. It's roughly four days late.

Being on my menstrual cycle drains me. As of late, they have been different. I haven't experienced a ton of cramping, likely because I am out and about. Physical activity helps.

My period also takes weird pauses. It stops for a few hours and then begins again.

Training is going well, except that my student doesn't have access to an application that he needs all the time. It's annoying that one of three approvers needs to say yes and they are all out to lunch.

My foot is going through spasms. Oh, joy! Here's hoping for better days ahead.

Wednesday, September 04, 2019

Bumpy first day of training, but all worked out well

My first day training my new student wasn't the smoothest, but I tend to get through things as best I can.

I arrived at work safely. I found the room where I'll be for the next two weeks. I powered up my laptop and it switched off immediately.

I then play around with the power outlets in this room. Half of them don't work.

My manager typically gives the security person and receptionist a heads-up e-mail that we are expecting a new student. He sent out nothing. I sent out an e-mail to them at around 9:05 am. The security guy is away on vacation till May 6 (what?!) and the receptionist wasn't there.

I decided to simply drop down to the waiting area after I plugged in my laptop and managed to power it up at 1% battery power.

My new student and I connected immediately. He didn't check in because the receptionist wasn't there. Instead, we checked him in with the security guy, who didn't seem like he knew what he was doing.

Then, there's his laptop. We went to our IT department and there was a sign saying that it was closed for the day. Ugh!

I contacted my helpful co-ordinator. She was pretty busy with a batch of students. She found the IT guy and let me know that my student's laptop was there. Yay!

On top of all this chaos, my manager decided to take the entire day off to run errands. Weird. It was like he was asking me if I'd be okay with that. Well, he really didn't need to be at the office, other than to greet our new student. I am fine training my student. It's not like he can or will.

Anyway, we both survived. Here's hoping for smoother training sessions ahead.

Tuesday, September 03, 2019

First day of a new work term and a dream about French kissing

Last night, I dreamt about my ex-guy. He said that he wanted to not only French kiss me, but to put his tongue down my mouth.

It was a strange dream. I'm not sure what it signifies.

Several hours from now, a new work term begins. Last Friday, I was given the news that our new student starts today. I wasn't prepared for such a quick start. Here's hoping that his laptop is available. Otherwise, it will be my doing a bunch of demonstrations during my training sessions.

I had a great weekend. I am looking forward to my next long weekend in over a month.

Monday, September 02, 2019

Severing a friendship after being romantically involved

I have been thinking about my ex-guy more than I should be. In the past, it has been easier to sever ties with my exes.

The issue is that he wants to stay friends with me. I find it difficult when friends often care about one another. He has hurt me by severing our relationship as a loving couple.

I feel that I need to sever the friendship or what's left of it. It makes my moving on easier. Luckily, he doesn't come into the office all that often, so it's easy. I also haven't been answering his e-mails. Again, it's easy.

Healing takes time. It's not all that easy, but it gets easier as I continue to heal.

Sunday, September 01, 2019

New hairdo

I got my hair cut on Saturday. It is shorter at the back and is cut at an angle where it's longer in the front.

I used to sport this style a few years ago. It was nice of my hairdresser to suggest returning to it.

Normally, I get several inches chopped off. Considering that I am late getting to the hairdresser by a couple of months, I decided to not get as much of my hair cut. Thankfully, I can still put most of my hair in a ponytail. Perfect!

I'm happy with my new 'do.

Saturday, August 31, 2019

Happy Labour Day long weekend!

I left work at 15:00 on Friday. I worked a ton of hours this week that it made sense to leave early and start enjoying the long Labour Day weekend.

I'm all packed for my little staycation. I hope to get around to getting my hair cut and indulge in some good eats this weekend.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Friday, August 30, 2019

Sadness at night

I have moments of sadness. They typically happen in bed at night.

Last night was rough. I was sad about how my ex-guy had let me go. We shared so much and everything just ended.

Poof. Just like that.

It's unfortunate that I am a sensitive, feely person. It takes me a while to sort my emotions and get over this hump. I'm not on a strict healing schedule when I need to be happy now and in a relationship. I have been good on the most part. Being busy helps. Doing what I enjoy has been therapeutic.

At night, I'm simply lying in bed. Thinking. Memories rush in. I feel sad when they are about my ex-guy.

I still haven't been able to fully cry. My eyes get teary, but they don't fall down my face. I'm not as sad as I have been in the past when he has previously broken up with me.

I know that I deserve better. I deserve to be with a good guy who loves me and wants me.

I am hopeful. I just wish that these sad moments would fade, but that will take some more time.

Thursday, August 29, 2019

A break from incompetence is nearly here

My incompetent colleague is going on vacation. Today is her last day at work before I get relief from her for over a week.

She proved to me this week that she does not know how to do her job efficiently. She spent more time than necessary getting a software release out the door, making rookie mistakes, and not planning her tasks properly. She has been doing this work for over half a year.

My manager stays at work late. She was with him the whole time. He shot me an e-mail, indicating that she was taking more time than she should. I agreed and pointed out that she can't prioritize her work on top of not being efficient.

She's good at blaming other things or people. She does not take responsibility for her own actions. It's painful dealing with her.

Although her attendance has improved slightly within the last few days, she sent an e-mail yesterday that she will be at work at 7:30 am today and leaving at 3:30 pm. She cannot get to work by 10:00 am on a good day. She lives a lot closer to the office than I do. I dream of getting to work in twenty minutes.

We'll see what happens later on today. I am looking forward to a break from her.

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

It's time for a haircut during the long weekend

I get my hair cut twice a year. I should have got my hair cut in early July. I didn't.

Why? I got a shorter-than-normal haircut back in late December. Right now, it's at the stage where I need to get it cut, which is the length that it typically is in early July. I happen to be nearly two months late.

It's nice to be able to tie it back. When I get it cut, I won't be able to get it all in a ponytail.

I'm likely going to get it cut on the weekend. It's a long weekend, which I am looking so forward to.

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

My car turns heads and starts conversations, even with the windows up

My car is a conversation starter. Even when I'm stopped at a traffic light, the flame blue colour turns heads.

I was driving home from work on Monday night. I was stopped at a light. A Jeep was next to me. The guy had three car lengths ahead of him.

I looked over. He was looking at my car. Our eyes met. I had my windows up, but we could clearly read each other's lips.
"Do you love my car?" I asked him.
"Yes, the colour is beautiful," he said.
"I love it, too," I said.
He had a huge smile on his face. I gave him a thumbs up. The light turned green and we drove straight ahead before he turned right at the next light.

It's interesting how humans interact. It's also fascinating how much guys admire a nice car.

Monday, August 26, 2019

Good weekend and making friends in the dating scene

This weekend flew by. I had a great time catching up with a couple of friends who are here on vacation. I feel well-rested.

The Labour Day long weekend is coming up. I am spending most of it in my ex-guy's hometown. I was there a few weekends ago and I felt good.

Although I still have moments of sadness when I think of him and our relationship being over, I am good. I decided to put out an ad on Plenty of Fish. I have responses. I simply need to sit down and sift through them. So far, folks are nice, wanting to have coffee and chat. I'm good with that.

Baby steps into building a friendship and seeing where it'll take me. It feels like a major step, but it's a positive one for me.

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Striking up a conversation over blue cars

Saturday was a great day chatting with two friends whom I haven't seen for a bit. I have known each of them since grades 8 and 9. I also enjoyed chatting with a fellow shopper.

I had parked in front of Best Buy and went in to browse. There was a grocery store across the parking lot. Instead of driving over there after I was done at Best Buy, I left my car where it was and walked over.

When I came back, both the person who had parked next to me and I were thinking of getting into our cars. We were both parked such that the driver side required one of us waiting for the other to get in. I broke the silence.
"Did you want to go in first?" I said, as I needed to put my groceries in the trunk.
"Sure. Is that your car?" he asked me.
"Yes," I replied, putting my groceries into my trunk.
"I love the colour," he said, admiring the flame blue.
"I love your car's colour, too," I said, as his was a darker blue.
"I really love the colour. It's nice," he said.
"Thanks! I love blue and it looks like you do, too," I replied, noticing his baby blue t-shirt he had on.
"It's my favourite colour, too," he said, with a huge smile on his face.
I wished him a good day. He said goodbye. It's nice that perfect strangers have something in common and great taste in car colours.

Saturday, August 24, 2019

Gourmet cookies make people happy

Friday was my student's last day at work. On Thursday, I got her a box of gourmet cookies as a thank-you gift.

She told me the most endearing story on Friday. She brought the cookies home on Thursday and asked her dad to have one after dinner. They both indulged in a cookie each. He has a sweet tooth and loved it.

They both went out after dinner, separately, to different commitments. Her mom arrived home later.

When my student came home, she let her mom know that I had bought cookies for her. Her mom said that she ate four cookies -- one of each flavour. Her mom doesn't have a sweet tooth, but found the cookies scrumptious. It speaks volumes.

I would probably get along with her mom. She loved the lemon delight ones the best. It's my favourite flavour.

I buy these cookies for special occasions and people. I'm glad that I made her day and her family's.

Friday, August 23, 2019

Nut joke

My manager's wife roasted a variety of cashews, walnuts, almonds, and more. On Thursday, he brought a jar in to share with the team.

When we got to our desks after our team meeting, he put a bunch of mixed nuts on a napkin. My colleague and I were talking about something work-related. When we were done, I saw him pointing at the nuts on his napkin.
"Are you counting your nuts?" I asked him.
My colleague and I laughed. When I think about what I had said, it makes me smile. It's nice to have a good laugh at the expense of my manager.

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Follow-up post to frosted acrylic paddles

I was asked to post some photos of the frosted acrylic paddles that I had described in my last post. They are on Etsy and look cool to me.

Courtesy: ClearImpactToys
I like that they are lightweight and likely pack a decent sting. There are also acrylic frat paddles, which interest me, too.

Courtesy: ClearImpactToys
There is a sale going on. I may cave and get one.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Spanking arousal caused by looking at frosted acrylic paddles

I do miss being spanked.

I haven't had a chance to explore spanking myself as of late. I have been both tired and not in the mood. However, just thinking about it today made me aroused.

What sparked my interest again was seeing a set of frosted spanking paddles. They were on sale and are acrylic. They seem to be fun and effective on a bad girl's backside, like mine.

It's fun fantasizing.

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Interviewing skills and conversation

Last Thursday, my manager and I had an interview with a prospective intern. He is from my alma mater, which is a first.

He was polite and knowledgeable. My manager conducted the first half of the interview, as he had to leave to attend a meeting. I took over after that.

I like honing my interviewing skills. I don't like firing question after question, or going into a huge soliloquy. I'd rather have a conversation, which made it more comfortable for both of us.

When I asked if he had any questions towards the end of our time together, he truly opened up. I like when folks are comfortable with me, and vice-versa.

His writing and editing skills are superb. He'll do just fine.

He accepted the offer. I look forward to working with him soon.

Monday, August 19, 2019

Declutting and choosing what goes in my new car

Cleaning out my old car and figuring out what goes into my new car has been eye-opening. It has resurrected my decluttering project.

I currently have a lone umbrella in my car. That's pretty good, considering that I had seven.

I went through my USB cable situation. I have reduced the number from double digits (I lost count after ten) down to three. One is for my phone, which uses USB C. One is for guests, and the cable has both micro USB and lightning. The last one is for my iPod. Yes, I'm reintroducing music on my iPod in my car through an auxiliary cable, as this device has every song that I own and is still cool in my books.

My glove compartment has been significantly cleaned out. My car manuals, insurance, and ownership are staples. My sunglasses and glasses will be there soon. I also have bolts for my snow tires. Finally, I have a small battery jumper and a first aid kit for emergencies.

What did I get rid of? A winter hat and mittens. A ton of plastic straws and napkins. Way too many pens.

The storage area between the two front seats will have a small flashlight, hand sanitizer, plastic utensils (fork, knife, and spoon), and the aforementioned USB cables.

I got rid of a huge flashlight that does not work, oral sex gel (I had two tubes and don't have anyone to practice on these days), and a ton of car chargers with USB ports. I don't know why I had five!

I'm making good progress. I have the trunk to get through. I will probably have reusable bags, a snow brush, and my floor mats that came with the car. I'll introduce winter floor mats when it gets cooler.

It feels good to clean house and start fresh.

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Changing how to secure my Sirius XM satellite radio receiver in my new car

I have a Sirius XM satellite radio receiver. In my old car, I had to get a car vent clamp to secure it. To make a long story short, I was introduced to Sirius XM radio with my first Prius. It was integrated in the car.

When I switched from my second Prius over to my Scion iM, there was no satellite integration in the latter. I have the same issue with my new car.

Perhaps it's a blessing in disguise. I can't use my vent clamp for the vents smack in the middle of the dashboard. My navigation screen has buttons that are compact. This radio isn't compact at all when you look at the cable connections. 

I can't put my radio on the far left and right vents of my car, either. I decided to use another Scosche Magic Mount holder for this radio, which works nicely. I already have one for my phone that I have been using for years. The two magnetic mounts are within the same area, with my phone mount a bit lower than the satellite radio's mount.

It's nice when I change things around. My satellite receiver doesn't look as bulky using the magnet and the magnetic mount. Yay!

I am loving my new car. It's nice to have a fun distraction.

Saturday, August 17, 2019

New car!

I am a proud owner of a new Corolla hatchback! I love it.

Naturally, there were a few odd hiccups to get it on Friday. First, I had to call my insurance to get confirmation that I have this new car insured. The insurance company failed to send it to the dealership.

Second, the vehicle registration wasn't ready in time for my appointment. I went in to take care of my paperwork and settle the bill. I then came back four hours later to get the registration and my car.

Third, while my sales person installed my licence plates on the new car, the hole were larger than the bolts. Odd! He got a couple of mechanics to looking into the issue. Both hadn't seen it before!

Fourth, my last name was spelled incorrectly on a couple of forms. Thank goodness I caught them. We had to get them corrected, reprinted, and resigned.

After all of that, I drove my car around for an hour, stopping at a couple of places before heading home. I love how quiet it is. It's like driving my Prius, but a lot more fun. I am also loving the push-button technology. My previous car was the old key method.

I'll be testing it out all weekend. Yay!

Friday, August 16, 2019

Car accessories and too many umbrellas

My car is pretty close to being empty. I simply have car manuals in the glove compartment.

I am excited to get my new car several hours from now. My first stop after getting my car is likely Walmart. I need to get some blind spot mirrors and some adhesive for my phone mount. Yep, I need to accessorize!

Remember my previous post about finding four umbrellas in my car's trunk? The situation was actually worse. In the hidden trunk storage where the spare tire is, I had three smaller umbrellas there. I had a grand total of seven umbrellas in my car.

I could have used a different on every single day. Insane!

Thursday, August 15, 2019

Evening outing, with good food, company, and a hand massage

Tonight was a clear, summer evening. I went out to a little function that had little desserts, pasta, meatballs, Indian curry and naan, and more. It was nice.

I brought a colleague with me, who is also a friend. She is the little sister that I never had. She had a good time. I did, too.

I got a hand massage at this function. Considering that I type a ton at work and right now, it felt so good afterwards.

Hand massages are good. I need to have more of them.

Wednesday, August 14, 2019

Update on cleaning out my car

I am nearly done removing my stuff from my car. I simply have a few items in my trunk. I will be ready when I return my car on Friday and get my new one.

I have been gradually removing my items each day, rather than doing it all in one shot. I have this magnetic mount (stand) for my phone. It has a 3M sticky backing. I have one replacement backing left. I am pleased that I don't need to buy some more.

I also figured out that you can stick a magnet inside your PopSocket and then stick it on the magnetic mount. Better late than not knowing!

For the longest time, I didn't think that I needed a PopSocket. I admit that it's easier to take photos with one.

Tuesday, August 13, 2019

Pillows of cinnamon sugar are heavenly

On Monday, I went out for dinner after work. I had a Groupon that was going to expire in a couple of days.

I have been to this restaurant a number of times. I wanted the open-faced roast beef dinner. However, I was told that they were running out of roast beef. I got a mix of turkey and roast beef. It was different! It was still yummy.

This place has these pillows of fried dough, filled with cinnamon sugar. They are delicious. I'm glad that I had them for dessert.

I will be dreaming of them all night.

Monday, August 12, 2019

Cleaning out my car and getting rid of clutter

I am in the process of moving stuff out of my car. I hand it over on Friday and pick up my new car.

It's incredible just how much stuff I have amassed in 3.5 years. I have a ton of cell phone USB cables. I only need a USB C cable. I have pretty much everything under the sun in my glove compartment.

I have also noticed that I have four umbrellas. Why do I need so many?

Anyway, I'm into minimalistic mode. With my new car, I will work on not using my car to store so much stuff.

Sunday, August 11, 2019

Road trip to meet with good, supportive friends

On Saturday, I hung out with a couple of friends. I did a road trip out to a city where one of them lives. It's also where my ex-guy lives.

The interesting thing is that I didn't think about him while I was there. It was simply fun catching up with cool people over a late lunch and dessert. They made me happy.

I like being surrounded by positive, nice people. I feel good.

Saturday, August 10, 2019

Sad about my ex-guy reaching out to me through a work program

My ex-guy and I work for the same company. He works from home all the time and doesn't require going into the office. I go into work three times each week and work from home for the remaining days.

Since he let me go, he has written a couple of e-mails to me through his personal account to mine. I didn't bother to reply to either. The fact that he was late to say happy birthday to me because he was his typical late self did not impress me.

My guess is that he is wondering how I am, as I am not writing back. Frankly, I need some space and don't have anything to contribute.

At work, we have a thank-you program, where you can write a little message and award some points to someone at work. It's to show your appreciation and the recipient can get something from our company's e-commerce site. We get a certain number of points dropped into our accounts every month.

Well, he sent me some points and a one-liner to say thanks for helping him out. As nice as that gesture was, it makes me sad that he ended our relationship -- that he hurt me. Yet, he thinks that things are the same. They aren't.

Friday, August 09, 2019

Fabulous lunch, wine-tasting, and good deed

I had a fabulous lunch on Thursday. I went out with my department to a new restaurant and had a vegan pizza with lots of mushrooms. It was delicious!

Later on in the evening, I went to a wine-tasting event. I got to try three different white wines, followed by three different red wines. We also had food to nibble on. I loved it.

I said hi to a person at the event. We have crossed paths for a while. She rarely talks to folks. I decided to break the ice. It worked.

At the end of the event, she asked me if I could drive her to the closest intersection, so she could catch a bus. I said yes.

After talking to her in my car for a bit, I found out that she doesn't live too far from me. I offered to drive her home. She was so appreciative that she said that she'd buy me a coffee next time.

It pays to be nice and do something nice for someone, to make that person's day and yours.